2007年VOA标准英语-'Authentic' Project Uses Digital Technology to

By Paul Sisco
Washington, DC
05 January 2007
 
watch Masterpiece or Fake Art report

The Authentic¹ Project finds another fascinating use for digital technology. Researchers are using it to understand the brains of the great artists, and in so doing they are putting forgers out of business.  Paul Sisco reports.

 
Masterpiece or Fake?

Is it an original, or a fake?  Researchers in the Netherlands are making it easier to answer that question with digital technology.  Dr. Eric Postma has spent more than three years on what he calls "the Authentic Project."

"We try to copy the way the brain is processing images," he explains.  "Once we process this in a human-like way, we can detect and measure similarities of patterns and then compare that to samples of other paintings.  So the whole trick is a transformation² from this painting in numbers in such a way that the computer can deal with them."

The 'Authentic' software program is based on the workings of the human brain.

By analyzing³ and digitizing high-resolution transparencies from x-rayed canvases, the software learns to recognize a painter's style, individual brushstrokes and technique - reducing the time it can take to distinguish a masterpiece from a fake. 

 
Van Gogh Masterpiece or Fake?
"We analyze⁴ those characteristics of brushstrokes like the curvature and all kinds of statistics, the position of the brushstroke on the painting, the thickness of the brushstroke, the separation of the brushstroke, the repetition of the brushstrokes," explains researcher Igor Berezhnoy, "and based on those statistics we can say that this brushwork is different from the fake brush work."

Dr. Chris Stolwicjk, the head of research at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, says the software will not replace the trained judgment⁵ of the best art experts.  Nevertheless, it will still help. "Image processing can be a tool in art expertise⁶, because the computer can help us in a very quick and very precise way to determine several characteristics of the painter's hand in works of art."

Each painting that is analyzed⁷, whether it is real or fake, adds to the software's capabilities⁸.  The "Authentic Project" is a constantly expanding library of knowledge - cataloging and compiling an artist's unique and dynamic, characteristics.

1 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

2 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

3 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句

4 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

5 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

6 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

7 analyzed   

v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The young man did not analyze the process of his captivation and enrapturement, for love to him was a mystery and could not be analyzed. 这年轻人没有分析自己蛊惑著迷的过程，因为对他来说，爱是个不可分析的迷。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓