Documentation & Resources
Comprehensive guides, templates, and tools to support your privacy-aware audiovisual data workflows.
Documentation
Guides draw on the SYNAPSIS video tutorials, EnvisionBox and the MDIG2026 Tilburg summer school handbook.
Getting Started
What video masking is, when you need it, and what it costs in data quality. Then install MaskAnyone and run a first job.
Face Masking Methods
Blur, pixelation, contours, silhouettes and face masking compared side by side on the same clips, with the tools that produce them.
Voice Anonymization
Audio de-identification from simple redaction to voice anonymization, with runnable code. From the MDIG2026 summer school.
Pose Data Extraction
Full-body, hand and face tracking with MediaPipe, with optional masking and movement tracing, and exported time series.
FAIR Archiving
Archiving masked data: what to deposit, which metadata to record, and how to document the masking you applied.
Templates & Forms
Data Management Plan Template
DMP template for audiovisual research data including masking procedures, storage, and archiving plans.
Metadata Schema
Standard metadata schema for masked audiovisual data including masking parameters and provenance information.
Masking Report Template
Document masking procedures, quality metrics, and compliance information for publications and ethics boards.
FAIR Self-Assessment for Audiovisual Data
Evaluate how Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable your masked dataset is. Adapted from the ARDC tool with audiovisual-specific guidance.
DPIA Screening for Audiovisual Research
Determine if a full DPIA is needed and document key privacy considerations. Based on Dutch DPA guidance, Utrecht University handbook, and ICT Institute template.
Software Management Plan
Plan the development, maintenance, and sustainability of research video processing software. Based on the Netherlands eScience Center SMP guide and NWO requirements.
Data Sharing Decision Tree
Determine the right sharing strategy for your audiovisual data. Covers open, tiered, controlled access, and metadata-only paths. Based on RDNL, CESSDA, and ODISSEI guidance.
Deployment Checklist
Step-by-step checklist for deploying MaskAnyone on university HPC clusters or local infrastructure. Covers hardware, security, networking, and verification.
Pilot Planning Template
Plan an institutional pilot deployment of MaskAnyone. Covers use case definition, stakeholders, compliance, technical setup, and evaluation criteria.
Workshop Planning Checklist
Timeline-based checklist for organizing masking workshops. Includes formats for 1.5h intro, 4h course, and 3-day summer school.
Masking Strategy Card Deck
A hands-on decision tool for researchers and data stewards. Cards guide you through masking strategy selection based on your research context, data type, and privacy requirements.
Code & Tools
MaskAnyone
Main platform repository with face masking, voice anonymization, and web interface components.
MaskBench
Benchmarking framework for evaluating pose estimation accuracy under masking conditions.
Docker Images
Pre-built Docker containers for local deployment. Currently available via repository instructions.
Ansible Deployment Guide
Draft playbook for deploying MaskAnyone on institutional servers using Ansible, pending validation by Radboud TSG. Covers inventory setup, environment configuration, and Apache proxy.
Ecosystem
Open-source tools and research infrastructures that complement the SYNAPSIS platform.
Privacy & Anonymization
Cleanvision
Automated image quality auditing for ML pipelines.
Data Management & Archiving
Multimedia Research Tools
VIA (VGG Annotator)
Lightweight browser-based image and video annotation.
Infrastructure & Ethics
Publications
Masked-Piper: Masking personal identities in visual recordings while preserving multimodal information
Owoyele, B., Trujillo, J., de Melo, G., & Pouw, W.
SoftwareX, Volume 20, 2022
MaskingOPS: A Tutorial for End-to-End Privacy-Preserving Video De-identification and Quality Assurance in Behavioral Research
Owoyele, B.A., Schilling, M., Riedel, T., Shaik, S., Zafari, Z., Pouw, W., & de Melo, G.
Under review — Behavior Research Methods
SYNAPSIS Policy Paper: Privacy-Aware Audiovisual Data Sharing for SSH
SYNAPSIS Consortium
In preparation
Coming 2027Frequently Asked Questions
What video formats are supported?
How long does processing take?
Is my data secure during processing?
Can I use SYNAPSIS for commercial purposes?
How do I cite SYNAPSIS in my research?
Please cite the SYNAPSIS platform and relevant publications:
What if I need help with a specific use case?
Need More Help?
Can't find what you're looking for? Our team is here to help with technical questions, use case consultations, and institutional partnerships.