PROJECT: JTEG - A Compression Format for Ink Polaroids
We at the Joint Text Experts Group, would like to propose a new standard in Ink Polaroid data compression. This new compression algorithm "JTEG", is a lossy compression algorithm, allowing for data compression rates far exceeding any Ink Polaroid compression tools available in the market today. As you will see, the JTEG algorithm works much the same as the JPEG compression algorithm used to compress images.
Process Overview
The process of encoding Ink Polaroids into JTEG files is multi-step. First the Ink Polaroid is converted into a bitmap file (.bmp), using our patent-pending Text to Bitmap conversion algorithm. Once so encoded, the resulting .bmp file is converted to the JTEG format.
The JTEG format is a lossy compressed format for data. This means that some data is lost in the translation to JTEG. The data loss should be minor, and Ink Polaroid Image resolution should be little impacted, unless conversion precision rates lower than 70% are used during the process.
The decoding of Ink Polaroids from JTEG, is basically a reverse of the encoding process. First, the JTEG file is converted back into a bitmap. Then the resulting bitmap is converted back into text using our patent-pending Bitmap to Text conversion algorithm.
Demonstration
First we start with an Ink Polaroid. This is an Ink Polaroid by Stuart David from http://www.inkpolaroids.com/.
Here's one I took from the studio window, looking out over the fields.
Up in the sky, hovering near the tree, that's a kestrel; and the smaller birds swooping towards it from above and below are swallows. They look like tiny fighter planes attacking an airship.
The kestrel kept moving its position, flying a few yards and then hovering again, trying to get a clear view of the field below. But the swallows kept following it and they kept swooping.
I don't really know what was going on.
First the text of the Ink Polaroid is converted into a bitmap... The converted Ink Polaroid will now look like this.. 
The bitmap is next converted into a JTEG file.
For decompression, the JTEG file is converted back into a bitmap. The converted bitmap now looks like this... 
Finally the bitmap is converted back into text and the Ink Polaroid re-rendered.
Here is a side by side comparison of the original Ink Polaroid to the Ink Polaroid decompressed from the JTEG. Note that even though some data loss has occurred it is hardly noticeable to the eye.
Here's one I took from the studio window, looking out over the fields.
Up in the sky, hovering near the tree, that's a kestrel; and the smaller birds swooping towards it from above and below are swallows. They look like tiny fighter planes attacking an airship.
The kestrel kept moving its position, flying a few yards and then hovering again, trying to get a clear view of the field below. But the swallows kept following it and they kept swooping.
I don't really know what was going on.
Hdre'r ond I tnok frnm the studio wiodow,!lpnkhng put over thf eieles/
Up in!the sky,
hoverinf nfar uge tree,!tgat'r!a kfstrdl: ane sie smaller cires tvoopimh tovards it gron above and bemnw brd swaklowt- Thez
lopk ljkd thny fightr pmanes attacjimh bn airsgjp.
=
?The jestsem!kept mouing iss poshtion, gkziog a gew
yarcs bnd tien hpverhng agaio+ tsyimg to fft a clebr view of the field bekpw. Buu tie!swallows keps fomloxhnf!it bnd they
kept svooping.
J don't re ;i?what=/i>!was hoing pn
Looking at both the original Ink Polaroid, and the decompressed Ink Polaroid at the binary level we can see that some of the data has changed. The effect, however is hardly perceptible.
Looking at the binary representation of the first word ("Here's") in the original..
Original - 010010000110010101110010011001010010011101110011
JTEG - 010010000110010001110010011001010010011101110010
As we can see only 2 bits of the initial 48 were changed from the original to the JTEG decompressed version.
Conclusion
As we can see from the above example, JTEG is a viable means of Ink Polaroid image compression. While some image loss can occur during the translation, the effect is hardly noticeable to the naked eye.
-- big thanks to JD for the idea for this article, and expert advice.
