Thermal Ribbon Analysis Platform (TRAP): the Validation of a New Instrument for Recovering Images on Ribbons

This paper details the development, testing, and subsequent validation of the Thermal Ribbon Analysis Platform (TRAP). The TRAP is a computer peripheral imaging device that scans used dye diffusion thermal transfer and thermal mass transfer ribbons. The device is designed to recover and preserve photographic data on the seized cartridges without modifying or damaging the media. The system enables the user to easily and efficiently mount and scan a wide variety of cartridge formats from a desktop computer. The TRAP provides a suite of recovery and image enhancement tools from an integrated software application. The software also supports various batch related image operations to reduce postprocessing time. The validation study of the TRAP demonstrates that the system is capable of imaging, tracking, and processing various cartridge form factors reliably. Furthermore, it was determined that the TRAP successfully captures all imagery on any given ribbon.