The JPEG Workshop
The future of data storage
Join us for an exciting workshop to find out about the principles of encoding and retrieving digital information using synthetic DNA, highlighting its potential for ultra-dense, long-term, and sustainable data storage. After an overview of standards created by the JPEG Standardization Committee, JPEG DNA, a new standard to be published in 2026 by IEC and ISO based in Switzerland, will be introduced. We then explore the growing challenges faced by multimedia archives such as those from the collection of the Montreux Jazz Festival Digital Archives and how JPEG DNA can cope with them. No prior expertise is required to participate.
Program Agenda
12 June, 3-5pm
Event Space, Swiss Pavilion
- Welcome notes
- Overview of JPEG Standards
- Introduction to JPEG DNA
- Montreux Jazz Festival Digital Archives
- Panel discussion
Event Description
The upcoming workshop on data storage using DNA promises to be an engaging and forward-looking event hosted by EPFL at the Swiss Pavilion. The session will begin with a warm welcome by the host, setting the stage for a thought-provoking exploration into the future of digital preservation.
The workshop will open with a keynote presentation by Professor Ebrahimi of EPFL, a renowned expert in multimedia signal processing and the chairman of the JPEG standardization committee. He will offer a comprehensive overview of the JPEG family of standards, emphasizing how they have evolved to meet the growing demands of image and data compression in an increasingly digital world.
Next, Professor Watanabe from Takushoku University will take the stage to present the ambitious JPEG DNA standardization initiative. His talk will delve into the motivations behind storing digital content on DNA molecules, discussing the objectives of the JPEG DNA project, the technical and scientific challenges it faces, and the roadmap toward making this visionary approach a global standard for long-term, sustainable data storage.
The third presentation will be delivered remotely by Dr. Dufaux, also from EPFL. He will share insights from the Montreux Jazz Festival Digital Archive, one of the world’s most significant audiovisual collections. Dr. Dufaux will highlight the technical, logistical, and preservation challenges associated with maintaining such a massive archive and how emerging technologies like DNA storage may offer promising solutions.
The workshop will conclude with an interactive panel discussion, providing an opportunity for the speakers to exchange ideas, respond to questions from the audience, and reflect on the broader implications of DNA-based data storage for the future of digital heritage and information preservation.
Register here