An optimized framework for digital watermarking based on multi-parameterized 2D-FrFT using PSO

In this paper, we propose a multi-parameter image watermarking algorithm using the fractional Fourier transform (FrFT). The proposed algorithm employs a double transform mechanism to increase the robustness of the algorithm against attacks. We also couple the application of the transform with the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm to decide on the ideal fractional domain for the embedding process. The PSO finds the optimal fractional domain by minimizing the RMSE between the input image and the watermarked image. The results obtained are tested against standard parameters, e.g., robustness, imperceptibility, payload capacity, to evaluate the performance of the algorithm.