Exploration on JPEG DNA

JPEG standards are used in storage and archival of digital pictures. This puts the JPEG Committee in a good position to address the challenges of DNA-based storage by proposing an efficient image coding format to create artificial DNA molecules. JPEG DNA has been established as an exploration activity within the JPEG Committee to study use cases, to identify requirements and to assess the state of the art in DNA storage for the purpose of image archival using DNA in order to launch a standardization activity. To this end, multiple workshops were organised. Presentations and recordings of these workshops are available in the Documentation section. The JPEG Committee released a public document that describes its findings regarding storage of digital images using artificial DNA.

The scope of JPEG DNA is the creation of a standard for efficient coding of images that considers biochemical constraints and offers robustness to noise introduced by the different stages of the storage process that is based on DNA synthetic polymers. Given the current complexity of the storage/synthesis and read/sequencing processes, DNA-based storage seems well suited to large-scale archives and long-term preservation, with DNA-based storage limited to one or a few central storage units where the information is intended to be accessed only infrequently. In this case, longevity is an essential requirement and no degradation in quality would be acceptable.

At its 99th online meeting, the JPEG committee released a Final Call for Proposals (CfP) for JPEG DNA. This call was accompanied by two additional documents, namely, JPEG DNA Requirements and JPEG DNA Common test conditions.

JPEG DNA is currently in the refinement stage of a Verification Model that was selected following the Call for Proposals.

A working draft of the JPEG DNA specifications is expected in April 2024 leading to a Committee Draft in October 2024, followed by a Draft International Standard in January 2025 and the final publication of the International Standard during the same year.

The JPEG DNA AHG mailing list is open to public and all stakeholders and interested parties in media technologies and applications that can benefit from DNA storage technologies are invited to join the mailing list and to take part in the activities by registering here.