CIA sinks money into video copyright-detection firm

THE CIA'S VENTURE CAPITAL ARM, a "not for profit" outfit called In-Q-Tel, has invested in MotionDSP, a firm engaged in developing digital video technologies.

While the spooky financiers won't say how much they've bunged in MotionDSP's direction, some of the firm's recent activities may provide a pointer as to the CIA's interest.

MotionDSP developed software to enhance digital imagery. Its Ikena software range includes Ikena Copyright, a copyright detection technology that traces videos based on their content.

A spokesbloke from In-Q-Tel, reckoned MotionDSP's digital video technology had, "proven itself to be the gold standard in both quality and scalability, and will radically enhance the way any organization-commercial or government-processes video images."

He said it fitted the spooks' brief of producing an "innovative technology solution to support the mission of the Central Intelligence Agency and the broader U.S. intelligence community."

Of course, a certain chip maker likes to bandy about lawsuits with folk who call their companies by names anything like Intel. For some reason, it hasn't yet taken on the CIA over In-Q-Tel.

Maybe it's scared. Or maybe In-Q-Tel has a better reason for its name. I mean Intel - the company - doesn't deal in "intel" like the CIA is supposed to.

Or maybe it's something to do with the fact that the president and CEO of In-Q-Tel is a bloke called Chris Darby.

Darby joined In-Q-Tel in September 2006, his previous job was at a firm called Intel, where he was vice president and general manager of the middleware division. Hmm. µ