Conclusion
It can be seen that data compression is a very useful tool in image compression. The FBI has saved countless hours and thousands of dollars by using image compression techniques such as Wavelet Scalar Quantization, N-Channels, and Embedded Zerotree Wavelets. In these systems, data is taken from a large signal or image, such as a fingerprint, and is taken through some sort of thresholding, or encoding. Once encoded, the compressed image can be stored using a relatively small amount of memory or sent quickly through a modem. The use of wavelets is essential for this compression. Since 1924, the FBI has collected some 30 million sets of fingerprints. Without the advancement of wavelets, this process would be nearly impossible. On a larger scale, the use of wavelets can be thought of as an aid to police in helping them identify criminals and thus keep our cities and towns safe. As time continues, wavelets continue to gain respect in the realms of science, technology, and mathematics, and new uses for wavelets are being discovered in these fields and others everyday.