Estimating distortion in a binary symmetric channel consistently

The problem of estimating the distortion in a binary symmetric channel is examined. A consistent estimator is described, and its performance is assessed numerically. The estimator is based solely on the information contained in the channel output. The channel input is viewed as an unobservable nuisance parameter that satisfies a weak basic assumption that (1) makes the problem of estimation viable, and (2) seems swell suited for use in an imaging context, under which the input is viewed as the true image and the output is viewed as the observed image