The forensic holodeck: an immersive display for forensic crime scene reconstructions.

PubMed

Ebert, Lars C; Nguyen, Tuan T; Breitbeck, Robert; Braun, Marcel; Thali, Michael J; Ross, Steffen

2014-12-01

In forensic investigations, crime scene reconstructions are created based on a variety of three-dimensional image modalities. Although the data gathered are three-dimensional, their presentation on computer screens and paper is two-dimensional, which incurs a loss of information. By applying immersive virtual reality (VR) techniques, we propose a system that allows a crime scene to be viewed as if the investigator were present at the scene. We used a low-cost VR headset originally developed for computer gaming in our system. The headset offers a large viewing volume and tracks the user's head orientation in real-time, and an optical tracker is used for positional information. In addition, we created a crime scene reconstruction to demonstrate the system. In this article, we present a low-cost system that allows immersive, three-dimensional and interactive visualization of forensic incident scene reconstructions.

Using videogrammetry and 3D image reconstruction to identify crime suspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klasen, Lena M.; Fahlander, Olov

1997-02-01

The anthropometry and movements are unique for every individual human being. We identify persons we know by recognizing the way the look and move. By quantifying these measures and using image processing methods this method can serve as a tool in the work of the police as a complement to the ability of the human eye. The idea is to use virtual 3-D parameterized models of the human body to measure the anthropometry and movements of a crime suspect. The Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science in cooperation with SAAB Military Aircraft have developed methods for measuring the lengths of persons from video sequences. However, there is so much unused information in a digital image sequence from a crime scene. The main approach for this paper is to give an overview of the current research project at Linkoping University, Image Coding Group where methods to measure anthropometrical data and movements by using virtual 3-D parameterized models of the person in the crime scene are being developed. The length of an individual might vary up to plus or minus 10 cm depending on whether the person is in upright position or not. When measuring during the best available conditions, the length still varies within plus or minus 1 cm. Using a full 3-D model provides a rich set of anthropometric measures describing the person in the crime scene. Once having obtained such a model the movements can be quantified as well. The results depend strongly on the accuracy of the 3-D model and the strategy of having such an accurate 3-D model is to make one estimate per image frame by using 3-D scene reconstruction, and an averaged 3-D model as the final result from which the anthropometry and movements are calculated.

Insects and associated arthropods analyzed during medicolegal death investigations in Harris County, Texas, USA: January 2013- April 2016

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The application of insect and arthropod information to medicolegal death investigations is one of the more exacting applications of entomology. Historically limited to homicide investigations, the integration of full time forensic entomology services to the medical examiner’s office in Harris County has opened up the opportunity to apply entomology to a wide variety of manner of death classifications and types of scenes to make observations on a number of different geographical and species-level trends in Harris County, Texas, USA. In this study, a retrospective analysis was made of 203 forensic entomology cases analyzed during the course of medicolegal death investigations performed by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, TX, USA from January 2013 through April 2016. These cases included all manner of death classifications, stages of decomposition and a variety of different scene types that were classified into decedents transported from the hospital (typically associated with myiasis or sting allergy; 3.0%), outdoor scenes (32.0%) or indoor scenes (65.0%). Ambient scene air temperature at the time scene investigation was the only significantly different factor observed between indoor and outdoor scenes with average indoor scene temperature being slightly cooler (25.2°C) than that observed outdoors (28.0°C). Relative humidity was not found to be significantly different between scene types. Most of the indoor scenes were classified as natural (43.3%) whereas most of the outdoor scenes were classified as homicides (12.3%). All other manner of death classifications came from both indoor and outdoor scenes. Several species were found to be significantly associated with indoor scenes as indicated by a binomial test, including Blaesoxipha plinthopyga (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), all Sarcophagidae (including B. plinthopyga), Megaselia scalaris Loew (Diptera: Phoridae), Synthesiomyia nudiseta Wulp (Diptera: Muscidae) and Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). The only species that was a significant indicator of an outdoor scene was Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). All other insect species that were collected in five or more cases were collected from both indoor and outdoor scenes. A species list with month of collection and basic scene characteristics with the length of the estimated time of colonization is also presented. The data presented here provide valuable casework related species data for Harris County, TX and nearby areas on the Gulf Coast that can be used to compare to other climate regions with other species assemblages and to assist in identifying new species introductions to the area. This study also highlights the importance of potential sources of uncertainty in preparation and interpretation of forensic entomology reports from different scene types. PMID:28604832

Insects and associated arthropods analyzed during medicolegal death investigations in Harris County, Texas, USA: January 2013- April 2016.

PubMed

Sanford, Michelle R

2017-01-01

The application of insect and arthropod information to medicolegal death investigations is one of the more exacting applications of entomology. Historically limited to homicide investigations, the integration of full time forensic entomology services to the medical examiner's office in Harris County has opened up the opportunity to apply entomology to a wide variety of manner of death classifications and types of scenes to make observations on a number of different geographical and species-level trends in Harris County, Texas, USA. In this study, a retrospective analysis was made of 203 forensic entomology cases analyzed during the course of medicolegal death investigations performed by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, TX, USA from January 2013 through April 2016. These cases included all manner of death classifications, stages of decomposition and a variety of different scene types that were classified into decedents transported from the hospital (typically associated with myiasis or sting allergy; 3.0%), outdoor scenes (32.0%) or indoor scenes (65.0%). Ambient scene air temperature at the time scene investigation was the only significantly different factor observed between indoor and outdoor scenes with average indoor scene temperature being slightly cooler (25.2°C) than that observed outdoors (28.0°C). Relative humidity was not found to be significantly different between scene types. Most of the indoor scenes were classified as natural (43.3%) whereas most of the outdoor scenes were classified as homicides (12.3%). All other manner of death classifications came from both indoor and outdoor scenes. Several species were found to be significantly associated with indoor scenes as indicated by a binomial test, including Blaesoxipha plinthopyga (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), all Sarcophagidae (including B. plinthopyga), Megaselia scalaris Loew (Diptera: Phoridae), Synthesiomyia nudiseta Wulp (Diptera: Muscidae) and Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). The only species that was a significant indicator of an outdoor scene was Lucilia eximia (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). All other insect species that were collected in five or more cases were collected from both indoor and outdoor scenes. A species list with month of collection and basic scene characteristics with the length of the estimated time of colonization is also presented. The data presented here provide valuable casework related species data for Harris County, TX and nearby areas on the Gulf Coast that can be used to compare to other climate regions with other species assemblages and to assist in identifying new species introductions to the area. This study also highlights the importance of potential sources of uncertainty in preparation and interpretation of forensic entomology reports from different scene types.

An Automatic Image-Based Modelling Method Applied to Forensic Infography

PubMed Central

Zancajo-Blazquez, Sandra; Gonzalez-Aguilera, Diego; Gonzalez-Jorge, Higinio; Hernandez-Lopez, David

2015-01-01

This paper presents a new method based on 3D reconstruction from images that demonstrates the utility and integration of close-range photogrammetry and computer vision as an efficient alternative to modelling complex objects and scenarios of forensic infography. The results obtained confirm the validity of the method compared to other existing alternatives as it guarantees the following: (i) flexibility, permitting work with any type of camera (calibrated and non-calibrated, smartphone or tablet) and image (visible, infrared, thermal, etc.); (ii) automation, allowing the reconstruction of three-dimensional scenarios in the absence of manual intervention, and (iii) high quality results, sometimes providing higher resolution than modern laser scanning systems. As a result, each ocular inspection of a crime scene with any camera performed by the scientific police can be transformed into a scaled 3d model. PMID:25793628

The Forensic Confirmation Bias: A Comparison Between Experts and Novices.

PubMed

van den Eeden, Claire A J; de Poot, Christianne J; van Koppen, Peter J

2018-05-17

A large body of research has described the influence of context information on forensic decision-making. In this study, we examined the effect of context information on the search for and selection of traces by students (N = 36) and crime scene investigators (N = 58). Participants investigated an ambiguous mock crime scene and received prior information indicating suicide, a violent death or no information. Participants described their impression of the scene and wrote down which traces they wanted to secure. Results showed that context information impacted first impression of the scene and crime scene behavior, namely number of traces secured. Participants in the murder condition secured most traces. Furthermore, the students secured more crime-related traces. Students were more confident in their first impression. This study does not indicate that experts outperform novices. We therefore argue for proper training on cognitive processes as an integral part of all forensic education. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Additional Crime Scenes for Projectile Motion Unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fullerton, Dan; Bonner, David

2011-12-01

Building students' ability to transfer physics fundamentals to real-world applications establishes a deeper understanding of underlying concepts while enhancing student interest. Forensic science offers a great opportunity for students to apply physics to highly engaging, real-world contexts. Integrating these opportunities into inquiry-based problem solving in a team environment provides a terrific backdrop for fostering communication, analysis, and critical thinking skills. One such activity, inspired jointly by the museum exhibit "CSI: The Experience"2 and David Bonner's TPT article "Increasing Student Engagement and Enthusiasm: A Projectile Motion Crime Scene,"3 provides students with three different crime scenes, each requiring an analysis of projectile motion. In this lesson students socially engage in higher-order analysis of two-dimensional projectile motion problems by collecting information from 3-D scale models and collaborating with one another on its interpretation, in addition to diagramming and mathematical analysis typical to problem solving in physics.

An investigation into the effect of surveillance drones on textile evidence at crime scenes.

PubMed

Bucknell, Alistair; Bassindale, Tom

2017-09-01

With increasing numbers of Police forces using drones for crime scene surveillance, the effect of the drones on trace evidence present needs evaluation. In this investigation the effect of flying a quadcopter drone at different heights over a controlled scene and taking off at different distances from the scene were measured. Yarn was placed on a range of floor surfaces and the number lost or moved from their original position was recorded. It was possible to estimate "safe" distances above and take off distance from the bath mat (2m and 1m respectively), and carpet tile (3m and 1m) which were the roughest surfaces. The maximum distances tested of 5m above and 2m from was not far enough to prevent significant disturbance with the other floor surfaces. This report illustrates the importance of considering the impact of new technologies into a forensic workflow on established forensic evidence prior to implementation. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spherical photography and virtual tours for presenting crime scenes and forensic evidence in new zealand courtrooms.

PubMed

Tung, Nicole D; Barr, Jason; Sheppard, Dion J; Elliot, Douglas A; Tottey, Leah S; Walsh, Kevan A J

2015-05-01

The delivery of forensic science evidence in a clear and understandable manner is an important aspect of a forensic scientist's role during expert witness delivery in a courtroom trial. This article describes an Integrated Evidence Platform (IEP) system based on spherical photography which allows the audience to view the crime scene via a virtual tour and view the forensic scientist's evidence and results in context. Equipment and software programmes used in the creation of the IEP include a Nikon DSLR camera, a Seitz Roundshot VR Drive, PTGui Pro, and Tourweaver Professional Edition. The IEP enables a clear visualization of the crime scene, with embedded information such as photographs of items of interest, complex forensic evidence, the results of laboratory analyses, and scientific opinion evidence presented in context. The IEP has resulted in significant improvements to the pretrial disclosure of forensic results, enhanced the delivery of evidence in court, and improved the jury's understanding of the spatial relationship between results. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Artefact in forensic medicine: non-missile penetrating injury.

PubMed

Patel, F

1994-12-01

Gunshot wounds are well characterised in forensic textbooks and atypical or unusual ballistic characteristics feature regularly in forensic literature. Forensic practitioners receive continuing education in recognising a variety of gunshot wounds which are created by bullet missiles. Awareness of a non-missile penetrating injury mimicking a gunshot wound is also relevant to forensic medical examiners or others who are likely to attend a scene of death. In this case, which involved self-stabbing with a metal nail, a homicidal firearm death investigation was instigated because of a misinterpretation by crime scene investigators.

The polymorphism of crime scene investigation: An exploratory analysis of the influence of crime and forensic intelligence on decisions made by crime scene examiners.

PubMed

Resnikoff, Tatiana; Ribaux, Olivier; Baylon, Amélie; Jendly, Manon; Rossy, Quentin

2015-12-01

A growing body of scientific literature recurrently indicates that crime and forensic intelligence influence how crime scene investigators make decisions in their practices. This study scrutinises further this intelligence-led crime scene examination view. It analyses results obtained from two questionnaires. Data have been collected from nine chiefs of Intelligence Units (IUs) and 73 Crime Scene Examiners (CSEs) working in forensic science units (FSUs) in the French speaking part of Switzerland (six cantonal police agencies). Four salient elements emerged: (1) the actual existence of communication channels between IUs and FSUs across the police agencies under consideration; (2) most CSEs take into account crime intelligence disseminated; (3) a differentiated, but significant use by CSEs in their daily practice of this kind of intelligence; (4) a probable deep influence of this kind of intelligence on the most concerned CSEs, specially in the selection of the type of material/trace to detect, collect, analyse and exploit. These results contribute to decipher the subtle dialectic articulating crime intelligence and crime scene investigation, and to express further the polymorph role of CSEs, beyond their most recognised input to the justice system. Indeed, they appear to be central, but implicit, stakeholders in intelligence-led style of policing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic botany as a useful tool in the crime scene: Report of a case.

PubMed

Margiotta, Gabriele; Bacaro, Giovanni; Carnevali, Eugenia; Severini, Simona; Bacci, Mauro; Gabbrielli, Mario

2015-08-01

The ubiquitous presence of plant species makes forensic botany useful for many criminal cases. Particularly, bryophytes are useful for forensic investigations because many of them are clonal and largely distributed. Bryophyte shoots can easily become attached to shoes and clothes and it is possible to be found on footwear, providing links between crime scene and individuals. We report a case of suicide of a young girl happened in Siena, Tuscany, Italia. The cause of traumatic injuries could be ascribed to suicide, to homicide, or to accident. In absence of eyewitnesses who could testify the dynamics of the event, the crime scene investigation was fundamental to clarify the accident. During the scene analysis, some fragments of Tortula muralis Hedw. and Bryum capillare Hedw were found. The fragments were analyzed by a bryologists in order to compare them with the moss present on the stairs that the victim used immediately before the death. The analysis of these bryophytes found at the crime scene allowed to reconstruct the accident. Even if this evidence, of course, is circumstantial, it can be useful in forensic cases, together with the other evidences, to reconstruct the dynamics of events. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

The Role of Forensic Botany in Solving a Case: Scientific Evidence on the Falsification of a Crime Scene.

PubMed

Aquila, Isabella; Gratteri, Santo; Sacco, Matteo A; Ricci, Pietrantonio

2018-05-01

Forensic botany can provide useful information for pathologists, particularly on crime scene investigation. We report the case of a man who arrived at the hospital and died shortly afterward. The body showed widespread electrical lesions. The statements of his brother and wife about the incident aroused a large amount of suspicion in the investigators. A crime scene investigation was carried out, along with a botanical morphological survey on small vegetations found on the corpse. An autopsy was also performed. Botanical analysis showed some samples of Xanthium spinosum, thus leading to the discovery of the falsification of the crime scene although the location of the true crime scene remained a mystery. The botanical analysis, along with circumstantial data and autopsy findings, led to the discovery of the real crime scene and became crucial as part of the legal evidence regarding the falsity of the statements made to investigators. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The value of crime scene and site visitation by forensic psychologists and psychiatrists.

PubMed

Mohandie, Kris; Meloy, J Reid

2013-05-01

Site visits and crime scene visitation by forensic psychologists and psychiatrists may enhance the accuracy and credibility of their forensic work in criminal, civil, and other important contexts. This ethically sound technique of after-the-fact data collection and verification offers numerous potential benefits to the forensic mental health professional: clarifying the subject's actions, assessing the reliability of witness reports, identifying contextual determinants of behavior, and more fully illuminating subject motivation and decision-making. Limitations and suggested guidelines for conducting site visits are offered. Guidelines include preplanning, arranging for an informed guide to accompany and narrate the visit, and conducting the site visit prior to forensic examinations. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Design, optimisation and preliminary validation of a human specific loop-mediated amplification assay for the rapid detection of human DNA at forensic crime scenes.

PubMed

Hird, H J; Brown, M K

2017-11-01

The identification of samples at a crime scene which require forensic DNA typing has been the focus of recent research interest. We propose a simple, but sensitive analysis system which can be deployed at a crime scene to identify crime scene stains as human or non-human. The proposed system uses the isothermal amplification of DNA in a rapid assay format, which returns results in as little as 30min from sampling. The assay system runs on the Genie II device, a proven in-field detection system which could be deployed at a crime scene. The results presented here demonstrate that the system was sufficiently specific and sensitive and was able to detect the presence of human blood, semen and saliva on mock forensic samples. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The role of forensic botany in crime scene investigation: case report and review of literature.

PubMed

Aquila, Isabella; Ausania, Francesco; Di Nunzio, Ciro; Serra, Arianna; Boca, Silvia; Capelli, Arnaldo; Magni, Paola; Ricci, Pietrantonio

2014-05-01

Management of a crime is the process of ensuring accurate and effective collection and preservation of physical evidence. Forensic botany can provide significant supporting evidences during criminal investigations. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of forensic botany in the crime scene. We reported a case of a woman affected by dementia who had disappeared from nursing care and was found dead near the banks of a river that flowed under a railroad. Two possible ways of access to crime scene were identified and denominated "Path A" and "Path B." Both types of soil and plants were identified. Botanical survey was performed. Some samples of Xanthium Orientalis subsp. Italicum were identified. The fall of woman resulted in external injuries and vertebral fracture at autopsy. The botanical evidence is important when crime scene and autopsy findings are not sufficient to define the dynamics and the modality of death. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Preliminary analysis of facial hair follicle distribution for forensic identification using OCT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ning; Wang, Chengming; Li, Zhigang; Xie, Lanchi; Guo, Jingjing; Xu, Lei; Yan, Yuwen; Li, Zhihui; Huang, Wei; Xu, Xiaojing

2018-02-01

In most deaths caused by explosions, the fragment of explosive remained on the victim's body can provide valuable clues to forensic investigation. However, the examination of the skin and appendages at the scene of explosion, which may reveal clue to the identity of an individual, has not been extensively studied. Compared with visual appearance of the epidermis surface that affected by various wounds, skin adnexa embedded in the dermis has a more stable morphology as an inner biometric. Hair follicles are formed when a fetus is 5 months old and distributed fairly evenly throughout the body, with the exception of hairless palms and soles. Therefore, we focus on the distribution of hair follicles in order to infer information of age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel forensic imaging method, which achieves non-destructive, high-resolution and most importantly cross-sectional imaging. In this study, we design and develop a custom-built spectral-domain three-dimensional (3D) OCT system with a portable handheld probe to detect and reconstruct the hair follicles in the facial skin. We test our system on the forehead and preauricular skin of 2 adult volunteers and demonstrate the high quality visualization of hair follicles beneath the epidermis. The diameter, orientation, density and shape of hair follicles can be extracted from the 3D volume data. The preliminary analysis suggests that these parameters vary from different part of body and have individual difference. Eventually, we believe 3D OCT is promising tool for the examination of hair follicles for forensic purpose.

Emergence of forensic podiatry--A novel sub-discipline of forensic sciences.

PubMed

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; DiMaggio, John A

2015-10-01

"Forensic podiatry is defined as the application of sound and researched podiatric knowledge and experience in forensic investigations; to show the association of an individual with a scene of crime, or to answer any other legal question concerned with the foot or footwear that requires knowledge of the functioning foot". Forensic podiatrists can contribute to forensic identification by associating the pedal evidence with the criminal or crime scene. The most common pedal evidence collected from the crime scene is in the form of footprints, shoeprints and their tracks and trails. Forensic podiatrists can establish identity of the individuals from the footprints in many ways. The analysis of bare footprints involves the identification based on the individualistic features like flat footedness, ridges, humps, creases, an extra toe, missing toe, corns, cuts, cracks, pits, deformities, and various features of the toe and heel region. All these individualistic features can link the criminal with the crime. In addition to these, parameters of body size like stature and body weight as well as sex can also be estimated by using anthropometric methods. If a series of footprints are recovered from the crime scene, then parameters of the gait analysis such as stride/step length and general movement of the criminal can be traced. Apart from these, a newly established biometric parameter of the footprints i.e. footprint ridge density can also be evaluated for personal identification. Careful analysis of the footprint ridge density can give an idea about the sex of the criminal whose footprints are recovered at the scene which can further help to reduce the burden of the investigating officer as the investigations then may be directed toward either a male suspect or a female suspect accordingly. This paper highlights various aspects of Forensic Podiatry and discusses the different methods of personal identification related to pedal evidence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual environments for scene of crime reconstruction and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Toby L. J.; Murta, Alan D.; Gibson, Simon

2000-02-01

This paper describes research conducted in collaboration with Greater Manchester Police (UK), to evalute the utility of Virtual Environments for scene of crime analysis, forensic investigation, and law enforcement briefing and training. We present an illustrated case study of the construction of a high-fidelity virtual environment, intended to match a particular real-life crime scene as closely as possible. We describe and evaluate the combination of several approaches including: the use of the Manchester Scene Description Language for constructing complex geometrical models; the application of a radiosity rendering algorithm with several novel features based on human perceptual consideration; texture extraction from forensic photography; and experiments with interactive walkthroughs and large-screen stereoscopic display of the virtual environment implemented using the MAVERIK system. We also discuss the potential applications of Virtual Environment techniques in the Law Enforcement and Forensic communities.

An unusual pedestrian road trauma: from forensic pathology to forensic veterinary medicine.

PubMed

Aquila, Isabella; Di Nunzio, Ciro; Paciello, Orlando; Britti, Domenico; Pepe, Francesca; De Luca, Ester; Ricci, Pietrantonio

2014-01-01

Traffic accidents have increased in the last decade, pedestrians being the most affected group. At autopsy, it is evident that the most common cause of pedestrian death is central nervous system injury, followed by skull base fractures, internal bleeding, lower limb haemorrhage, skull vault fractures, cervical spinal cord injury and airway compromise. The attribution of accident responsibility can be realised through reconstruction of road accident dynamics, investigation of the scene, survey of the vehicle involved and examination of the victim(s). A case study concerning a car accident where both humans and pets were involved is reported here. Investigation and reconstruction of the crime scene were conducted by a team consisting of forensic pathologists and forensic veterinarians. At the scene investigation, the pedestrian and his dog were recovered on the side of the road. An autopsy and a necropsy were conducted on the man and the dog, respectively. In addition, a complete inspection of the sports utility vehicle (SUV) implicated in the road accident was conducted. The results of the autopsy and necropsy were compared and the information was used to reconstruct the collision. This unusual case was solved through the collaboration between forensic pathology and veterinary forensic medicine, emphasising the importance of this kind of co-operation to solve a crime scene concerning both humans and animals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic Chemistry--A Symposium Collection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Chemical Education, 1985

1985-01-01

Presents a collection of articles to provide chemistry teachers with resource materials to add forensic chemistry units to their chemistry courses. Topics range from development of forensic science laboratory courses and mock-crime scenes to forensic serology and analytical techniques. (JN)

Nature and place of crime scene management within forensic sciences.

PubMed

Crispino, Frank

2008-03-01

This short paper presents the preliminary results of a recent study aimed at appreciating the relevant parameters required to qualify forensic science as a science through an epistemological analysis. The reader is invited to reflect upon references within a historical and logical framework which assert that forensic science is based upon two fundamental principles (those of Locard and Kirk). The basis of the assertion that forensic science is indeed a science should be appreciated not only on one epistemological criteria (as Popper's falsification raised by the Daubert hearing was), but also on the logical frameworks used by the individuals involved (investigator, expert witness and trier of fact) from the crime scene examination to the final interpretation of the evidence. Hence, it can be argued that the management of the crime scene should be integrated into the scientific way of thinking rather than remain as a technical discipline as recently suggested by Harrison.

Use of AFIS for linking scenes of crime.

PubMed

Hefetz, Ido; Liptz, Yakir; Vaturi, Shaul; Attias, David

2016-05-01

Forensic intelligence can provide critical information in criminal investigations - the linkage of crime scenes. The Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is an example of a technological improvement that has advanced the entire forensic identification field to strive for new goals and achievements. In one example using AFIS, a series of burglaries into private apartments enabled a fingerprint examiner to search latent prints from different burglary scenes against an unsolved latent print database. Latent finger and palm prints coming from the same source were associated with over than 20 cases. Then, by forensic intelligence and profile analysis the offender's behavior could be anticipated. He was caught, identified, and arrested. It is recommended to perform an AFIS search of LT/UL prints against current crimes automatically as part of laboratory protocol and not by an examiner's discretion. This approach may link different crime scenes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are UK undergraduate Forensic Science degrees fit for purpose?

PubMed

Welsh, Charles; Hannis, Marc

2011-09-01

In October 2009 Skills for Justice published the social research paper 'Fit for purpose?: Research into the provision of Forensic Science degree programmes in UK Higher Education Institutions.' The research engaged employers representing 95% of UK Forensic Science providers and 79% of UK universities offering Forensic Science or Crime Scene degree programmes. In addition to this, the research collected the views of 430 students studying these degrees. In 2008 there were approximately 9000 people working in the Forensic Science sector in the UK. The research found that the numbers of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees in the UK have more than doubled since 2002-03, from 2191 in to 5664 in 2007-08. Over the same period there were twice as many females as males studying for these degrees. The research concluded that Forensic Science degree programmes offered by UK universities were of a good quality and they provided the student with a positive learning experience but the content was not relevant for Forensic Science employers. This echoed similar research by the former Government Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on graduates from wider science, technology, engineering and mathematics degree programmes. The research also found that 75% of students studying Forensic Science or Crime Scene degrees expected to have a career in the Forensic Science sector, meaning that ensuring these courses are relevant for employers is a key challenge for universities. This paper reflects on the original research and discusses the implications in light of recent government policy. Copyright © 2011 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clandestine laboratory scene investigation and processing using portable GC/MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matejczyk, Raymond J.

1997-02-01

This presentation describes the use of portable gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for on-scene investigation and processing of clandestine laboratories. Clandestine laboratory investigations present special problems to forensic investigators. These crime scenes contain many chemical hazards that must be detected, identified and collected as evidence. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry performed on-scene with a rugged, portable unit is capable of analyzing a variety of matrices for drugs and chemicals used in the manufacture of illicit drugs, such as methamphetamine. Technologies used to detect various materials at a scene have particular applications but do not address the wide range of samples, chemicals, matrices and mixtures that exist in clan labs. Typical analyses performed by GC/MS are for the purpose of positively establishing the identity of starting materials, chemicals and end-product collected from clandestine laboratories. Concerns for the public and investigator safety and the environment are also important factors for rapid on-scene data generation. Here is described the implementation of a portable multiple-inlet GC/MS system designed for rapid deployment to a scene to perform forensic investigations of clandestine drug manufacturing laboratories. GC/MS has long been held as the 'gold standard' in performing forensic chemical analyses. With the capability of GC/MS to separate and produce a 'chemical fingerprint' of compounds, it is utilized as an essential technique for detecting and positively identifying chemical evidence. Rapid and conclusive on-scene analysis of evidence will assist the forensic investigators in collecting only pertinent evidence thereby reducing the amount of evidence to be transported, reducing chain of custody concerns, reducing costs and hazards, maintaining sample integrity and speeding the completion of the investigative process.

Soil examination for a forensic trace evidence laboratory-Part 3: A proposed protocol for the effective triage and management of soil examinations.

PubMed

Woods, Brenda; Lennard, Chris; Kirkbride, K Paul; Robertson, James

2016-05-01

In the past, forensic soil examination was a routine aspect of forensic trace evidence examinations. The apparent need for soil examinations then went through a period of decline and with it the capability of many forensic laboratories to carry out soil examinations. In more recent years, interest in soil examinations has been renewed due-at least in part-to soil examinations contributing to some high profile investigations. However, much of this renewed interest has been in organisations with a primary interest in soil and geology rather than forensic science. We argue the need to reinstate soil examinations as a trace evidence sub-discipline within forensic science laboratories and present a pathway to support this aim. An examination procedure is proposed that includes: (i) appropriate sample collection and storage by qualified crime scene examiners; (ii) exclusionary soil examinations by trace evidence scientists within a forensic science laboratory; (iii) inclusionary soil examinations by trace evidence scientists within a forensic science laboratory; and (iv) higher-level examination of soils by specialist soil scientists and palynologists. Soil examinations conducted by trace evidence scientists will be facilitated if the examinations are conducted using the instrumentation routinely used by these examiners. Hence, the proposed examination protocol incorporates instrumentation in routine use in a forensic trace evidence laboratory. Finally, we report on an Australian soil scene variability study and a blind trial that demonstrate the utility of the proposed protocol for the effective triage and management of soil samples by forensic laboratories. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A first proposal for a general description model of forensic traces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindauer, Ina; Schäler, Martin; Vielhauer, Claus; Saake, Gunter; Hildebrandt, Mario

2012-06-01

In recent years, the amount of digitally captured traces at crime scenes increased rapidly. There are various kinds of such traces, like pick marks on locks, latent fingerprints on various surfaces as well as different micro traces. Those traces are different from each other not only in kind but also in which information they provide. Every kind of trace has its own properties (e.g., minutiae for fingerprints, or raking traces for locks) but there are also large amounts of metadata which all traces have in common like location, time and other additional information in relation to crime scenes. For selected types of crime scene traces, type-specific databases already exist, such as the ViCLAS for sexual offences, the IBIS for ballistic forensics or the AFIS for fingerprints. These existing forensic databases strongly differ in the trace description models. For forensic experts it would be beneficial to work with only one database capable of handling all possible forensic traces acquired at a crime scene. This is especially the case when different kinds of traces are interrelated (e.g., fingerprints and ballistic marks on a bullet casing). Unfortunately, current research on interrelated traces as well as general forensic data models and structures is not mature enough to build such an encompassing forensic database. Nevertheless, recent advances in the field of contact-less scanning make it possible to acquire different kinds of traces with the same device. Therefore the data of these traces is structured similarly what simplifies the design of a general forensic data model for different kinds of traces. In this paper we introduce a first common description model for different forensic trace types. Furthermore, we apply for selected trace types from the well established database schema development process the phases of transferring expert knowledge in the corresponding forensic fields into an extendible, database-driven, generalised forensic description model. The trace types considered here are fingerprint traces, traces at locks, micro traces and ballistic traces. Based on these basic trace types, also combined traces (multiple or overlapped fingerprints, fingerprints on bullet casings, etc) and partial traces are considered.

Our Environment in Miniature: Dust and the Early Twentieth-Century Forensic Imagination

PubMed Central

BURNEY, IAN

2013-01-01

This article explores the articulation of the crime scene as a distinct space of theory and practice in the early twentieth century. In particular it focuses on the evidentiary hopes invested in what would at first seem an unpromising forensic object: dust. Ubiquitous and, to the uninitiated, characterless, dust nevertheless featured as an exemplary object of cutting-edge forensic analysis in two contemporary domains: writings of criminologists and works of detective fiction. The article considers how in these texts dust came to mark the furthest reach of a new forensic capacity they were promoting, one that drew freely upon the imagination to invest crime scene traces with meaning. PMID:23766552

A new method for the recovery and evidential comparison of footwear impressions using 3D structured light scanning.

PubMed

Thompson, T J U; Norris, P

2018-05-01

Footwear impressions are one of the most common forms of evidence to be found at a crime scene, and can potentially offer the investigator a wealth of intelligence. Our aim is to highlight a new and improved technique for the recovery of footwear impressions, using three-dimensional structured light scanning. Results from this preliminary study demonstrate that this new approach is non-destructive, safe to use and is fast, reliable and accurate. Further, since this is a digital method, there is also the option of digital comparison between items of footwear and footwear impressions, and an increased ability to share recovered footwear impressions between forensic staff thus speeding up the investigation. Copyright © 2018 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Creative Criminalistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurley, James R.

1995-01-01

This article describes the content of a high school forensic science course. Discusses the definition of forensic science; how the course was started; the course strategy; invited speakers' and the use of mock crime scenes. Provides a sample outline of seven forensic science units. (LZ)

[Current macro-diagnostic trends of forensic medicine in the Czech Republic].

PubMed

Frišhons, Jan; Kučerová, Štěpánka; Jurda, Mikoláš; Sokol, Miloš; Vojtíšek, Tomáš; Hejna, Petr

2017-01-01

Over the last few years, advanced diagnostic methods have penetrated in the realm of forensic medicine in addition to standard autopsy techniques supported by traditional X-ray examination and macro-diagnostic laboratory tests. Despite the progress of imaging methods, the conventional autopsy has remained basic and essential diagnostic tool in forensic medicine. Postmortem computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are far the most progressive modern radio diagnostic methods setting the current trend of virtual autopsies all over the world. Up to now, only two institutes of forensic medicine have available postmortem computed tomography for routine diagnostic purposes in the Czech Republic. Postmortem magnetic resonance is currently unattainable for routine diagnostic use and was employed only for experimental purposes. Photogrammetry is digital method focused primarily on body surface imaging. Recently, the most fruitful results have been yielded from the interdisciplinary cooperation between forensic medicine and forensic anthropology with the implementation of body scanning techniques and 3D printing. Non-invasive and mini-invasive investigative methods such as postmortem sonography and postmortem endoscopy was unsystematically tested for diagnostic performance with good outcomes despite of limitations of these methods in postmortem application. Other futuristic methods, such as the use of a drone to inspect the crime scene are still experimental tools. The authors of the article present a basic overview of the both routinely and experimentally used investigative methods and current macro-diagnostic trends of the forensic medicine in the Czech Republic.

Infrared imaging of the crime scene: possibilities and pitfalls.

PubMed

Edelman, Gerda J; Hoveling, Richelle J M; Roos, Martin; van Leeuwen, Ton G; Aalders, Maurice C G

2013-09-01

All objects radiate infrared energy invisible to the human eye, which can be imaged by infrared cameras, visualizing differences in temperature and/or emissivity of objects. Infrared imaging is an emerging technique for forensic investigators. The rapid, nondestructive, and noncontact features of infrared imaging indicate its suitability for many forensic applications, ranging from the estimation of time of death to the detection of blood stains on dark backgrounds. This paper provides an overview of the principles and instrumentation involved in infrared imaging. Difficulties concerning the image interpretation due to different radiation sources and different emissivity values within a scene are addressed. Finally, reported forensic applications are reviewed and supported by practical illustrations. When introduced in forensic casework, infrared imaging can help investigators to detect, to visualize, and to identify useful evidence nondestructively. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Analysis of body fluids for forensic purposes: from laboratory testing to non-destructive rapid confirmatory identification at a crime scene.

PubMed

Virkler, Kelly; Lednev, Igor K

2009-07-01

Body fluid traces recovered at crime scenes are among the most important types of evidence to forensic investigators. They contain valuable DNA evidence which can identify a suspect or victim as well as exonerate an innocent individual. The first step of identifying a particular body fluid is highly important since the nature of the fluid is itself very informative to the investigation, and the destructive nature of a screening test must be considered when only a small amount of material is available. The ability to characterize an unknown stain at the scene of the crime without having to wait for results from a laboratory is another very critical step in the development of forensic body fluid analysis. Driven by the importance for forensic applications, body fluid identification methods have been extensively developed in recent years. The systematic analysis of these new developments is vital for forensic investigators to be continuously educated on possible superior techniques. Significant advances in laser technology and the development of novel light detectors have dramatically improved spectroscopic methods for molecular characterization over the last decade. The application of this novel biospectroscopy for forensic purposes opens new and exciting opportunities for the development of on-field, non-destructive, confirmatory methods for body fluid identification at a crime scene. In addition, the biospectroscopy methods are universally applicable to all body fluids unlike the majority of current techniques which are valid for individual fluids only. This article analyzes the current methods being used to identify body fluid stains including blood, semen, saliva, vaginal fluid, urine, and sweat, and also focuses on new techniques that have been developed in the last 5-6 years. In addition, the potential of new biospectroscopic techniques based on Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy is evaluated for rapid, confirmatory, non-destructive identification of a body fluid at a crime scene.

Forensic Science Technician

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tech Directions, 2010

2010-01-01

Forensic science technicians, also called crime laboratory technicians or police science technicians, help solve crimes. They examine and identify physical evidence to reconstruct a crime scene. This article discusses everything students need to know about careers for forensic science technicians--wages, responsibilities, skills needed, career…

Intelligence-led crime scene processing. Part I: Forensic intelligence.

PubMed

Ribaux, Olivier; Baylon, Amélie; Roux, Claude; Delémont, Olivier; Lock, Eric; Zingg, Christian; Margot, Pierre

2010-02-25

Forensic science is generally defined as the application of science to address questions related to the law. Too often, this view restricts the contribution of science to one single process which eventually aims at bringing individuals to court while minimising risk of miscarriage of justice. In order to go beyond this paradigm, we propose to refocus the attention towards traces themselves, as remnants of a criminal activity, and their information content. We postulate that traces contribute effectively to a wide variety of other informational processes that support decision making in many situations. In particular, they inform actors of new policing strategies who place the treatment of information and intelligence at the centre of their systems. This contribution of forensic science to these security oriented models is still not well identified and captured. In order to create the best condition for the development of forensic intelligence, we suggest a framework that connects forensic science to intelligence-led policing (part I). Crime scene attendance and processing can be envisaged within this view. This approach gives indications about how to structure knowledge used by crime scene examiners in their effective practice (part II). 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic science information needs of patrol officers: The perceptions of the patrol officers, their supervisors and administrators, detectives, and crime scene technicians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydogdu, Eyup

Thanks to the rapid developments in science and technology in recent decades, especially in the past two decades, forensic sciences have been making invaluable contributions to criminal justice systems. With scientific evaluation of physical evidence, policing has become more effective in fighting crime and criminals. On the other hand, law enforcement personnel have made mistakes during the detection, protection, collection, and evaluation of physical evidence. Law enforcement personnel, especially patrol officers, have been criticized for ignoring or overlooking physical evidence at crime scenes. This study, conducted in a large American police department, was aimed to determine the perceptions of patrol officers, their supervisors and administrators, detectives, and crime scene technicians about the forensic science needs of patrol officers. The results showed no statistically significant difference among the perceptions of the said groups. More than half of the respondents perceived that 14 out of 16 areas of knowledge were important for patrol officers to have: crime scene documentation, evidence collection, interviewing techniques, firearm evidence, latent and fingerprint evidence, blood evidence, death investigation information, DNA evidence, document evidence, electronically recorded evidence, trace evidence, biological fluid evidence, arson and explosive evidence, and impression evidence. Less than half of the respondents perceived forensic entomology and plant evidence as important for patrol officers.

Microbial soil community analyses for forensic science: Application to a blind test.

PubMed

Demanèche, Sandrine; Schauser, Leif; Dawson, Lorna; Franqueville, Laure; Simonet, Pascal

2017-01-01

Soil complexity, heterogeneity and transferability make it valuable in forensic investigations to help obtain clues as to the origin of an unknown sample, or to compare samples from a suspect or object with samples collected at a crime scene. In a few countries, soil analysis is used in matters from site verification to estimates of time after death. However, up to date the application or use of soil information in criminal investigations has been limited. In particular, comparing bacterial communities in soil samples could be a useful tool for forensic science. To evaluate the relevance of this approach, a blind test was performed to determine the origin of two questioned samples (one from the mock crime scene and the other from a 50:50 mixture of the crime scene and the alibi site) compared to three control samples (soil samples from the crime scene, from a context site 25m away from the crime scene and from the alibi site which was the suspect's home). Two biological methods were used, Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (RISA), and 16S rRNA gene sequencing with Illumina Miseq, to evaluate the discriminating power of soil bacterial communities. Both techniques discriminated well between soils from a single source, but a combination of both techniques was necessary to show that the origin was a mixture of soils. This study illustrates the potential of applying microbial ecology methodologies in soil as an evaluative forensic tool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic differentiation between peripheral and menstrual blood in cases of alleged sexual assault-validating an immunochromatographic multiplex assay for simultaneous detection of human hemoglobin and D-dimer.

PubMed

Holtkötter, Hannah; Dias Filho, Claudemir Rodrigues; Schwender, Kristina; Stadler, Christian; Vennemann, Marielle; Pacheco, Ana Claudia; Roca, Gabriela

2018-05-01

Sexual assault is a serious offense and identification of body fluids originating from sexual activity has been a crucial aspect of forensic investigations for a long time. While reliable tests for the detection of semen and saliva have been successfully implemented into forensic laboratories, the detection of other body fluids, such as vaginal or menstrual fluid, is more challenging. Especially, the discrimination between peripheral and menstrual blood can be highly relevant for police investigations because it provides potential evidence regarding the issue of consent. We report the forensic validation of an immunochromatographic test that allows for such discrimination in forensic stains, the SERATEC PMB test, and its performance on real casework samples. The PMB test is a duplex test combining human hemoglobin and D-dimer detection and was developed for the identification of blood and menstrual fluid, both at the crime scene and in the laboratory. The results of this study showed that the duplex D-dimer/hemoglobin assay reliably detects the presence of human hemoglobin and identifies samples containing menstrual fluid by detecting the presence of D-dimers. The method distinguished between menstrual and peripheral blood in a swab from a historical artifact and in real casework samples of alleged sexual assaults. Results show that the development of the new duplex test is a substantial progress towards analyzing and interpreting evidence from sexual assault cases.

Forensic DNA Phenotyping: Predicting human appearance from crime scene material for investigative purposes.

PubMed

Kayser, Manfred

2015-09-01

Forensic DNA Phenotyping refers to the prediction of appearance traits of unknown sample donors, or unknown deceased (missing) persons, directly from biological materials found at the scene. "Biological witness" outcomes of Forensic DNA Phenotyping can provide investigative leads to trace unknown persons, who are unidentifiable with current comparative DNA profiling. This intelligence application of DNA marks a substantially different forensic use of genetic material rather than that of current DNA profiling presented in the courtroom. Currently, group-specific pigmentation traits are already predictable from DNA with reasonably high accuracies, while several other externally visible characteristics are under genetic investigation. Until individual-specific appearance becomes accurately predictable from DNA, conventional DNA profiling needs to be performed subsequent to appearance DNA prediction. Notably, and where Forensic DNA Phenotyping shows great promise, this is on a (much) smaller group of potential suspects, who match the appearance characteristics DNA-predicted from the crime scene stain or from the deceased person's remains. Provided sufficient funding being made available, future research to better understand the genetic basis of human appearance will expectedly lead to a substantially more detailed description of an unknown person's appearance from DNA, delivering increased value for police investigations in criminal and missing person cases involving unknowns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic entomology investigations from Doctor Marcel Leclercq (1924-2008): a review of cases from 1969 to 2005.

PubMed

Dekeirsschieter, J; Frederickx, C; Verheggen, F J; Boxho, P; Haubruge, E

2013-09-01

Dr. Marcel Leclercq was a pioneer in the field of forensic entomology. He has provided his knowledge of insect biology to many forensic cases, and most of them have found the way to publication. Most of the articles he has written were focused on individual cases, and despite the abundance of entomoforensic investigations he conducted, no synthesis has been published. This article summarizes 36 yr of forensic entomological investigations in temperate Europe, mainly in Belgium. Dr. Leclercq's work includes 132 entomological cases involving 141 human corpses found in various death scenes. Under certain conditions, insect specimens found at death scene can provide information on when (postmortem interval estimation), where and how a person died. More or less 100 insect species associated with a dead body have been identified by Dr. Leclercq.

[Reconstruction of Vehicle-human Crash Accident and Injury Analysis Based on 3D Laser Scanning, Multi-rigid-body Reconstruction and Optimized Genetic Algorithm].

PubMed

Sun, J; Wang, T; Li, Z D; Shao, Y; Zhang, Z Y; Feng, H; Zou, D H; Chen, Y J

2017-12-01

To reconstruct a vehicle-bicycle-cyclist crash accident and analyse the injuries using 3D laser scanning technology, multi-rigid-body dynamics and optimized genetic algorithm, and to provide biomechanical basis for the forensic identification of death cause. The vehicle was measured by 3D laser scanning technology. The multi-rigid-body models of cyclist, bicycle and vehicle were developed based on the measurements. The value range of optimal variables was set. A multi-objective genetic algorithm and the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm were used to find the optimal solutions, which were compared to the record of the surveillance video around the accident scene. The reconstruction result of laser scanning on vehicle was satisfactory. In the optimal solutions found by optimization method of genetic algorithm, the dynamical behaviours of dummy, bicycle and vehicle corresponded to that recorded by the surveillance video. The injury parameters of dummy were consistent with the situation and position of the real injuries on the cyclist in accident. The motion status before accident, damage process by crash and mechanical analysis on the injury of the victim can be reconstructed using 3D laser scanning technology, multi-rigid-body dynamics and optimized genetic algorithm, which have application value in the identification of injury manner and analysis of death cause in traffic accidents. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Victims Deserve More: The Building of a Forensics Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Lili K.

2007-01-01

Because victims deserve more, The American Academy of Applied Forensics at Central Piedmont Community College was created to link cutting-edge forensics research to its field applications. It does this by enhancing the knowledge, skill, and ability levels of crime scene investigators, thereby increasing the likelihood that truth will be revealed…

Exploring Perspectives and Identifying Potential Challenges Encountered with Crime Scene Investigations When Developing Chemistry Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanu, A. Bakarr; Pajski, Megan; Hartman, Machelle; Kimaru, Irene; Marine, Susan

2015-01-01

In today's complex world, there is a continued demand for recently graduated forensic chemists (criminalists) who have some background in forensic experimental techniques. This article describes modern forensic experimental approaches designed and implemented from a unique instructional perspective to present certain facets of crime scene…

Usage of cornea and sclera back reflected images captured in security cameras for forensic and card games applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zalevsky, Zeev; Ilovitsh, Asaf; Beiderman, Yevgeny

2013-10-01

We present an approach allowing seeing objects that are hidden and that are not positioned in direct line of sight with security inspection cameras. The approach is based on inspecting the back reflections obtained from the cornea and the sclera of the eyes of people attending the inspected scene and which are positioned in front of the hidden objects we aim to image after performing proper calibration with point light source (e.g. a LED). The scene can be a forensic scene or for instance a casino in which the application is to see the cards of poker players seating in front of you.

Forensic Comparison of Soil Samples Using Nondestructive Elemental Analysis.

PubMed

Uitdehaag, Stefan; Wiarda, Wim; Donders, Timme; Kuiper, Irene

2017-07-01

Soil can play an important role in forensic cases in linking suspects or objects to a crime scene by comparing samples from the crime scene with samples derived from items. This study uses an adapted ED-XRF analysis (sieving instead of grinding to prevent destruction of microfossils) to produce elemental composition data of 20 elements. Different data processing techniques and statistical distances were evaluated using data from 50 samples and the log-LR cost (C llr ). The best performing combination, Canberra distance, relative data, and square root values, is used to construct a discriminative model. Examples of the spatial resolution of the method in crime scenes are shown for three locations, and sampling strategy is discussed. Twelve test cases were analyzed, and results showed that the method is applicable. The study shows how the combination of an analysis technique, a database, and a discriminative model can be used to compare multiple soil samples quickly. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Environmental impact to multimedia systems on the example of fingerprint aging behavior at crime scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merkel, Ronny; Breuhan, Andy; Hildebrandt, Mario; Vielhauer, Claus; Bräutigam, Anja

2012-06-01

In the field of crime scene forensics, current methods of evidence collection, such as the acquisition of shoe-marks, tireimpressions, palm-prints or fingerprints are in most cases still performed in an analogue way. For example, fingerprints are captured by powdering and sticky tape lifting, ninhydrine bathing or cyanoacrylate fuming and subsequent photographing. Images of the evidence are then further processed by forensic experts. With the upcoming use of new multimedia systems for the digital capturing and processing of crime scene traces in forensics, higher resolutions can be achieved, leading to a much better quality of forensic images. Furthermore, the fast and mostly automated preprocessing of such data using digital signal processing techniques is an emerging field. Also, by the optical and non-destructive lifting of forensic evidence, traces are not destroyed and therefore can be re-captured, e.g. by creating time series of a trace, to extract its aging behavior and maybe determine the time the trace was left. However, such new methods and tools face different challenges, which need to be addressed before a practical application in the field. Based on the example of fingerprint age determination, which is an unresolved research challenge to forensic experts since decades, we evaluate the influences of different environmental conditions as well as different types of sweating and their implications to the capturing sensory, preprocessing methods and feature extraction. We use a Chromatic White Light (CWL) sensor to exemplary represent such a new optical and contactless measurement device and investigate the influence of 16 different environmental conditions, 8 different sweat types and 11 different preprocessing methods on the aging behavior of 48 fingerprint time series (2592 fingerprint scans in total). We show the challenges that arise for such new multimedia systems capturing and processing forensic evidence

Forensic botany: using plant evidence to aid in forensic death investigation.

PubMed

Miller Coyle, Heather; Lee, Cheng-Lung; Lin, Wen-Yu; Lee, Henry C; Palmbach, Timothy M

2005-08-01

Forensic botany is still an under-utilized resource in forensic casework, although it has been used on occasion. It is an area of specialty science that could include traditional botanical classification of species, DNA, or materials evidence (trace and transfer evidence), crime mapping or geo-sourcing, all dependent on the specific case application under consideration. Critical to the evaluation of plant evidence is careful collection, documentation, and preservation for later scientific analysis. This article reviews proper procedures and recent cases where botanical evidence played a role in establishing either manner or time of death. Plant evidence can be useful for determining if a death was due to an accident, suicide, or homicide, or what time of year burial may have taken place. In addition, plant evidence can be used to determine if a crime scene is a primary or secondary scene and to locate missing bodies.

An Analysis of the Max-Min Texture Measure.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

PANC 33 D2 Confusion Matrices for Scene A, IR 34 D3 Confusion Matrices for Scene B, PANC 35 D4 Confusion Matrices for Scene B, IR 36 D5 Confusion...Matrices for Scene C, PANC 37 D6 Confusion Matrices for Scene C, IR 38 D7 Confusion Matrices for Scene E, PANC 39 D8 Confusion Matrices for Scene E, IR 40...D9 Confusion Matrices for Scene H, PANC 41 DIO Confusion Matrices for Scene H, JR 42 3 .D 10CnuinMtie o cn ,IR4 AN ANALYSIS OF THE MAX-MIN TEXTURE

Photogrammetry Tool for Forensic Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, John

2012-01-01

A system allows crime scene and accident scene investigators the ability to acquire visual scene data using cameras for processing at a later time. This system uses a COTS digital camera, a photogrammetry calibration cube, and 3D photogrammetry processing software. In a previous instrument developed by NASA, the laser scaling device made use of parallel laser beams to provide a photogrammetry solution in 2D. This device and associated software work well under certain conditions. In order to make use of a full 3D photogrammetry system, a different approach was needed. When using multiple cubes, whose locations relative to each other are unknown, a procedure that would merge the data from each cube would be as follows: 1. One marks a reference point on cube 1, then marks points on cube 2 as unknowns. This locates cube 2 in cube 1 s coordinate system. 2. One marks reference points on cube 2, then marks points on cube 1 as unknowns. This locates cube 1 in cube 2 s coordinate system. 3. This procedure is continued for all combinations of cubes. 4. The coordinate of all of the found coordinate systems is then merged into a single global coordinate system. In order to achieve maximum accuracy, measurements are done in one of two ways, depending on scale: when measuring the size of objects, the coordinate system corresponding to the nearest cube is used, or when measuring the location of objects relative to a global coordinate system, a merged coordinate system is used. Presently, traffic accident analysis is time-consuming and not very accurate. Using cubes with differential GPS would give absolute positions of cubes in the accident area, so that individual cubes would provide local photogrammetry calibration to objects near a cube.

Comparison of algorithms for blood stain detection applied to forensic hyperspectral imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jie; Messinger, David W.; Mathew, Jobin J.; Dube, Roger R.

2016-05-01

Blood stains are among the most important types of evidence for forensic investigation. They contain valuable DNA information, and the pattern of the stains can suggest specifics about the nature of the violence that transpired at the scene. Early detection of blood stains is particularly important since the blood reacts physically and chemically with air and materials over time. Accurate identification of blood remnants, including regions that might have been intentionally cleaned, is an important aspect of forensic investigation. Hyperspectral imaging might be a potential method to detect blood stains because it is non-contact and provides substantial spectral information that can be used to identify regions in a scene with trace amounts of blood. The potential complexity of scenes in which such vast violence occurs can be high when the range of scene material types and conditions containing blood stains at a crime scene are considered. Some stains are hard to detect by the unaided eye, especially if a conscious effort to clean the scene has occurred (we refer to these as "latent" blood stains). In this paper we present the initial results of a study of the use of hyperspectral imaging algorithms for blood detection in complex scenes. We describe a hyperspectral imaging system which generates images covering 400 nm - 700 nm visible range with a spectral resolution of 10 nm. Three image sets of 31 wavelength bands were generated using this camera for a simulated indoor crime scene in which blood stains were placed on a T-shirt and walls. To detect blood stains in the scene, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Subspace Reed Xiaoli Detection (SRXD), and Topological Anomaly Detection (TAD) algorithms were used. Comparison of the three hyperspectral image analysis techniques shows that TAD is most suitable for detecting blood stains and discovering latent blood stains.

Electron microscopy and forensic practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotrlý, Marek; Turková, Ivana

2013-05-01

Electron microanalysis in forensic practice ranks among basic applications used in investigation of traces (latents, stains, etc.) from crime scenes. Applying electron microscope allows for rapid screening and receiving initial information for a wide range of traces. SEM with EDS/WDS makes it possible to observe topography surface and morphology samples and examination of chemical components. Physical laboratory of the Institute of Criminalistics Prague use SEM especially for examination of inorganic samples, rarely for biology and other material. Recently, possibilities of electron microscopy have been extended considerably using dual systems with focused ion beam. These systems are applied mainly in study of inner micro and nanoparticles , thin layers (intersecting lines in graphical forensic examinations, analysis of layers of functional glass, etc.), study of alloys microdefects, creating 3D particles and aggregates models, etc. Automated mineralogical analyses are a great asset to analysis of mineral phases, particularly soils, similarly it holds for cathode luminescence, predominantly colour one and precise quantitative measurement of their spectral characteristics. Among latest innovations that are becoming to appear also at ordinary laboratories are TOF - SIMS systems and micro Raman spectroscopy with a resolution comparable to EDS/WDS analysis (capable of achieving similar level as through EDS/WDS analysis).

Rigor mortis in an unusual position: Forensic considerations.

PubMed

D'Souza, Deepak H; Harish, S; Rajesh, M; Kiran, J

2011-07-01

We report a case in which the dead body was found with rigor mortis in an unusual position. The dead body was lying on its back with limbs raised, defying gravity. Direction of the salivary stains on the face was also defying the gravity. We opined that the scene of occurrence of crime is unlikely to be the final place where the dead body was found. The clues were revealing a homicidal offence and an attempt to destroy the evidence. The forensic use of 'rigor mortis in an unusual position' is in furthering the investigations, and the scientific confirmation of two facts - the scene of death (occurrence) is different from the scene of disposal of dead body, and time gap between the two places.

Rigor mortis in an unusual position: Forensic considerations

PubMed Central

D’Souza, Deepak H; Harish, S; Rajesh, M.; Kiran, J

2011-01-01

We report a case in which the dead body was found with rigor mortis in an unusual position. The dead body was lying on its back with limbs raised, defying gravity. Direction of the salivary stains on the face was also defying the gravity. We opined that the scene of occurrence of crime is unlikely to be the final place where the dead body was found. The clues were revealing a homicidal offence and an attempt to destroy the evidence. The forensic use of ‘rigor mortis in an unusual position’ is in furthering the investigations, and the scientific confirmation of two facts - the scene of death (occurrence) is different from the scene of disposal of dead body, and time gap between the two places. PMID:23776792

Modular robotic system for forensic investigation support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalski, Grzegorz; Główka, Jakub; Maciaś, Mateusz; Puchalski, Sławomir

2017-10-01

Forensic investigation on the crime scene is an activity that requires not only knowledge about the ways of searching for evidence, collecting and processing them. In some cases the area of operation might not be properly secured and poses threat to human health or life. Some devices or materials may be left intentionally or not to injure potential investigators. Besides conventional explosives, threats can be in form of CBRN materials, which have not only immediate effect on the exposed personnel, but can contaminate further people, when being transferred for example on clothes or unsecured equipment. In this case a risk evaluation should be performed, that can lead to conclusions that it is too dangerous for investigators to work. In that kind of situation remote devices, which are able to examine the crime scene and secure samples, can be used. In the course of R&D activities PIAP developed a system, which is based on small UGV capable of carrying out inspection of suspicious places and securing evidence, when needed. The system consists of remotely controlled mobile robot, its control console and a set of various inspection and support tools, that enable detection of CBRN threats as well as revelation, documentation and securing of the evidence. This paper will present main features of the system, like mission adjustment possibilities and communication aspects, and also examples of the forensic accessories.

Research and Technology Development for Construction of 3d Video Scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khlebnikova, Tatyana A.

2016-06-01

For the last two decades surface information in the form of conventional digital and analogue topographic maps has been being supplemented by new digital geospatial products, also known as 3D models of real objects. It is shown that currently there are no defined standards for 3D scenes construction technologies that could be used by Russian surveying and cartographic enterprises. The issues regarding source data requirements, their capture and transferring to create 3D scenes have not been defined yet. The accuracy issues for 3D video scenes used for measuring purposes can hardly ever be found in publications. Practicability of development, research and implementation of technology for construction of 3D video scenes is substantiated by 3D video scene capability to expand the field of data analysis application for environmental monitoring, urban planning, and managerial decision problems. The technology for construction of 3D video scenes with regard to the specified metric requirements is offered. Technique and methodological background are recommended for this technology used to construct 3D video scenes based on DTM, which were created by satellite and aerial survey data. The results of accuracy estimation of 3D video scenes are presented.

Microbial forensics: the next forensic challenge.

PubMed

Budowle, Bruce; Murch, Randall; Chakraborty, Ranajit

2005-11-01

Pathogens and toxins can be converted to bioweapons and used to commit bioterrorism and biocrime. Because of the potential and relative ease of an attack using a bioweapon, forensic science needs to be prepared to assist in the investigation to bring perpetrators to justice and to deter future attacks. A new subfield of forensics--microbial forensics--has been created, which is focused on characterization of evidence from a bioterrorism act, biocrime, hoax, or an inadvertent release. Forensic microbiological investigations are essentially the same as any other forensic investigation regarding processing. They involve crime scene(s) investigation, chain of custody practices, evidence collection, handling and preservation, evidence shipping, analysis of evidence, interpretation of results, and court presentation. In addition to collecting and analyzing traditional forensic evidence, the forensic investigation will attempt to determine the etiology and identity of the causal agent, often in a similar fashion as in an epidemiologic investigation. However, for attribution, higher-resolution characterization is needed. The tools for attribution include genetic- and nongenetic-based assays and informatics to attempt to determine the unique source of a sample or at least eliminate some sources. In addition, chemical and physical assays may help determine the process used to prepare, store, or disseminate the bioweapon. An effective microbial forensics program will require development and/or validation of all aspects of the forensic investigative process, from sample collection to interpretation of results. Quality assurance (QA) and QC practices, comparable to those used by the forensic DNA science community, are being implemented. Lastly, partnerships with other laboratories will be requisite, because many of the necessary capabilities for analysis will not reside in the traditional forensic laboratory.

Forensic Applications of LIBS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hark, Richard R.; East, Lucille J.

Forensic science is broadly defined as the application of science to matters of the law. Practitioners typically use multidisciplinary scientific techniques for the analysis of physical evidence in an attempt to establish or exclude an association between a suspect and the scene of a crime.

Digitized locksmith forensics: automated detection and segmentation of toolmarks on highly structured surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clausing, Eric; Vielhauer, Claus

2014-02-01

Locksmith forensics is an important area in crime scene forensics. Due to new optical, contactless, nanometer range sensing technology, such traces can be captured, digitized and analyzed more easily allowing a complete digital forensic investigation. In this paper we present a significantly improved approach for the detection and segmentation of toolmarks on surfaces of locking cylinder components (using the example of the locking cylinder component 'key pin') acquired by a 3D Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope. This improved approach is based on our prior work1 using a block-based classification approach with textural features. In this prior work1 we achieve a solid detection rate of 75-85% for the detection of toolmarks originating from illegal opening methods. Here, in this paper we improve, expand and fuse this prior approach with additional features from acquired surface topography data, color data and an image processing approach using adapted Gabor filters. In particular we are able of raising the detection and segmentation rates above 90% with our test set of 20 key pins with approximately 700 single toolmark traces of four different opening methods. We can provide a precise pixel- based segmentation as opposed to the rather imprecise segmentation of our prior block-based approach and as the use of the two additional data types (color and especially topography) require a specific pre-processing, we furthermore propose an adequate approach for this purpose.

European Council of Legal Medicine (ECLM) principles for on-site forensic and medico-legal scene and corpse investigation.

PubMed

Cusack, D; Ferrara, S D; Keller, E; Ludes, B; Mangin, P; Väli, M; Vieira, N

2017-07-01

Forensic medical practitioners need to define the general principles governing procedures to be used for the on-site examination of a body where the death has occurred in unnatural, violent or suspicious circumstances. These principles should be followed whenever a medical expert is required to perform an on-site corpse inspection and should be utilised as a set of general guidelines to be adapted to the specific situation in hand and interpreted using common sense and scientific knowledge of the relevant procedures and facts of the case. The aim of these principles is to ensure that forensic evidence at the scene of a death is properly observed and assessed and all necessary relevant evidence gathered in order to ensure that a comprehensive report is available to the judicial authority (investigating judge or coroner) in the justice system. The on-site corpse inspection by a forensic practitioner is a mandatory and essential stage of the forensic and medico-legal autopsy, as it may provide important information for subsequent investigation stages.

Origin and development of forensic medicine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al Madani, Osama Mohamed; Kharoshah, Magdy Abdel Azim; Zaki, Mamdouh Kamal; Galeb, Sherien Salah; Al Moghannam, Salah Ali; Moulana, Ashraf Abdul Raheem

2012-06-01

The medicolegal death investigation system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is unique in the world. It is exclusively derived from Islamic judiciary based on Shari'ah law, which is the definitive Islamic law or doctrine. This law is applied on Saudi citizens as well as foreigners. This is different from other Islamic countries, which have a combination of Islamic and other judiciary systems.The forensic medicine centers in KSA are related administratively to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its subdivisions in the different governorates. They are concerned with forensic medical examination and autopsy, as well as the clinical forensic medical examination of sexual assault cases, and those injured in civil and criminal cases. The assisting laboratories (forensic histopathology, microbiology, serology, forensic chemistry) are working independently under the funding of MOH, whereas the DNA laboratory and other departments of forensic sciences, for example, counterfeiting and forgery unit are related administratively to the Ministry of Interior represented by the Administration of Criminal Evidences. Efforts concerning crime scene investigations are shared with Administration of Criminal Evidences' crime scene investigators.Forensic medicine education in KSA developed in the past few years after the foundation of Saudi specialty certificate in forensic medicine. The certificate is a postgraduation qualification equivalent to a doctorate degree in forensic medicine and requires completion of a 4-year training program in both MOH- and Ministry of Interior-related departments, as well as passing annual evaluation and examination.This review is aimed at providing in the next decade the medicolegal centers with national forensic specialists throughout the kingdom and granting skillful headships for the next generations. Moreover, this review suggests more scientific associations with the academic universities in the various fields of forensic sciences through academic cooperation.

Microfluidic Devices for Forensic DNA Analysis: A Review.

PubMed

Bruijns, Brigitte; van Asten, Arian; Tiggelaar, Roald; Gardeniers, Han

2016-08-05

Microfluidic devices may offer various advantages for forensic DNA analysis, such as reduced risk of contamination, shorter analysis time and direct application at the crime scene. Microfluidic chip technology has already proven to be functional and effective within medical applications, such as for point-of-care use. In the forensic field, one may expect microfluidic technology to become particularly relevant for the analysis of biological traces containing human DNA. This would require a number of consecutive steps, including sample work up, DNA amplification and detection, as well as secure storage of the sample. This article provides an extensive overview of microfluidic devices for cell lysis, DNA extraction and purification, DNA amplification and detection and analysis techniques for DNA. Topics to be discussed are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on-chip, digital PCR (dPCR), isothermal amplification on-chip, chip materials, integrated devices and commercially available techniques. A critical overview of the opportunities and challenges of the use of chips is discussed, and developments made in forensic DNA analysis over the past 10-20 years with microfluidic systems are described. Areas in which further research is needed are indicated in a future outlook.

Calculating point of origin of blood spatter using laser scanning technology.

PubMed

Hakim, Nashad; Liscio, Eugene

2015-03-01

The point of origin of an impact pattern is important in establishing the chain of events in a bloodletting incident. In this study, the accuracy and reproducibility of the point of origin estimation using the FARO Scene software with the FARO Focus(3D) laser scanner was determined. Five impact patterns were created for each of three combinations of distances from the floor (z) and the front wall (x). Fifteen spatters were created using a custom impact rig, scanned using the laser scanner, photographed using a DSLR camera, and processed using the Scene software. Overall results gave a SD = 3.49 cm (p < 0.0001) in the x-direction, SD = 1.14 cm (p = 0.9291) in the y-direction, and SD = 9.08 cm (p < 0.0115) in the z-direction. The technique performs within literature ranges of accepted accuracy and reproducibility and is comparable to results reported for other virtual stringing software. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Analysis of bite marks in foodstuffs by computer tomography (cone beam CT)--3D reconstruction.

PubMed

Marques, Jeidson; Musse, Jamilly; Caetano, Catarina; Corte-Real, Francisco; Corte-Real, Ana Teresa

2013-12-01

The use of three-dimensional (3D) analysis of forensic evidence is highlighted in comparison with traditional methods. This three-dimensional analysis is based on the registration of the surface from a bitten object. The authors propose to use Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), which is used in dental practice, in order to study the surface and interior of bitten objects and dental casts of suspects. In this study, CBCT is applied to the analysis of bite marks in foodstuffs, which may be found in a forensic case scenario. 6 different types of foodstuffs were used: chocolate, cheese, apple, chewing gum, pizza and tart (flaky pastry and custard). The food was bitten into and dental casts of the possible suspects were made. The dental casts and bitten objects were registered using an x-ray source and the CBCT equipment iCAT® (Pennsylvania, EUA). The software InVivo5® (Anatomage Inc, EUA) was used to visualize and analyze the tomographic slices and 3D reconstructions of the objects. For each material an estimate of its density was assessed by two methods: HU values and specific gravity. All the used materials were successfully reconstructed as good quality 3D images. The relative densities of the materials in study were compared. Amongst the foodstuffs, the chocolate had the highest density (median value 100.5 HU and 1,36 g/cm(3)), while the pizza showed to have the lowest (median value -775 HU and 0,39 g/cm(3)), on both scales. Through tomographic slices and three-dimensional reconstructions it was possible to perform the metric analysis of the bite marks in all the foodstuffs, except for the pizza. These measurements could also be obtained from the dental casts. The depth of the bite mark was also successfully determined in all the foodstuffs except for the pizza. Cone Beam Computed Tomography has the potential to become an important tool for forensic sciences, namely for the registration and analysis of bite marks in foodstuffs that may be found in a crime scene.

Color Constancy in Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Scenes: Effects of Viewing Methods and Surface Texture.

PubMed

Morimoto, Takuma; Mizokami, Yoko; Yaguchi, Hirohisa; Buck, Steven L

2017-01-01

There has been debate about how and why color constancy may be better in three-dimensional (3-D) scenes than in two-dimensional (2-D) scenes. Although some studies have shown better color constancy for 3-D conditions, the role of specific cues remains unclear. In this study, we compared color constancy for a 3-D miniature room (a real scene consisting of actual objects) and 2-D still images of that room presented on a monitor using three viewing methods: binocular viewing, monocular viewing, and head movement. We found that color constancy was better for the 3-D room; however, color constancy for the 2-D image improved when the viewing method caused the scene to be perceived more like a 3-D scene. Separate measurements of the perceptual 3-D effect of each viewing method also supported these results. An additional experiment comparing a miniature room and its image with and without texture suggested that surface texture of scene objects contributes to color constancy.

Significance of Crime Scene Visit by Forensic Pathologist in Cases of Atypical Firearm Injuries.

PubMed

Thejaswi, H T; Kumar, A; Krishna, K

2015-01-01

Deaths due to firearms are some of the interesting and contentious cases that a forensic pathologist/autopsy surgeon encounters in his practice. Whenever there is 'ambiguity' regarding the nature or sequence of events any unnatural deaths including those caused by firearms the practice of visiting crime scene should be encouraged especially in a country like India where autopsy surgeons often neglect it. Here we present a case report in which there were inconsistencies in the autopsy findings with the alleged history. The witnesses heard about four to six gunshot sounds, whereas only two spent cartridge cases were retrieved from the crime scene. Authors identified the atypical nature of firearm injuries sustained by the victims that were possible by just two bullets. Crime scene visit was undertaken where we discovered the possibility of the echo effect behind the production of four to six sounds. Further by using computer software program, positions of the gunman, victims and the bullet trajectory of the two bullets was created.

Forensic archaeology and anthropology : An Australian perspective.

PubMed

Oakley, Kate

2005-09-01

Forensic archaeology is an extremely powerful investigative discipline and, in combination with forensic anthropology, can provide a wealth of evidentiary information to police investigators and the forensic community. The re-emergence of forensic archaeology and anthropology within Australia relies on its diversification and cooperation with established forensic medical organizations, law enforcement forensic service divisions, and national forensic boards. This presents a unique opportunity to develop a new multidisciplinary approach to forensic archaeology/anthropology within Australia as we hold a unique set of environmental, social, and cultural conditions that diverge from overseas models and require different methodological approaches. In the current world political climate, more forensic techniques are being applied at scenes of mass disasters, genocide, and terrorism. This provides Australian forensic archaeology/anthropology with a unique opportunity to develop multidisciplinary models with contributions from psychological profiling, ballistics, sociopolitics, cultural anthropology, mortuary technicians, post-blast analysis, fire analysis, and other disciplines from the world of forensic science.

[The CSI effect and its impact on the perceptions of forensic science experts' work].

PubMed

Stojer, Joanna

2011-01-01

The issue that has been analyzed in this work is the potential effect of crime films and TV series on people's perceptions of forensic medicine and science, and especially on the forming of expectations towards forensic science experts. This syndrome is being called the "CSI effect" after the popular franchise Crime Scene Investigation (CSI). Questionnaire surveys that have been conducted included "experts": 50 experts in various specialities, 77 prosecutors, 119 judges, 64 lay judges, 161 police staff and 80 members of general public. In-depth interviews have been conducted with 20 police staff, and also a focus group has been carried out with 15 law students. In the opinion of the respondents, people's perceptions and expectations of forensic science--as it can be observed during criminal trials--are largely inflated by the entertainment media. Among the surveyed persons, the category that declares watching crime series most rarely, is forensic science experts. Around half of the surveyed experts pointed out to excessive expectations towards they work instigated by TV crime series. The most common expectations towards forensic medicine experts are: immediate conclusiveness of post mortem examinations (going as far as indicating the cause of death at the crime scene), precision of death time estimation and a routine use of sophisticated methods known from TV.

[Forensic aspects of gunshot suicides in Germany].

PubMed

Kunz, Sebastian Niko; Meyer, Harald J; Kraus, Sybille

2013-12-01

Suicidal gunshot wounds are a common appearance in forensic casework. The main task of the coroner lies in the detection of typical pathomorphological correlates, thus differentiating between homicide, suicide and accident. Apart from characteristic bloodstain patterns on the gun and shooting hand, the localisation of the entrance wound and the position of the weapon, additional details such as family background or medical history are important aspects of forensic investigation. An uncommon choice of weaponry and its unusual morphological manifestation often complicate the examination and reconstruction of such cases. Furthermore, due to social stigmatisation, the possibility of secondary changes by relatives at the crime scene should be considered. In addition to autopsy findings, a careful crime scene investigation and bloodstain pattern analysis, a ballistic reconstruction can be an essential tool to gain knowledge of the shooting distance and position of the gun.

Morphology of drying blood pools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laan, Nick; Smith, Fiona; Nicloux, Celine; Brutin, David; D-Blood project Collaboration

2016-11-01

Often blood pools are found on crime scenes providing information concerning the events and sequence of events that took place on the scene. However, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the drying dynamics of blood pools. This study focuses on the drying process of blood pools to determine what relevant information can be obtained for the forensic application. We recorded the drying process of blood pools with a camera and measured the weight. We found that the drying process can be separated into five different: coagulation, gelation, rim desiccation, centre desiccation, and final desiccation. Moreover, we found that the weight of the blood pool diminishes similarly and in a reproducible way for blood pools created in various conditions. In addition, we verify that the size of the blood pools is directly related to its volume and the wettability of the surface. Our study clearly shows that blood pools dry in a reproducible fashion. This preliminary work highlights the difficult task that represents blood pool analysis in forensic investigations, and how internal and external parameters influence its dynamics. We conclude that understanding the drying process dynamics would be advancement in timeline reconstitution of events. ANR funded project: D-Blood Project.

The potential of using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time of flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS) in the forensic analysis of micro debris.

PubMed

Scadding, Cameron J; Watling, R John; Thomas, Allen G

2005-08-15

The majority of crimes result in the generation of some form of physical evidence, which is available for collection by crime scene investigators or police. However, this debris is often limited in amount as modern criminals become more aware of its potential value to forensic scientists. The requirement to obtain robust evidence from increasingly smaller sized samples has required refinement and modification of old analytical techniques and the development of new ones. This paper describes a new method for the analysis of oxy-acetylene debris, left behind at a crime scene, and the establishment of its co-provenance with single particles of equivalent debris found on the clothing of persons of interest (POI). The ability to rapidly determine and match the elemental distribution patterns of debris collected from crime scenes to those recovered from persons of interest is essential in ensuring successful prosecution. Traditionally, relatively large amounts of sample (up to several milligrams) have been required to obtain a reliable elemental fingerprint of this type of material [R.J. Walting , B.F. Lynch, D. Herring, J. Anal. At. Spectrom. 12 (1997) 195]. However, this quantity of material is unlikely to be recovered from a POI. This paper describes the development and application of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time of flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS), as an analytical protocol, which can be applied more appropriately to the analysis of micro-debris than conventional quadrupole based mass spectrometry. The resulting data, for debris as small as 70mum in diameter, was unambiguously matched between a single spherule recovered from a POI and a spherule recovered from the scene of crime, in an analytical procedure taking less than 5min.

Palaeomicrobiology meets forensic medicine: time as a fourth-dimension for the crime scene.

PubMed

Bazaj, A; Turrina, S; De Leo, D; Cornaglia, G

2015-03-01

The unrelenting progress of laboratory techniques is rapidly unleashing the huge potential of palaeomicrobiology. That bodies are often found in poor condition is common to both palaeomicrobiology and forensic medicine, and this might stimulate them towards a joint quest to extract reproducible data for reliable specimens.

Color Constancy in Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Scenes: Effects of Viewing Methods and Surface Texture

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Takuma; Mizokami, Yoko; Yaguchi, Hirohisa; Buck, Steven L.

2017-01-01

There has been debate about how and why color constancy may be better in three-dimensional (3-D) scenes than in two-dimensional (2-D) scenes. Although some studies have shown better color constancy for 3-D conditions, the role of specific cues remains unclear. In this study, we compared color constancy for a 3-D miniature room (a real scene consisting of actual objects) and 2-D still images of that room presented on a monitor using three viewing methods: binocular viewing, monocular viewing, and head movement. We found that color constancy was better for the 3-D room; however, color constancy for the 2-D image improved when the viewing method caused the scene to be perceived more like a 3-D scene. Separate measurements of the perceptual 3-D effect of each viewing method also supported these results. An additional experiment comparing a miniature room and its image with and without texture suggested that surface texture of scene objects contributes to color constancy. PMID:29238513

A sensitive method to extract DNA from biological traces present on ammunition for the purpose of genetic profiling.

PubMed

Dieltjes, Patrick; Mieremet, René; Zuniga, Sofia; Kraaijenbrink, Thirsa; Pijpe, Jeroen; de Knijff, Peter

2011-07-01

Exploring technological limits is a common practice in forensic DNA research. Reliable genetic profiling based on only a few cells isolated from trace material retrieved from a crime scene is nowadays more and more the rule rather than the exception. On many crime scenes, cartridges, bullets, and casings (jointly abbreviated as CBCs) are regularly found, and even after firing, these potentially carry trace amounts of biological material. Since 2003, the Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research is routinely involved in the forensic investigation of CBCs in the Netherlands. Reliable DNA profiles were frequently obtained from CBCs and used to match suspects, victims, or other crime scene-related DNA traces. In this paper, we describe the sensitive method developed by us to extract DNA from CBCs. Using PCR-based genotyping of autosomal short tandem repeats, we were able to obtain reliable and reproducible DNA profiles in 163 out of 616 criminal cases (26.5%) and in 283 out of 4,085 individual CBC items (6.9%) during the period January 2003-December 2009. We discuss practical aspects of the method and the sometimes unexpected effects of using cell lysis buffer on the subsequent investigation of striation patterns on CBCs.

Parasites in Forensic Science: a historic perspective

PubMed

Cardoso, Rita; Alves, Helena; Richter, Joachim; Botelho, Monica C

Parasites show a great potential to Forensic Science. Forensic Science is the application of any science and methodology to the legal system. The forensic scientist collects and analyses the physical evidence and produce a report of the results to the court. A parasite is an organism that lives at the expense of another and they exist in any ecosystem. Parasites are the cause of many important diseases. The forensic scientists can use the parasites to identify a crime scene, to determine the murder weapon or simply identify an individual. The applications for parasites in the Forensic Science can be many and more studies should be made in Forensic Parasitology. The most important parasites in Forensic Science are helminths specifically schistosomes. Through history there are many cases where schistosomes were described in autopsies and it was related to the cause of death. Here we review the applications of parasites in Forensic Science and its importance to the forensic scientist.

Intuitive presentation of clinical forensic data using anonymous and person-specific 3D reference manikins.

PubMed

Urschler, Martin; Höller, Johannes; Bornik, Alexander; Paul, Tobias; Giretzlehner, Michael; Bischof, Horst; Yen, Kathrin; Scheurer, Eva

2014-08-01

The increasing use of CT/MR devices in forensic analysis motivates the need to present forensic findings from different sources in an intuitive reference visualization, with the aim of combining 3D volumetric images along with digital photographs of external findings into a 3D computer graphics model. This model allows a comprehensive presentation of forensic findings in court and enables comparative evaluation studies correlating data sources. The goal of this work was to investigate different methods to generate anonymous and patient-specific 3D models which may be used as reference visualizations. The issue of registering 3D volumetric as well as 2D photographic data to such 3D models is addressed to provide an intuitive context for injury documentation from arbitrary modalities. We present an image processing and visualization work-flow, discuss the major parts of this work-flow, compare the different investigated reference models, and show a number of cases studies that underline the suitability of the proposed work-flow for presenting forensically relevant information in 3D visualizations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive neuroscience in forensic science: understanding and utilizing the human element

PubMed Central

Dror, Itiel E.

2015-01-01

The human element plays a critical role in forensic science. It is not limited only to issues relating to forensic decision-making, such as bias, but also relates to most aspects of forensic work (some of which even take place before a crime is ever committed or long after the verification of the forensic conclusion). In this paper, I explicate many aspects of forensic work that involve the human element and therefore show the relevance (and potential contribution) of cognitive neuroscience to forensic science. The 10 aspects covered in this paper are proactive forensic science, selection during recruitment, training, crime scene investigation, forensic decision-making, verification and conflict resolution, reporting, the role of the forensic examiner, presentation in court and judicial decisions. As the forensic community is taking on the challenges introduced by the realization that the human element is critical for forensic work, new opportunities emerge that allow for considerable improvement and enhancement of the forensic science endeavour. PMID:26101281

Cognitive neuroscience in forensic science: understanding and utilizing the human element.

PubMed

Dror, Itiel E

2015-08-05

The human element plays a critical role in forensic science. It is not limited only to issues relating to forensic decision-making, such as bias, but also relates to most aspects of forensic work (some of which even take place before a crime is ever committed or long after the verification of the forensic conclusion). In this paper, I explicate many aspects of forensic work that involve the human element and therefore show the relevance (and potential contribution) of cognitive neuroscience to forensic science. The 10 aspects covered in this paper are proactive forensic science, selection during recruitment, training, crime scene investigation, forensic decision-making, verification and conflict resolution, reporting, the role of the forensic examiner, presentation in court and judicial decisions. As the forensic community is taking on the challenges introduced by the realization that the human element is critical for forensic work, new opportunities emerge that allow for considerable improvement and enhancement of the forensic science endeavour. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Using Harry Potter to Introduce Students to DNA Fingerprinting & Forensic Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Laura K.

2010-01-01

This lesson uses characters from the Harry Potter series of novels as a "hook" to stimulate students' interest in introductory forensic science. Students are guided through RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis using inexpensive materials and asked to interpret data from a mock crime scene. Importantly, the lesson provides an…

Palaeomicrobiology meets forensic medicine: time as a fourth-dimension for the crime scene

PubMed Central

Bazaj, A.; Turrina, S.; De Leo, D.; Cornaglia, G.

2015-01-01

The unrelenting progress of laboratory techniques is rapidly unleashing the huge potential of palaeomicrobiology. That bodies are often found in poor condition is common to both palaeomicrobiology and forensic medicine, and this might stimulate them towards a joint quest to extract reproducible data for reliable specimens. PMID:25830027

A Rapid and Efficient Method for Evaluation of Suspect Testimony: Palynological Scanning.

PubMed

Wiltshire, Patricia E J; Hawksworth, David L; Edwards, Kevin J

2015-11-01

A rapid method for evaluating suspect testimony is valuable at any stage in an inquiry and can result in a change of direction in an investigation. Rape cases, in particular, can present problems where a defendant renders DNA analysis redundant by claiming that the claimant consented to have sexual relations. Forensic palynology is valuable in confirming or eliminating locations as being crime scenes, thus checking the testimony of both parties. In contrast to some forensic disciplines, forensic palynology can provide critical information without time-consuming full analysis. Two cases are described where the palynological assemblages from comparator samples of pertinent places were compared with those obtained from clothing of claimants and defendants. The results of rapid microscopical scanning of relevant preparations led to early confessions, thus obviating the need for costly analyses and protracted court proceedings. A third case demonstrates the unbiased nature of this technique where a man, although innocent of any offense, lied about having visited the crime scene for fear of prosecution. This highlights the need for sensitive policing in claims of rape. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Microfluidic Devices for Forensic DNA Analysis: A Review

PubMed Central

Bruijns, Brigitte; van Asten, Arian; Tiggelaar, Roald; Gardeniers, Han

2016-01-01

Microfluidic devices may offer various advantages for forensic DNA analysis, such as reduced risk of contamination, shorter analysis time and direct application at the crime scene. Microfluidic chip technology has already proven to be functional and effective within medical applications, such as for point-of-care use. In the forensic field, one may expect microfluidic technology to become particularly relevant for the analysis of biological traces containing human DNA. This would require a number of consecutive steps, including sample work up, DNA amplification and detection, as well as secure storage of the sample. This article provides an extensive overview of microfluidic devices for cell lysis, DNA extraction and purification, DNA amplification and detection and analysis techniques for DNA. Topics to be discussed are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on-chip, digital PCR (dPCR), isothermal amplification on-chip, chip materials, integrated devices and commercially available techniques. A critical overview of the opportunities and challenges of the use of chips is discussed, and developments made in forensic DNA analysis over the past 10–20 years with microfluidic systems are described. Areas in which further research is needed are indicated in a future outlook. PMID:27527231

The Scene of the Crime: Classroom Integration of Biosafety, Microscopy & Forensics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Michelle L.; Novakofski, Jan; Green, Ryan W.; Manjerovic, Mary Beth; Mateus-Pinilla, Nohra

2014-01-01

Providing both introductory information and biosecurity protocols in laboratory, farm, and field settings is central to student learning and safety. However, even when clear protocols are provided, students do not fully understand the consequences of their actions. We present a crime scene that requires evidence investigation to improve basic…

Fibres, Blood and Broken Glass

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomlinson, Bob; Peacock, Alan

2005-01-01

Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs) are the bridge between the police and forensic science specialists. Their job is to recover physical evidence from the scene of a crime, and try to make sense of it to interpret and explain what probably happened--which is just what scientists also do. They recover many things: objects, photographs of the crime…

Mendel Meets CSI: Forensic Genotyping as a Method to Teach Genetics & DNA Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurowski, Scotia; Reiss, Rebecca

2007-01-01

This article describes a forensic DNA science laboratory exercise for advanced high school and introductory college level biology courses. Students use a commercial genotyping kit and genetic analyzer or gene sequencer to analyze DNA recovered from a fictitious crime scene. DNA profiling and STR genotyping are outlined. DNA extraction, PCR, and…

[Forensic Analysis of 20 Dead Cases Related to Heroin Abuse].

PubMed

Huang, W Q; Li, L H; Li, Z; Hong, S J

2016-08-01

To perform retrospective analysis on 20 dead cases related to heroin abuse, and to provide references for the forensic assessment of correlative cases. Among 20 dead cases related to heroin abuse, general situation, using method of drug, cause of death and result of forensic examination were analyzed by statistical analysis for summarizing the cause of death and pathologic changes. The dead were mostly young adults, with more male than female. The results of histopathological examinations showed non-specific pathological changes. There were four leading causes of death, including acute poisoning of heroin abuse or leakage （13 cases, 65%）, concurrent diseases caused by heroin abuse （3 cases, 15%）, inspiratory asphyxia caused by taking heroin （2 cases, 10%）, and heroin withdrawal syndrome （2 cases, 10%）. The forensic identification on dead related to heroin abuse must base on the comprehensive autopsy, and combine with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of heroin and its metabolites in death and the case information, as well as the scene investigation. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

The new generation of OpenGL support in ROOT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadel, M.

2008-07-01

OpenGL has been promoted to become the main 3D rendering engine of the ROOT framework. This required a major re-modularization of OpenGL support on all levels, from basic window-system specific interface to medium-level object-representation and top-level scene management. This new architecture allows seamless integration of external scene-graph libraries into the ROOT OpenGL viewer as well as inclusion of ROOT 3D scenes into external GUI and OpenGL-based 3D-rendering frameworks. Scene representation was removed from inside of the viewer, allowing scene-data to be shared among several viewers and providing for a natural implementation of multi-view canvas layouts. The object-graph traversal infrastructure allows free mixing of 3D and 2D-pad graphics and makes implementation of ROOT canvas in pure OpenGL possible. Scene-elements representing ROOT objects trigger automatic instantiation of user-provided rendering-objects based on the dictionary information and class-naming convention. Additionally, a finer, per-object control over scene-updates is available to the user, allowing overhead-free maintenance of dynamic 3D scenes and creation of complex real-time animations. User-input handling was modularized as well, making it easy to support application-specific scene navigation, selection handling and tool management.

Forensic entomology cases in Thailand: a review of cases from 2000 to 2006.

PubMed

Sukontason, Kom; Narongchai, Paitoon; Kanchai, Chaturong; Vichairat, Karnda; Sribanditmongkol, Pongruk; Bhoopat, Tanin; Kurahashi, Hiromu; Chockjamsai, Manoch; Piangjai, Somsak; Bunchu, Nophawan; Vongvivach, Somsak; Samai, Wirachai; Chaiwong, Tarinee; Methanitikorn, Rungkanta; Ngern-Klun, Rachadawan; Sripakdee, Duanghatai; Boonsriwong, Worachote; Siriwattanarungsee, Sirisuda; Srimuangwong, Chaowakit; Hanterdsith, Boonsak; Chaiwan, Khankam; Srisuwan, Chalard; Upakut, Surasak; Moopayak, Kittikhun; Vogtsberger, Roy C; Olson, Jimmy K; Sukontason, Kabkaew L

2007-10-01

This paper presents and discusses 30 cases of cadavers that had been transferred for forensic entomology investigations to the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, northern Thailand, from 2000 to 2006. Variable death scenes were determined, including forested area and suburban and urban outdoor and indoor environments. The fly specimens found in the corpses obtained were the most commonly of the blow fly of family Calliphoridae, and consisted of Chrysomya megacephala (F.), Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) Chrysomya villeneuvi Patton, Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin, Chrysomya bezziana Villeneuve, Chrysomya chani Kurahashi, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann), Hemipyrellia ligurriens (Wiedemann), and two unknown species. Flies of the family Muscidae [Hydrotaea spinigera Stein, Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp)], Piophilidae [Piophila casei (L.)], Phoridae [Megaselia scalaris (Loew)], Sarcophagidae [Parasarcophaga ruficornis (F.) and three unknown species], and Stratiomyiidae (Sargus sp.) were also collected from these human remains. Larvae and adults of the beetle, Dermestes maculatus DeGeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), were also found in some cases. Chrysomya megacephala and C. rufifacies were the most common species found in the ecologically varied death scene habitats associated with both urban and forested areas, while C. nigripes was commonly discovered in forested places. S. nudiseta was collected only from corpses found in an indoor death scene.

Basic level scene understanding: categories, attributes and structures

PubMed Central

Xiao, Jianxiong; Hays, James; Russell, Bryan C.; Patterson, Genevieve; Ehinger, Krista A.; Torralba, Antonio; Oliva, Aude

2013-01-01

A longstanding goal of computer vision is to build a system that can automatically understand a 3D scene from a single image. This requires extracting semantic concepts and 3D information from 2D images which can depict an enormous variety of environments that comprise our visual world. This paper summarizes our recent efforts toward these goals. First, we describe the richly annotated SUN database which is a collection of annotated images spanning 908 different scene categories with object, attribute, and geometric labels for many scenes. This database allows us to systematically study the space of scenes and to establish a benchmark for scene and object recognition. We augment the categorical SUN database with 102 scene attributes for every image and explore attribute recognition. Finally, we present an integrated system to extract the 3D structure of the scene and objects depicted in an image. PMID:24009590

Electronic aroma detection technology for forensic and law enforcement applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barshick, Stacy-Ann; Griest, Wayne H.; Vass, Arpad A.

1997-02-01

A major problem hindering criminal investigations is the lack of appropriate tools for proper crime scene investigations. Often locating important pieces of evidence means relying on the ability of trained detection canines. Development of analytical technology to uncover and analyze evidence, potentially at the scene, could serve to expedite criminal investigations, searches, and court proceedings. To address this problem, a new technology based on gas sensor arrays was investigated for its applicability to forensic and law enforcement problems. The technology employs an array of sensors that respond to volatile chemical components yielding a characteristic 'fingerprint' pattern representative of the vapor-phase composition of a sample. Sample aromas can be analyzed and identified using artificial neural networks that are trained on known aroma patterns. Several candidate applications based on known technological needs of the forensic and law enforcement communities have been investigated. These applications have included the detection of aromas emanating from cadavers to aid in determining time since death, drug detection for deterring the manufacture, sale, and use of drugs of abuse, and the analysis of fire debris for accelerant identification. The result to date for these applications have been extremely promising and demonstrate the potential applicability of this technology for forensic use.

Fly pupae and puparia as potential contaminants of forensic entomology samples from sites of body discovery.

PubMed

Archer, M S; Elgar, M A; Briggs, C A; Ranson, D L

2006-11-01

Fly pupae and puparia may contaminate forensic entomology samples at death scenes if they have originated not from human remains but from animal carcasses or other decomposing organic material. These contaminants may erroneously lengthen post-mortem interval estimates if no pupae or puparia are genuinely associated with the body. Three forensic entomology case studies are presented, in which contamination either occurred or was suspected. In the first case, blow fly puparia collected near the body were detected as contaminants because the species was inactive both when the body was found and when the deceased was last sighted reliably. The second case illustrates that contamination may be suspected at particularly squalid death scenes because of the likely presence of carcasses or organic material. The third case involves the presence at the body discovery site of numerous potentially contaminating animal carcasses. Soil samples were taken along transects to show that pupae and puparia were clustered around their probable sources.

A case of accidental fatal aluminum phosphide poisoning involving humans and dogs.

PubMed

Behera, Chittaranjan; Krishna, Karthik; Bhardwaj, Daya Nand; Rautji, Ravi; Kumar, Arvind

2015-05-01

Aluminum phosphide is one of the commonest poisons encountered in agricultural areas, and manner of death in the victims is often suicidal and rarely homicidal or accidental. This paper presents an unusual case, where two humans (owner and housemaid) and eight dogs were found dead in the morning hours inside a room of a house, used as shelter for stray dogs. There was allegation by the son of the owner that his father had been killed. Crime scene visit by forensic pathologists helped to collect vital evidence. Autopsies of both the human victims and the dogs were conducted. Toxicological analysis of viscera, vomitus, leftover food, and chemical container at the crime scene tested positive for aluminum phosphide. The cause of death in both humans and dogs was aluminum phosphide poisoning. Investigation by police and the forensic approach to the case helped in ascertaining the manner of death, which was accidental. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Analysis of Forensic Characteristics about 23 Family Homicide Cases].

PubMed

Xie, X; Dong, X D

2016-08-01

To provide references for forensic analysis of family homicides cases by analyzing the situations of scene, injuries and individual which were related to the family homicide cases in a county. The data of 23 family homicide cases from 2004 to 2013 were collected. The basic situation of individual involved, the relationship between dead and suspect, the cause of death, the motive, the location, time and tools of the crime and the behavior of the suspect after crime etc. were analyzed. The characteristics of the 23 family homicides cases showed that couple relationship was the most common relationship; passion killing was the most common motive; local materials were mostly used as the tools for committing crimes; most crimes were committed in residences; most time of crime was night. The analysis of family homicide cases should be based on the scene investigation, the examination of the body and combined with the investigation of the situation. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Forensic identification of blood in the presence of contaminations using Raman microspectroscopy coupled with advanced statistics: effect of sand, dust, and soil.

PubMed

Sikirzhytskaya, Aliaksandra; Sikirzhytski, Vitali; McLaughlin, Gregory; Lednev, Igor K

2013-09-01

Body fluid traces recovered at crime scenes are among the most common and important types of forensic evidence. However, the ability to characterize a biological stain at a crime scene nondestructively has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we expand the Raman spectroscopic approach for the identification of dry traces of pure body fluids to address the problem of heterogeneous contamination, which can impair the performance of conventional methods. The concept of multidimensional Raman signatures was utilized for the identification of blood in dry traces contaminated with sand, dust, and soil. Multiple Raman spectra were acquired from the samples via automatic scanning, and the contribution of blood was evaluated through the fitting quality using spectroscopic signature components. The spatial mapping technique allowed for detection of "hot spots" dominated by blood contribution. The proposed method has great potential for blood identification in highly contaminated samples. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Making space for criminalistics: Hans Gross and fin-de-siècle CSI

PubMed Central

Burney, Ian; Pemberton, Neil

2013-01-01

This article explores the articulation of a novel forensic object—the ‘crime scene’—and its corresponding expert—the investigating officer. Through a detailed engagement with the work of the late nineteenth-century Austrian jurist and criminalist Hans Gross, it analyses the dynamic and reflexive nature of this model of ‘CSI’, emphasising the material, physical, psychological and instrumental means through which the crime scene as a delineated space, and its investigator as a disciplined agent operating within it, jointly came into being. It has a further, historiographic, aim: to move away from the commonplace emphasis in histories of forensics on fin-de-siècle criminology and toward its comparatively under-explored contemporary, criminalistics. In so doing, it opens up new ways of thinking about the crime scene as a defining feature of our present-day forensic culture that recognise its historical contingency and the complex processes at work in its creation and development. PMID:23036861

Three-dimensional scene reconstruction from a two-dimensional image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parkins, Franz; Jacobs, Eddie

2017-05-01

We propose and simulate a method of reconstructing a three-dimensional scene from a two-dimensional image for developing and augmenting world models for autonomous navigation. This is an extension of the Perspective-n-Point (PnP) method which uses a sampling of the 3D scene, 2D image point parings, and Random Sampling Consensus (RANSAC) to infer the pose of the object and produce a 3D mesh of the original scene. Using object recognition and segmentation, we simulate the implementation on a scene of 3D objects with an eye to implementation on embeddable hardware. The final solution will be deployed on the NVIDIA Tegra platform.

Validation and evaluation of measuring methods for the 3D documentation of external injuries in the field of forensic medicine.

PubMed

Buck, Ursula; Buße, Kirsten; Campana, Lorenzo; Schyma, Christian

2018-03-01

Three-dimensional (3D) measurement techniques are gaining importance in many areas. The latest developments brought more cost-effective, user-friendly, and faster technologies onto the market. Which 3D techniques are suitable in the field of forensic medicine and what are their advantages and disadvantages? This wide-ranging study evaluated and validated various 3D measurement techniques for the forensic requirements. High-tech methods as well as low-budget systems have been tested and compared in terms of accuracy, ease of use, expenditure of time, mobility, cost, necessary knowhow, and their limitations. Within this study, various commercial measuring systems of the different techniques were tested. Based on the first results, one measuring system was selected for each technique, which appeared to be the most suitable for the forensic application or is already established in forensic medicine. A body of a deceased, a face and an injury of a living person, and a shoe sole were recorded by 11 people with different professions and previous knowledge using the selected systems. The results were assessed and the personal experiences were evaluated using a questionnaire. In addition, precision investigations were carried out using test objects. The study shows that the hand-held scanner and photogrammetry are very suitable for the 3D documentation of forensic medical findings. Their moderate acquisition costs and easy operation could lead to more frequent application in forensic medicine in the future. For special applications, the stripe-light scanner still has its justification due to its high precision, the flexible application area, and the high reliability. The results show that, thanks to the technological advances, the 3D measurement technology will have more and more impact on the routine of the forensic medical examination.

Blood identification and discrimination between human and nonhuman blood using portable Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Fujihara, J; Fujita, Y; Yamamoto, T; Nishimoto, N; Kimura-Kataoka, K; Kurata, S; Takinami, Y; Yasuda, T; Takeshita, H

2017-03-01

Raman spectroscopy is commonly used in chemistry to identify molecular structure. This technique is a nondestructive analysis and needs no sample preparation. Recently, Raman spectroscopy has been shown to be effective as a multipurpose analytical method for forensic applications. In the present study, blood identification and discrimination between human and nonhuman blood were performed by a portable Raman spectrometer, which can be used at a crime scene. To identify the blood and to discriminate between human and nonhuman blood, Raman spectra of bloodstains from 11 species (human, rat, mouse, cow, horse, sheep, pig, rabbit, cat, dog, and chicken) were taken using a portable Raman spectrometer. Raman peaks for blood (742, 1001, 1123, 1247, 1341, 1368, 1446, 1576, and 1619 cm -1 ) could be observed by the portable Raman spectrometer in all 11 species, and the human bloodstain could be distinguished from the nonhuman ones by using a principal component analysis. This analysis can be performed on a bloodstain sample of at least 3 months old. The portable Raman spectrometer can be used at a crime scene, and this analysis is useful for forensic examination.

Reverse engineering--rapid prototyping of the skull in forensic trauma analysis.

PubMed

Kettner, Mattias; Schmidt, Peter; Potente, Stefan; Ramsthaler, Frank; Schrodt, Michael

2011-07-01

Rapid prototyping (RP) comprises a variety of automated manufacturing techniques such as selective laser sintering (SLS), stereolithography, and three-dimensional printing (3DP), which use virtual 3D data sets to fabricate solid forms in a layer-by-layer technique. Despite a growing demand for (virtual) reconstruction models in daily forensic casework, maceration of the skull is frequently assigned to ensure haptic evidence presentation in the courtroom. Owing to the progress in the field of forensic radiology, 3D data sets of relevant cases are usually available to the forensic expert. Here, we present a first application of RP in forensic medicine using computed tomography scans for the fabrication of an SLS skull model in a case of fatal hammer impacts to the head. The report is intended to show that this method fully respects the dignity of the deceased and is consistent with medical ethics but nevertheless provides an excellent 3D impression of anatomical structures and injuries. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Audit Log for Forensic Photography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neville, Timothy; Sorell, Matthew

We propose an architecture for an audit log system for forensic photography, which ensures that the chain of evidence of a photograph taken by a photographer at a crime scene is maintained from the point of image capture to its end application at trial. The requirements for such a system are specified and the results of experiments are presented which demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.

Naturalistic decision making in forensic science: toward a better understanding of decision making by forensic team leaders.

PubMed

Helsloot, Ira; Groenendaal, Jelle

2011-07-01

This study uses the naturalistic decision-making (NDM) perspective to examine how Dutch forensic team leaders (i.e., the officers in charge of criminal forensic research from the crime scene until the use of laboratory assistance) make decisions in real-life settings and identifies the contextual factors that might influence those decisions. First, a focus group interview was conducted to identify four NDM mechanisms in day-to-day forensic decision making. Second, a serious game was conducted to examine the influence of three of these contextual mechanisms. The results uncovered that forensic team leaders (i) were attracted to obtain further information when more information was initially made available, (ii) were likely to devote more attention to emotionally charged cases, and (iii) used not only forensic evidence in the decision making but also tactical, unverified information of the police inquiry. Interestingly, the measured contextual influences did not deviate significantly from a control group of laypeople. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Origin and development of forensic medicine in Egypt.

PubMed

Kharoshah, Magdy Abdel Azim; Zaki, Mamdouh Kamal; Galeb, Sherien Salah; Moulana, Ashraf Abdel Reheem; Elsebaay, Elsebaay Ahmed

2011-01-01

Egyptians are one of the first civilisations to practice the removal and examination of internal organs of humans. Their practices ranged from embalming to faith healing to surgery and autopsy. Modern radiological studies, together with various forensic techniques, allowed scientists unique glimpses of the state of health in Egypt 4000 years ago and discovered one of the earliest applications of autopsy, the main element of forensic medicine practice today. The Egyptian Forensic Medicine Authority handles a relatively large number of cases annually and depends on different assisting laboratories (forensic histopathology, microbiology, serology unit, DNA laboratory, forensic chemistry laboratory) as well as the Counterfeiting and Forgery unit. Crime scene investigations are performed mainly through the criminal laboratory related to the Ministry of Interior. Forensic Medicine is studied thoroughly in the faculty of medicine (undergraduates), as well as by forensic medical examiners at postgraduate level (diploma, master's and doctorate). This review recommends more scientific cooperation with universities in the field of forensic medicine and related sciences to solve various crimes with meticulous detail. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Leading-edge forensic DNA analyses and the necessity of including crime scene investigators, police officers and technicians in a DNA elimination database.

PubMed

Lapointe, Martine; Rogic, Anita; Bourgoin, Sarah; Jolicoeur, Christine; Séguin, Diane

2015-11-01

In recent years, sophisticated technology has significantly increased the sensitivity and analytical power of genetic analyses so that very little starting material may now produce viable genetic profiles. This sensitivity however, has also increased the risk of detecting unknown genetic profiles assumed to be that of the perpetrator, yet originate from extraneous sources such as from crime scene workers. These contaminants may mislead investigations, keeping criminal cases active and unresolved for long spans of time. Voluntary submission of DNA samples from crime scene workers is fairly low, therefore we have created a promotional method for our staff elimination database that has resulted in a significant increase in voluntary samples since 2011. Our database enforces privacy safeguards and allows for optional anonymity to all staff members. We also offer information sessions at various police precincts to advise crime scene workers of the importance and success of our staff elimination database. This study, a pioneer in its field, has obtained 327 voluntary submissions from crime scene workers to date, of which 46 individual profiles (14%) have been matched to 58 criminal cases. By implementing our methods and respect for individual privacy, forensic laboratories everywhere may see similar growth and success in explaining unidentified genetic profiles in stagnate criminal cases. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bridging the gap: from biometrics to forensics.

PubMed

Jain, Anil K; Ross, Arun

2015-08-05

Biometric recognition, or simply biometrics, refers to automated recognition of individuals based on their behavioural and biological characteristics. The success of fingerprints in forensic science and law enforcement applications, coupled with growing concerns related to border control, financial fraud and cyber security, has generated a huge interest in using fingerprints, as well as other biological traits, for automated person recognition. It is, therefore, not surprising to see biometrics permeating various segments of our society. Applications include smartphone security, mobile payment, border crossing, national civil registry and access to restricted facilities. Despite these successful deployments in various fields, there are several existing challenges and new opportunities for person recognition using biometrics. In particular, when biometric data is acquired in an unconstrained environment or if the subject is uncooperative, the quality of the ensuing biometric data may not be amenable for automated person recognition. This is particularly true in crime-scene investigations, where the biological evidence gleaned from a scene may be of poor quality. In this article, we first discuss how biometrics evolved from forensic science and how its focus is shifting back to its origin in order to address some challenging problems. Next, we enumerate the similarities and differences between biometrics and forensics. We then present some applications where the principles of biometrics are being successfully leveraged into forensics in order to solve critical problems in the law enforcement domain. Finally, we discuss new collaborative opportunities for researchers in biometrics and forensics, in order to address hitherto unsolved problems that can benefit society at large. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Bridging the gap: from biometrics to forensics

PubMed Central

Jain, Anil K.; Ross, Arun

2015-01-01

Biometric recognition, or simply biometrics, refers to automated recognition of individuals based on their behavioural and biological characteristics. The success of fingerprints in forensic science and law enforcement applications, coupled with growing concerns related to border control, financial fraud and cyber security, has generated a huge interest in using fingerprints, as well as other biological traits, for automated person recognition. It is, therefore, not surprising to see biometrics permeating various segments of our society. Applications include smartphone security, mobile payment, border crossing, national civil registry and access to restricted facilities. Despite these successful deployments in various fields, there are several existing challenges and new opportunities for person recognition using biometrics. In particular, when biometric data is acquired in an unconstrained environment or if the subject is uncooperative, the quality of the ensuing biometric data may not be amenable for automated person recognition. This is particularly true in crime-scene investigations, where the biological evidence gleaned from a scene may be of poor quality. In this article, we first discuss how biometrics evolved from forensic science and how its focus is shifting back to its origin in order to address some challenging problems. Next, we enumerate the similarities and differences between biometrics and forensics. We then present some applications where the principles of biometrics are being successfully leveraged into forensics in order to solve critical problems in the law enforcement domain. Finally, we discuss new collaborative opportunities for researchers in biometrics and forensics, in order to address hitherto unsolved problems that can benefit society at large. PMID:26101280

The Optics of Bruising

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randeberg, Lise Lyngsnes; Skallerud, Bjørn; Langlois, Neil E. I.; Haugen, Olav Anton; Svaasand, Lars Othar

Forensic medicine is a field of medicine where technology plays an increasingly important role in securing and evaluating evidence in, for example, child abuse cases and cases of domestic violence. Methods from chemistry and biological sciences have found a wide application within forensic medicine. Optical technologies like microscopy are also widely used. Despite this, in vivo or post mortem optical diagnostics by spectroscopy have traditionally not had an important role in clinical or forensic examinations. Forensic medical optics as a field might include all kinds of optical analysis for use within forensic science. This includes everything from microscopic techniques to methods for examination of evidence from a crime scene. This chapter will, however, focus on the use of optical diagnostics for examining skin, with a focus on identification, characterization and age determination of minor traumatic injuries like skin bruises.

Uses of software in digital image analysis: a forensic report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Mukesh; Jha, Shailendra

2010-02-01

Forensic image analysis is required an expertise to interpret the content of an image or the image itself in legal matters. Major sub-disciplines of forensic image analysis with law enforcement applications include photo-grammetry, photographic comparison, content analysis and image authentication. It has wide applications in forensic science range from documenting crime scenes to enhancing faint or indistinct patterns such as partial fingerprints. The process of forensic image analysis can involve several different tasks, regardless of the type of image analysis performed. Through this paper authors have tried to explain these tasks, which are described in to three categories: Image Compression, Image Enhancement & Restoration and Measurement Extraction. With the help of examples like signature comparison, counterfeit currency comparison and foot-wear sole impression using the software Canvas and Corel Draw.

[The currently available possibilities for the application of photogrammetry in the forensic medical expertise of the blood stains at the scene of the crime].

PubMed

Fetisov, V A; Makarov, I Yu; Gusarov, A A; Lorents, A S; Smirenin, S A; Stragis, V B

The study of blood stains retained at the scene of the crime is of crucial importance for the preliminary inquiry. The present article is focused on the analysis of the possibilities and prospects for the use of photogrammetry (PM) as exemplified by the foreign expert practice of the blood stains examination at the site of the event. It is shown that the results of the application of digital photogrammetry in addition to the traditional methods of morphological investigations enables the forensic medical experts to reconstruct a number of unique features and circumstances that accompanied the commission of a crime at the site of the event. Such PM techniques supplemented by the ballistic analysis of the blood splatter and droplet trajectories provides additional evidence that allows the forensic medical experts to reconstruct the scene of the crime including the pose and position of the victim at the moment of causing injury. Moreover, these data make it possible to determine the maximum number and the sequence of injurious impacts (blows). The authors discuss the advantages and relative disadvantages of the application of the photogrammetric technique in the routine practical expert work. It is emphasized that the published decision making algorithms provide the specialists in various disciplines and professional experts with the ready-made technological tools for obtaining the additional criteria for the objective improvement of the quality of the studies they carry out and for the enhancement of the value of expert conclusions. It is concluded that the application of the modern photogrammetric technologies can be recommended for the solution of the applied forensic medical problems and conducting the relevant expert research.

3D surface and body documentation in forensic medicine: 3-D/CAD Photogrammetry merged with 3D radiological scanning.

PubMed

Thali, Michael J; Braun, Marcel; Wirth, Joachim; Vock, Peter; Dirnhofer, Richard

2003-11-01

A main goal of forensic medicine is to document and to translate medical findings to a language and/or visualization that is readable and understandable for judicial persons and for medical laymen. Therefore, in addition to classical methods, scientific cutting-edge technologies can and should be used. Through the use of the Forensic, 3-D/CAD-supported Photogrammetric method the documentation of so-called "morphologic fingerprints" has been realized. Forensic, 3-D/CAD-supported Photogrammetry creates morphologic data models of the injury and of the suspected injury-causing instrument allowing the evaluation of a match between the injury and the instrument. In addition to the photogrammetric body surface registration, the radiological documentation provided by a volume scan (i.e., spiral, multi-detector CT, or MRI) registers the sub-surface injury, which is not visible to Photogrammetry. The new, combined method of merging Photogrammetry and Radiology data sets creates the potential to perform many kinds of reconstructions and postprocessing of (patterned) injuries in the realm of forensic medical case work. Using this merging method of colored photogrammetric surface and gray-scale radiological internal documentation, a great step towards a new kind of reality-based, high-tech wound documentation and visualization in forensic medicine is made. The combination of the methods of 3D/CAD Photogrammetry and Radiology has the advantage of being observer-independent, non-subjective, non-invasive, digitally storable over years or decades and even transferable over the web for second opinion.

Who Killed Myra Mains?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandage, Barbara J.

2002-01-01

Reports on the development and implementation of an integrated forensic science unit. Students examine and test evidence from a mock crime scene. Addresses many areas of the National Science Education Standards. (DDR)

Can clinical CT data improve forensic reconstruction?

PubMed

Schuh, P; Scheurer, E; Fritz, K; Pavlic, M; Hassler, E; Rienmüller, R; Yen, K

2013-05-01

In accidents resulting in severe injuries, a clinical forensic examination is generally abandoned in the initial phase due to high-priority clinical needs. However, in many cases, data from clinical computed tomography (CT) examinations are available. The goals of this prospective study were (a) to evaluate clinical CT data as a basis for forensic reconstruction of the sequence of events, (b) to assess if forensic radiological follow-up reading improves the forensic diagnostic benefit compared to the written clinical radiological reports, and (c) to evaluate if full data storage including additional reconstructed 0.6-mm slices enhances forensic analysis. Clinical CT data of 15 living individuals with imaging of at least the head, thorax, and abdomen following polytrauma were examined regarding the forensic evaluation of the sequence of events. Additionally, 0.6-mm slices and 3D images were reconstructed for forensic purposes and used for the evaluation. At the forensic radiological readings, additional traumatic findings were observed in ten of the 15 patients. The main weakness of the clinical reports was that they were not detailed enough, particularly regarding the localization of injuries and description of wound morphology. In seven cases, however, forensic conclusions were possible on the basis of the written clinical reports, whereas in five cases forensic reconstruction required specific follow-up reading. The additional 0.6-mm slices were easily available and with improved 3D image quality and forensic diagnostics. In conclusion, the use of clinical CT data can considerably support forensic expertise regarding reconstruction issues. Forensic follow-up reading as well as the use of additional thin slices for 3D analysis can further improve its benefit for forensic reconstruction purposes.

Crime scene units: a look to the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, Hayden B.

1999-02-01

The scientific examination of physical evidence is well recognized as a critical element in conducting successful criminal investigations and prosecutions. The forensic science field is an ever changing discipline. With the arrival of DNA, new processing techniques for latent prints, portable lasers, and electro-static dust print lifters, and training of evidence technicians has become more important than ever. These scientific and technology breakthroughs have increased the possibility of collecting and analyzing physical evidence that was never possible before. The problem arises with the collection of physical evidence from the crime scene not from the analysis of the evidence. The need for specialized units in the processing of all crime scenes is imperative. These specialized units, called crime scene units, should be trained and equipped to handle all forms of crime scenes. The crime scenes units would have the capability to professionally evaluate and collect pertinent physical evidence from the crime scenes.

Forensic Entomology in Animal Cruelty Cases.

PubMed

Brundage, A; Byrd, J H

2016-09-01

Forensic entomology can be useful to the veterinary professional in cases of animal cruelty. A main application of forensic entomology is to determine the minimum postmortem interval by estimating the time of insect colonization, based on knowledge of the rate of development of pioneer colonizers and on insect species succession during decomposition of animal remains. Since insect development is temperature dependent, these estimates require documentation of the environmental conditions, including ambient temperature. It can also aid in the detection and recognition of wounds, as well as estimate the timing of periods of neglect. Knowledge of the geographic distribution of insects that colonize animal remains may suggest that there has been movement or concealment of the carcass or can create associations between a suspect, a victim, and a crime scene. In some instances, it can aid in the detection of drugs or toxins within decomposed or skeletonized remains. During animal cruelty investigations, it may become the responsibility of the veterinary professional to document and collect entomological evidence from live animals or during the necropsy. The applications of forensic entomology are discussed. A protocol is described for documenting and collecting entomological evidence at the scene and during the necropsy, with additional emphasis on recording geographic location, meteorological data, and collection and preservation of insect specimens. © The Author(s) 2016.

Forensic discrimination of vaginal epithelia by DNA methylation analysis through pyrosequencing.

PubMed

Antunes, Joana; Silva, Deborah S B S; Balamurugan, Kuppareddi; Duncan, George; Alho, Clarice S; McCord, Bruce

2016-10-01

The accurate identification of body fluids from crime scenes can aid in the discrimination between criminal and innocent intent. This research aimed to determine if the levels of DNA methylation in the locus PFN3A could be used to discriminate vaginal epithelia from other body fluids. In this work we bisulfite-modified and amplified DNA samples from blood, saliva, semen, and vaginal epithelia using primers for PFN3A. Through pyrosequencing we were able to show that vaginal epithelia present distinct methylation levels when compared to other body fluids. Mixtures of different body fluids present methylation values that correlate with single-source body fluid samples and the primers for PFN3A are specific for primates. This report successfully demonstrated that the analysis of methylation in the PFN3A locus can be used for vaginal epithelia discrimination in forensic samples. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Field-based detection of biological samples for forensic analysis: Established techniques, novel tools, and future innovations.

PubMed

Morrison, Jack; Watts, Giles; Hobbs, Glyn; Dawnay, Nick

2018-04-01

Field based forensic tests commonly provide information on the presence and identity of biological stains and can also support the identification of species. Such information can support downstream processing of forensic samples and generate rapid intelligence. These approaches have traditionally used chemical and immunological techniques to elicit the result but some are known to suffer from a lack of specificity and sensitivity. The last 10 years has seen the development of field-based genetic profiling systems, with specific focus on moving the mainstay of forensic genetic analysis, namely STR profiling, out of the laboratory and into the hands of the non-laboratory user. In doing so it is now possible for enforcement officers to generate a crime scene DNA profile which can then be matched to a reference or database profile. The introduction of these novel genetic platforms also allows for further development of new molecular assays aimed at answering the more traditional questions relating to body fluid identity and species detection. The current drive for field-based molecular tools is in response to the needs of the criminal justice system and enforcement agencies, and promises a step-change in how forensic evidence is processed. However, the adoption of such systems by the law enforcement community does not represent a new strategy in the way forensic science has integrated previous novel approaches. Nor do they automatically represent a threat to the quality control and assurance practices that are central to the field. This review examines the historical need and subsequent research and developmental breakthroughs in field-based forensic analysis over the past two decades with particular focus on genetic methods Emerging technologies from a range of scientific fields that have potential applications in forensic analysis at the crime scene are identified and associated issues that arise from the shift from laboratory into operational field use are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DNA in the Criminal Justice System: The DNA Success Story in Perspective.

PubMed

Mapes, Anna A; Kloosterman, Ate D; de Poot, Christianne J

2015-07-01

Current figures on the efficiency of DNA as an investigative tool in criminal investigations only tell part of the story. To get the DNA success story in the right perspective, we examined all forensic reports from serious (N = 116) and high-volume crime cases (N = 2791) over the year 2011 from one police region in the Netherlands. These data show that 38% of analyzed serious crime traces (N = 384) and 17% of analyzed high-volume crime traces (N = 386) did not result in a DNA profile. Turnaround times (from crime scene to DNA report) were 66 days for traces from serious crimes and 44 days for traces from high-volume crimes. Suspects were truly identified through a match with the Offender DNA database of the Netherlands in 3% of the serious crime cases and in 1% of the high-volume crime cases. These data are important for both the forensic laboratory and the professionals in the criminal justice system to further optimize forensic DNA testing as an investigative tool. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Meeting a Forensic Podiatry Admissibility Challenge: A Daubert Case Study.

PubMed

Nirenberg, Michael

2016-05-01

This article is an introduction to the United States Supreme Court's standard of admissibility of forensic evidence and testimony at trial, known as the Daubert standard, with emphasis on how this standard applies to the field of forensic podiatry. The author, a forensic podiatrist, provided law enforcement with evidence tying a bloody sock-clad footprint found at the scene of a homicide to the suspect. In 2014, the author testified at a pretrial hearing, known as "a Daubert hearing," to address the admissibility of this evidence in court. This was the first instance of forensic podiatry being the primary subject of a Daubert hearing. The hearing resulted in the court ordering this evidence admissible. The expert's testimony contributed to the suspect's conviction. This article serves as a reference for forensic podiatrists and experts in similar fields that involve impression evidence, providing evidentiary standards and their impact on expert evidence and testimony. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

3D Reasoning from Blocks to Stability.

PubMed

Zhaoyin Jia; Gallagher, Andrew C; Saxena, Ashutosh; Chen, Tsuhan

2015-05-01

Objects occupy physical space and obey physical laws. To truly understand a scene, we must reason about the space that objects in it occupy, and how each objects is supported stably by each other. In other words, we seek to understand which objects would, if moved, cause other objects to fall. This 3D volumetric reasoning is important for many scene understanding tasks, ranging from segmentation of objects to perception of a rich 3D, physically well-founded, interpretations of the scene. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm to parse a single RGB-D image with 3D block units while jointly reasoning about the segments, volumes, supporting relationships, and object stability. Our algorithm is based on the intuition that a good 3D representation of the scene is one that fits the depth data well, and is a stable, self-supporting arrangement of objects (i.e., one that does not topple). We design an energy function for representing the quality of the block representation based on these properties. Our algorithm fits 3D blocks to the depth values corresponding to image segments, and iteratively optimizes the energy function. Our proposed algorithm is the first to consider stability of objects in complex arrangements for reasoning about the underlying structure of the scene. Experimental results show that our stability-reasoning framework improves RGB-D segmentation and scene volumetric representation.

Wood evidence : proper collection, documentation, and storage of wood evidence from a crime scene

Treesearch

Alex Wiedenhoeft

2006-01-01

Wood can be found at crime scenes in many forms: as a murder weapon, as material used to hide a body, or as trace evidence from forced entry or vandalism. In the course of my work at the Forest Products Laboratory, Center for Wood Anatomy Research, I have been part of several forensic investigations that were adversely affected by inappropriate procedures used to...

Comparing Species Composition of Passive Trapping of Adult Flies with Larval Collections from the Body during Scene-Based Medicolegal Death Investigations

PubMed Central

Sanford, Michelle R.

2017-01-01

Collection of insects at the scene is one of the most important aspects of forensic entomology and proper collection is one of the biggest challenges for any investigator. Adult flies are highly mobile and ubiquitous at scenes, yet their link to the body and the time of colonization (TOC) and post-mortem interval (PMI) estimates is not well established. Collection of adults is widely recommended for casework but has yet to be rigorously evaluated during medicolegal death investigations for its value to the investigation. In this study, sticky card traps and immature collections were compared for 22 cases investigated by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, Houston, TX, USA. Cases included all manner of death classifications and a range of decomposition stages from indoor and outdoor scenes. Overall, the two methods successfully collected at least one species in common only 65% of the time, with at least one species unique to one of the methods 95% of the time. These results suggest that rearing of immature specimens collected from the body should be emphasized during training to ensure specimens directly associated with the colonization of the body can be identified using adult stages if necessary. PMID:28338605

Systems and Methods for Automated Water Detection Using Visible Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rankin, Arturo L. (Inventor); Matthies, Larry H. (Inventor); Bellutta, Paolo (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Systems and methods are disclosed that include automated machine vision that can utilize images of scenes captured by a 3D imaging system configured to image light within the visible light spectrum to detect water. One embodiment includes autonomously detecting water bodies within a scene including capturing at least one 3D image of a scene using a sensor system configured to detect visible light and to measure distance from points within the scene to the sensor system, and detecting water within the scene using a processor configured to detect regions within each of the at least one 3D images that possess at least one characteristic indicative of the presence of water.

Qualitative spatial logic descriptors from 3D indoor scenes to generate explanations in natural language.

PubMed

Falomir, Zoe; Kluth, Thomas

2017-06-24

The challenge of describing 3D real scenes is tackled in this paper using qualitative spatial descriptors. A key point to study is which qualitative descriptors to use and how these qualitative descriptors must be organized to produce a suitable cognitive explanation. In order to find answers, a survey test was carried out with human participants which openly described a scene containing some pieces of furniture. The data obtained in this survey are analysed, and taking this into account, the QSn3D computational approach was developed which uses a XBox 360 Kinect to obtain 3D data from a real indoor scene. Object features are computed on these 3D data to identify objects in indoor scenes. The object orientation is computed, and qualitative spatial relations between the objects are extracted. These qualitative spatial relations are the input to a grammar which applies saliency rules obtained from the survey study and generates cognitive natural language descriptions of scenes. Moreover, these qualitative descriptors can be expressed as first-order logical facts in Prolog for further reasoning. Finally, a validation study is carried out to test whether the descriptions provided by QSn3D approach are human readable. The obtained results show that their acceptability is higher than 82%.

Matching tire tracks on the head using forensic photogrammetry.

PubMed

Thali, M J; Braun, M; Brüschweiler, W; Dirnhofer, R

2000-09-11

In the field of the documentation of forensics-relevant injuries, from the reconstructive point of view, the forensic, CAD-supported photogrammetry plays an important role; particularly so when a detailed 3-D reconstruction is vital. This is demonstrated with a soft-tissue injury to the face caused by being run over by a car tire. Since the objects (injury and surface of the tire) to be investigated will be evaluated in virtual space, they must be series photographed. These photo sequences are then evaluated with the RolleiMetric multi-image evaluation system. This system measures and calculates the spatial location of points shown in the photo sequences, and creates 3-D data models of the objects. In a 3-D CAD program, the model of the injury is then compared against the model of the possible injury-causing instrument. The validation of the forensic, CAD-supported photogrammetry, as shown by the perfect 3-D match between the tire tread and the facial injury, demonstrates how greatly this 3-D method surpasses the classic 2-D overlay method (one-to-one photography).

Recognition of 3-D Scene with Partially Occluded Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Siwei; Wong, Andrew K. C...

1987-03-01

This paper presents a robot vision system which is capable of recognizing objects in a 3-D scene and interpreting their spatial relation even though some objects in the scene may be partially occluded by other objects. An algorithm is developed to transform the geometric information from the range data into an attributed hypergraph representation (AHR). A hypergraph monomorphism algorithm is then used to compare the AHR of objects in the scene with a set of complete AHR's of prototypes. The capability of identifying connected components and interpreting various types of edges in the 3-D scene enables us to distinguish objects which are partially blocking each other in the scene. Using structural information stored in the primitive area graph, a heuristic hypergraph monomorphism algorithm provides an effective way for recognizing, locating, and interpreting partially occluded objects in the range image.

Forensic imaging tools for law enforcement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

SMITHPETER,COLIN L.; SANDISON,DAVID R.; VARGO,TIMOTHY D.

2000-01-01

Conventional methods of gathering forensic evidence at crime scenes are encumbered by difficulties that limit local law enforcement efforts to apprehend offenders and bring them to justice. Working with a local law-enforcement agency, Sandia National Laboratories has developed a prototype multispectral imaging system that can speed up the investigative search task and provide additional and more accurate evidence. The system, called the Criminalistics Light-imaging Unit (CLU), has demonstrated the capabilities of locating fluorescing evidence at crime scenes under normal lighting conditions and of imaging other types of evidence, such as untreated fingerprints, by direct white-light reflectance. CLU employs state ofmore » the art technology that provides for viewing and recording of the entire search process on videotape. This report describes the work performed by Sandia to design, build, evaluate, and commercialize CLU.« less

VIRTOPSY--scientific documentation, reconstruction and animation in forensic: individual and real 3D data based geo-metric approach including optical body/object surface and radiological CT/MRI scanning.

PubMed

Thali, Michael J; Braun, Marcel; Buck, Ursula; Aghayev, Emin; Jackowski, Christian; Vock, Peter; Sonnenschein, Martin; Dirnhofer, Richard

2005-03-01

Until today, most of the documentation of forensic relevant medical findings is limited to traditional 2D photography, 2D conventional radiographs, sketches and verbal description. There are still some limitations of the classic documentation in forensic science especially if a 3D documentation is necessary. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate new 3D real data based geo-metric technology approaches. This paper present approaches to a 3D geo-metric documentation of injuries on the body surface and internal injuries in the living and deceased cases. Using modern imaging methods such as photogrammetry, optical surface and radiological CT/MRI scanning in combination it could be demonstrated that a real, full 3D data based individual documentation of the body surface and internal structures is possible in a non-invasive and non-destructive manner. Using the data merging/fusing and animation possibilities, it is possible to answer reconstructive questions of the dynamic development of patterned injuries (morphologic imprints) and to evaluate the possibility, that they are matchable or linkable to suspected injury-causing instruments. For the first time, to our knowledge, the method of optical and radiological 3D scanning was used to document the forensic relevant injuries of human body in combination with vehicle damages. By this complementary documentation approach, individual forensic real data based analysis and animation were possible linking body injuries to vehicle deformations or damages. These data allow conclusions to be drawn for automobile accident research, optimization of vehicle safety (pedestrian and passenger) and for further development of crash dummies. Real 3D data based documentation opens a new horizon for scientific reconstruction and animation by bringing added value and a real quality improvement in forensic science.

77 FR 27615 - Department of Defense (DoD)-Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Voluntary Cyber Security and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-11

...-on, more detailed, digital forensics analysis or damage assessments of individual incidents... information. In addition, during any follow-on forensics or damage assessment activities, the Government and...), (c) and (d) of this section are maintained by the digital and multimedia forensics laboratory at DC3...

Forensic Medicine in South Africa: Associations between Medical Practice and Legal Case Progression and Outcomes in Female Murders

PubMed Central

Abrahams, Naeemah; Jewkes, Rachel; Martin, Lorna J.; Mathews, Shanaaz

2011-01-01

Background Forensic medicine has been largely by-passed by the tide of health systems research and evidence based medicine. Murder victims form a central part of forensic medical examiners' case load, and women murdered by intimate partners are an important subgroup, representing the most severe form and consequence of intimate partner violence. Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of female murder in South Africa (by intimate and non-intimate partners); and to describe and compare autopsy findings, forensic medical management of cases and the contribution of these to legal outcomes. Methods We did a retrospective national study in a proportionate random sample of 25 medico-legal laboratories to identify all homicides in 1999 of women aged 14 years and over. Data were abstracted from the mortuary file and autopsy report, and collected from a police interview. Findings In 21.5% of cases the perpetrator was convicted. Factors associated with a conviction for the female murders included having a history of intimate partner violence 1.18 (95%CI: 0.16–2.20), weapon recovered 1.36 (95% CI:0.58–2.15) and a detective visiting the crime scene 1.57 (95% CI:0.14–3.00). None of the forensic medical activities increased the likelihood of a conviction. Conclusion The findings raise important questions about the role of forensic medicine in these cases. PMID:22194868

Forensic medicine in South Africa: associations between medical practice and legal case progression and outcomes in female murders.

PubMed

Abrahams, Naeemah; Jewkes, Rachel; Martin, Lorna J; Mathews, Shanaaz

2011-01-01

Forensic medicine has been largely by-passed by the tide of health systems research and evidence based medicine. Murder victims form a central part of forensic medical examiners' case load, and women murdered by intimate partners are an important subgroup, representing the most severe form and consequence of intimate partner violence. Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of female murder in South Africa (by intimate and non-intimate partners); and to describe and compare autopsy findings, forensic medical management of cases and the contribution of these to legal outcomes. We did a retrospective national study in a proportionate random sample of 25 medico-legal laboratories to identify all homicides in 1999 of women aged 14 years and over. Data were abstracted from the mortuary file and autopsy report, and collected from a police interview. In 21.5% of cases the perpetrator was convicted. Factors associated with a conviction for the female murders included having a history of intimate partner violence 1.18 (95%CI: 0.16-2.20), weapon recovered 1.36 (95% CI:0.58-2.15) and a detective visiting the crime scene 1.57 (95% CI:0.14-3.00). None of the forensic medical activities increased the likelihood of a conviction. The findings raise important questions about the role of forensic medicine in these cases.

Using articulated scene models for dynamic 3d scene analysis in vista spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beuter, Niklas; Swadzba, Agnes; Kummert, Franz; Wachsmuth, Sven

2010-09-01

In this paper we describe an efficient but detailed new approach to analyze complex dynamic scenes directly in 3D. The arising information is important for mobile robots to solve tasks in the area of household robotics. In our work a mobile robot builds an articulated scene model by observing the environment in the visual field or rather in the so-called vista space. The articulated scene model consists of essential knowledge about the static background, about autonomously moving entities like humans or robots and finally, in contrast to existing approaches, information about articulated parts. These parts describe movable objects like chairs, doors or other tangible entities, which could be moved by an agent. The combination of the static scene, the self-moving entities and the movable objects in one articulated scene model enhances the calculation of each single part. The reconstruction process for parts of the static scene benefits from removal of the dynamic parts and in turn, the moving parts can be extracted more easily through the knowledge about the background. In our experiments we show, that the system delivers simultaneously an accurate static background model, moving persons and movable objects. This information of the articulated scene model enables a mobile robot to detect and keep track of interaction partners, to navigate safely through the environment and finally, to strengthen the interaction with the user through the knowledge about the 3D articulated objects and 3D scene analysis. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Presentation of 3D Scenes Through Video Example.

PubMed

Baldacci, Andrea; Ganovelli, Fabio; Corsini, Massimiliano; Scopigno, Roberto

2017-09-01

Using synthetic videos to present a 3D scene is a common requirement for architects, designers, engineers or Cultural Heritage professionals however it is usually time consuming and, in order to obtain high quality results, the support of a film maker/computer animation expert is necessary. We introduce an alternative approach that takes the 3D scene of interest and an example video as input, and automatically produces a video of the input scene that resembles the given video example. In other words, our algorithm allows the user to "replicate" an existing video, on a different 3D scene. We build on the intuition that a video sequence of a static environment is strongly characterized by its optical flow, or, in other words, that two videos are similar if their optical flows are similar. We therefore recast the problem as producing a video of the input scene whose optical flow is similar to the optical flow of the input video. Our intuition is supported by a user-study specifically designed to verify this statement. We have successfully tested our approach on several scenes and input videos, some of which are reported in the accompanying material of this paper.

Documentation and analysis of traumatic injuries in clinical forensic medicine involving structured light three-dimensional surface scanning versus photography.

PubMed

Shamata, Awatif; Thompson, Tim

2018-05-10

Non-contact three-dimensional (3D) surface scanning has been applied in forensic medicine and has been shown to mitigate shortcoming of traditional documentation methods. The aim of this paper is to assess the efficiency of structured light 3D surface scanning in recording traumatic injuries of live cases in clinical forensic medicine. The work was conducted in Medico-Legal Centre in Benghazi, Libya. A structured light 3D surface scanner and ordinary digital camera with close-up lens were used to record the injuries and to have 3D and two-dimensional (2D) documents of the same traumas. Two different types of comparison were performed. Firstly, the 3D wound documents were compared to 2D documents based on subjective visual assessment. Additionally, 3D wound measurements were compared to conventional measurements and this was done to determine whether there was a statistical significant difference between them. For this, Friedman test was used. The study established that the 3D wound documents had extra features over the 2D documents. Moreover; the 3D scanning method was able to overcome the main deficiencies of the digital photography. No statistically significant difference was found between the 3D and conventional wound measurements. The Spearman's correlation established strong, positive correlation between the 3D and conventional measurement methods. Although, the 3D surface scanning of the injuries of the live subjects faced some difficulties, the 3D results were appreciated, the validity of 3D measurements based on the structured light 3D scanning was established. Further work will be achieved in forensic pathology to scan open injuries with depth information. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Forensic medical characteristic of the thermal injury caused by inflammation of combustible fluids].

PubMed

Khushkadamov, Z K; Iskhizova, L N; Gornostaev, D V

2012-01-01

The diagnostics of thermal injuries caused by inflammation of combustible fluids should be based on the comprehensive assessment of the results of examination of the scene of the accident, autopsy studies, forensic chemical expertise, and analysis of the circumstances of the case and/or medical documentation. Special attention should be given to the choice of adequate methods for taking samples to be used in forensic chemical studies. The assessment of thermal injuries caused by inflammation of combustible fluids must take into consideration the time and conditions under which they were inflicted (e.g. closed or open space, vertical or horizontal position, etc.).

Microbiome Tools for Forensic Science.

PubMed

Metcalf, Jessica L; Xu, Zhenjiang Z; Bouslimani, Amina; Dorrestein, Pieter; Carter, David O; Knight, Rob

2017-09-01

Microbes are present at every crime scene and have been used as physical evidence for over a century. Advances in DNA sequencing and computational approaches have led to recent breakthroughs in the use of microbiome approaches for forensic science, particularly in the areas of estimating postmortem intervals (PMIs), locating clandestine graves, and obtaining soil and skin trace evidence. Low-cost, high-throughput technologies allow us to accumulate molecular data quickly and to apply sophisticated machine-learning algorithms, building generalizable predictive models that will be useful in the criminal justice system. In particular, integrating microbiome and metabolomic data has excellent potential to advance microbial forensics. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Human Factors Effecting Forensic Decision Making: Workplace Stress and Well-being.

PubMed

Jeanguenat, Amy M; Dror, Itiel E

2018-01-01

Over the past decade, there has been a growing openness about the importance of human factors in forensic work. However, most of it focused on cognitive bias, and neglected issues of workplace wellness and stress. Forensic scientists work in a dynamic environment that includes common workplace pressures such as workload volume, tight deadlines, lack of advancement, number of working hours, low salary, technology distractions, and fluctuating priorities. However, in addition, forensic scientists also encounter a number of industry-specific pressures, such as technique criticism, repeated exposure to crime scenes or horrific case details, access to funding, working in an adversarial legal system, and zero tolerance for "errors". Thus, stress is an important human factor to mitigate for overall error management, productivity and decision quality (not to mention the well-being of the examiners themselves). Techniques such as mindfulness can become powerful tools to enhance work and decision quality. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An Immediate Death by Seat Belt Compression; a Forensic Medicine Report

PubMed Central

Najari, Fares; Alimohammadi, Ali Mohammad

2015-01-01

Although death is a gradual process, sometimes sudden death occurs in a fraction of a minute or seconds. Here we report a 49-year-old man without any underlying disease, which has instantly died in an accident scene due to compression of neck critical elements by a three-point seat belt. The examination of the body and the results of the autopsy, toxicology and pathology tests are described from the viewpoint of forensic medicine. PMID:26495409

Stages as models of scene geometry.

PubMed

Nedović, Vladimir; Smeulders, Arnold W M; Redert, André; Geusebroek, Jan-Mark

2010-09-01

Reconstruction of 3D scene geometry is an important element for scene understanding, autonomous vehicle and robot navigation, image retrieval, and 3D television. We propose accounting for the inherent structure of the visual world when trying to solve the scene reconstruction problem. Consequently, we identify geometric scene categorization as the first step toward robust and efficient depth estimation from single images. We introduce 15 typical 3D scene geometries called stages, each with a unique depth profile, which roughly correspond to a large majority of broadcast video frames. Stage information serves as a first approximation of global depth, narrowing down the search space in depth estimation and object localization. We propose different sets of low-level features for depth estimation, and perform stage classification on two diverse data sets of television broadcasts. Classification results demonstrate that stages can often be efficiently learned from low-dimensional image representations.

Applicability of the ParaDNA(®) Screening System to Seminal Samples.

PubMed

Tribble, Nicholas D; Miller, Jamie A D; Dawnay, Nick; Duxbury, Nicola J

2015-05-01

Seminal fluid represents a common biological material recovered from sexual assault crime scenes. Such samples can be prescreened using different techniques to determine cell type and relative amount before submitting for full STR profiling. The ParaDNA(®) Screening System is a novel forensic test which identifies the presence of DNA through amplification and detection of two common STR loci (D16S539 and TH01) and the Amelogenin marker. The detection of the Y allele in samples could provide a useful tool in the triage and submission of sexual assault samples by enforcement authorities. Male template material was detected on a range of common sexual assault evidence items including cotton pillow cases, condoms, swab heads and glass surfaces and shows a detection limit of 1 in 1000 dilution of neat semen. These data indicate this technology has the potential to be a useful tool for the detection of male donor DNA in sexual assault casework. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Ground-plane influences on size estimation in early visual processing.

PubMed

Champion, Rebecca A; Warren, Paul A

2010-07-21

Ground-planes have an important influence on the perception of 3D space (Gibson, 1950) and it has been shown that the assumption that a ground-plane is present in the scene plays a role in the perception of object distance (Bruno & Cutting, 1988). Here, we investigate whether this influence is exerted at an early stage of processing, to affect the rapid estimation of 3D size. Participants performed a visual search task in which they searched for a target object that was larger or smaller than distracter objects. Objects were presented against a background that contained either a frontoparallel or slanted 3D surface, defined by texture gradient cues. We measured the effect on search performance of target location within the scene (near vs. far) and how this was influenced by scene orientation (which, e.g., might be consistent with a ground or ceiling plane, etc.). In addition, we investigated how scene orientation interacted with texture gradient information (indicating surface slant), to determine how these separate cues to scene layout were combined. We found that the difference in target detection performance between targets at the front and rear of the simulated scene was maximal when the scene was consistent with a ground-plane - consistent with the use of an elevation cue to object distance. In addition, we found a significant increase in the size of this effect when texture gradient information (indicating surface slant) was present, but no interaction between texture gradient and scene orientation information. We conclude that scene orientation plays an important role in the estimation of 3D size at an early stage of processing, and suggest that elevation information is linearly combined with texture gradient information for the rapid estimation of 3D size. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An interactive display system for large-scale 3D models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zijian; Sun, Kun; Tao, Wenbing; Liu, Liman

2018-04-01

With the improvement of 3D reconstruction theory and the rapid development of computer hardware technology, the reconstructed 3D models are enlarging in scale and increasing in complexity. Models with tens of thousands of 3D points or triangular meshes are common in practical applications. Due to storage and computing power limitation, it is difficult to achieve real-time display and interaction with large scale 3D models for some common 3D display software, such as MeshLab. In this paper, we propose a display system for large-scale 3D scene models. We construct the LOD (Levels of Detail) model of the reconstructed 3D scene in advance, and then use an out-of-core view-dependent multi-resolution rendering scheme to realize the real-time display of the large-scale 3D model. With the proposed method, our display system is able to render in real time while roaming in the reconstructed scene and 3D camera poses can also be displayed. Furthermore, the memory consumption can be significantly decreased via internal and external memory exchange mechanism, so that it is possible to display a large scale reconstructed scene with over millions of 3D points or triangular meshes in a regular PC with only 4GB RAM.

Multilayered nonuniform sampling for three-dimensional scene representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Huei-Yung; Xiao, Yu-Hua; Chen, Bo-Ren

2015-09-01

The representation of a three-dimensional (3-D) scene is essential in multiview imaging technologies. We present a unified geometry and texture representation based on global resampling of the scene. A layered data map representation with a distance-dependent nonuniform sampling strategy is proposed. It is capable of increasing the details of the 3-D structure locally and is compact in size. The 3-D point cloud obtained from the multilayered data map is used for view rendering. For any given viewpoint, image synthesis with different levels of detail is carried out using the quadtree-based nonuniformly sampled 3-D data points. Experimental results are presented using the 3-D models of reconstructed real objects.

A Crime Scene Fabricated as Suicide.

PubMed

Amararatne, Rrg Sriyantha; Vidanapathirana, Muditha

2017-02-01

When ascertaining the manner of death, the forensic pathologist should be careful, because in some instances, attempts are made by the criminals to conceal homicides as suicides. The case under discussion highlights the contribution of the forensic pathologist in the ascertainment of the manner in firearm deaths. The deceased was a poacher and his dead body was found in a cashew land with his shotgun lying over him. The shirt had a roughly circular defect with muzzle mark, and burnt and blackened margin. Beneath that, on front of the left upper chest a 2cm diameter circular, perforated laceration, with muzzle imprint and, burnt and blackened margin was found. Shelving was found at the upper margin. Chest X-ray showed the downward pellet distribution. Cause of death was chest injuries due to pellets discharged from a smooth bore weapon. Length of the upper arm reach was 65cm (25 inches) and the length from the muzzle to the trigger was 79cm (31 inches). In conclusion, it was found to be a fabricated suicide scene and the manner of death was ascertained as homicide. This reiterates that the postmortem investigation of firearm deaths should be performed or conducted under direct supervision of forensic specialist to deliver justice.

A Crime Scene Fabricated as Suicide

PubMed Central

Amararatne, RRG Sriyantha

2017-01-01

When ascertaining the manner of death, the forensic pathologist should be careful, because in some instances, attempts are made by the criminals to conceal homicides as suicides. The case under discussion highlights the contribution of the forensic pathologist in the ascertainment of the manner in firearm deaths. The deceased was a poacher and his dead body was found in a cashew land with his shotgun lying over him. The shirt had a roughly circular defect with muzzle mark, and burnt and blackened margin. Beneath that, on front of the left upper chest a 2cm diameter circular, perforated laceration, with muzzle imprint and, burnt and blackened margin was found. Shelving was found at the upper margin. Chest X-ray showed the downward pellet distribution. Cause of death was chest injuries due to pellets discharged from a smooth bore weapon. Length of the upper arm reach was 65cm (25 inches) and the length from the muzzle to the trigger was 79cm (31 inches). In conclusion, it was found to be a fabricated suicide scene and the manner of death was ascertained as homicide. This reiterates that the postmortem investigation of firearm deaths should be performed or conducted under direct supervision of forensic specialist to deliver justice. PMID:28384886

The use of liquid latex for soot removal from fire scenes and attempted fingerprint development with Ninhydrin.

PubMed

Clutter, Susan Wright; Bailey, Robert; Everly, Jeff C; Mercer, Karl

2009-11-01

Throughout the United States, clearance rates for arson cases remain low due to fire's destructive nature, subsequent suppression, and a misconception by investigators that no forensic evidence remains. Recent research shows that fire scenes can yield fingerprints if soot layers are removed prior to using available fingerprinting processes. An experiment applying liquid latex to sooted surfaces was conducted to assess its potential to remove soot and yield fingerprints after the dried latex was peeled. Latent fingerprints were applied to glass and drywall surfaces, sooted in a controlled burn, and cooled. Liquid latex was sprayed on, dried, and peeled. Results yielded usable prints within the soot prior to removal techniques, but no further fingerprint enhancement was noted with Ninhydrin. Field studies using liquid latex will be continued by the (US) Virginia Fire Marshal Academy but it appears that liquid latex application is a suitable soot removal method for forensic applications.

Optical 3D surface digitizing in forensic medicine: 3D documentation of skin and bone injuries.

PubMed

Thali, Michael J; Braun, Marcel; Dirnhofer, Richard

2003-11-26

Photography process reduces a three-dimensional (3D) wound to a two-dimensional level. If there is a need for a high-resolution 3D dataset of an object, it needs to be three-dimensionally scanned. No-contact optical 3D digitizing surface scanners can be used as a powerful tool for wound and injury-causing instrument analysis in trauma cases. The 3D skin wound and a bone injury documentation using the optical scanner Advanced TOpometric Sensor (ATOS II, GOM International, Switzerland) will be demonstrated using two illustrative cases. Using this 3D optical digitizing method the wounds (the virtual 3D computer model of the skin and the bone injuries) and the virtual 3D model of the injury-causing tool are graphically documented in 3D in real-life size and shape and can be rotated in the CAD program on the computer screen. In addition, the virtual 3D models of the bone injuries and tool can now be compared in a 3D CAD program against one another in virtual space, to see if there are matching areas. Further steps in forensic medicine will be a full 3D surface documentation of the human body and all the forensic relevant injuries using optical 3D scanners.

Sherlock Holmes counts the atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuniz, C.; Zoppi, U.; Hotchkis, M. A. C.

2004-01-01

Modern forensic science has to deal not only with homicides and other traditional crimes but also with more global threats such as smuggling of nuclear materials, clandestine production of weapons of mass destruction, stockpiling of illicit drugs by state-controlled groups and war crimes. Forensic applications have always benefited from the use of advanced analytical tools that can characterise materials found at crime scenes. In this paper we will discuss the use of accelerator mass spectrometry as an ultra sensitive tool for the crime labs of the third millennium.

Spectral feature characterization methods for blood stain detection in crime scene backgrounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jie; Mathew, Jobin J.; Dube, Roger R.; Messinger, David W.

2016-05-01

Blood stains are one of the most important types of evidence for forensic investigation. They contain valuable DNA information, and the pattern of the stains can suggest specifics about the nature of the violence that transpired at the scene. Blood spectral signatures containing unique reflectance or absorption features are important both for forensic on-site investigation and laboratory testing. They can be used for target detection and identification applied to crime scene hyperspectral imagery, and also be utilized to analyze the spectral variation of blood on various backgrounds. Non-blood stains often mislead the detection and can generate false alarms at a real crime scene, especially for dark and red backgrounds. This paper measured the reflectance of liquid blood and 9 kinds of non-blood samples in the range of 350 nm - 2500 nm in various crime scene backgrounds, such as pure samples contained in petri dish with various thicknesses, mixed samples with different colors and materials of fabrics, and mixed samples with wood, all of which are examined to provide sub-visual evidence for detecting and recognizing blood from non-blood samples in a realistic crime scene. The spectral difference between blood and non-blood samples are examined and spectral features such as "peaks" and "depths" of reflectance are selected. Two blood stain detection methods are proposed in this paper. The first method uses index to denote the ratio of "depth" minus "peak" over"depth" add"peak" within a wavelength range of the reflectance spectrum. The second method uses relative band depth of the selected wavelength ranges of the reflectance spectrum. Results show that the index method is able to discriminate blood from non-blood samples in most tested crime scene backgrounds, but is not able to detect it from black felt. Whereas the relative band depth method is able to discriminate blood from non-blood samples on all of the tested background material types and colors.

Three-dimensional scene encryption and display based on computer-generated holograms.

PubMed

Kong, Dezhao; Cao, Liangcai; Jin, Guofan; Javidi, Bahram

2016-10-10

An optical encryption and display method for a three-dimensional (3D) scene is proposed based on computer-generated holograms (CGHs) using a single phase-only spatial light modulator. The 3D scene is encoded as one complex Fourier CGH. The Fourier CGH is then decomposed into two phase-only CGHs with random distributions by the vector stochastic decomposition algorithm. Two CGHs are interleaved as one final phase-only CGH for optical encryption and reconstruction. The proposed method can support high-level nonlinear optical 3D scene security and complex amplitude modulation of the optical field. The exclusive phase key offers strong resistances of decryption attacks. Experimental results demonstrate the validity of the novel method.

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: implementation of a fluid dynamic model for position determination of victims

PubMed Central

Laan, Nick; de Bruin, Karla G.; Slenter, Denise; Wilhelm, Julie; Jermy, Mark; Bonn, Daniel

2015-01-01

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis is a forensic discipline in which, among others, the position of victims can be determined at crime scenes on which blood has been shed. To determine where the blood source was investigators use a straight-line approximation for the trajectory, ignoring effects of gravity and drag and thus overestimating the height of the source. We determined how accurately the location of the origin can be estimated when including gravity and drag into the trajectory reconstruction. We created eight bloodstain patterns at one meter distance from the wall. The origin’s location was determined for each pattern with: the straight-line approximation, our method including gravity, and our method including both gravity and drag. The latter two methods require the volume and impact velocity of each bloodstain, which we are able to determine with a 3D scanner and advanced fluid dynamics, respectively. We conclude that by including gravity and drag in the trajectory calculation, the origin’s location can be determined roughly four times more accurately than with the straight-line approximation. Our study enables investigators to determine if the victim was sitting or standing, or it might be possible to connect wounds on the body to specific patterns, which is important for crime scene reconstruction. PMID:26099070

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: implementation of a fluid dynamic model for position determination of victims.

PubMed

Laan, Nick; de Bruin, Karla G; Slenter, Denise; Wilhelm, Julie; Jermy, Mark; Bonn, Daniel

2015-06-22

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis is a forensic discipline in which, among others, the position of victims can be determined at crime scenes on which blood has been shed. To determine where the blood source was investigators use a straight-line approximation for the trajectory, ignoring effects of gravity and drag and thus overestimating the height of the source. We determined how accurately the location of the origin can be estimated when including gravity and drag into the trajectory reconstruction. We created eight bloodstain patterns at one meter distance from the wall. The origin's location was determined for each pattern with: the straight-line approximation, our method including gravity, and our method including both gravity and drag. The latter two methods require the volume and impact velocity of each bloodstain, which we are able to determine with a 3D scanner and advanced fluid dynamics, respectively. We conclude that by including gravity and drag in the trajectory calculation, the origin's location can be determined roughly four times more accurately than with the straight-line approximation. Our study enables investigators to determine if the victim was sitting or standing, or it might be possible to connect wounds on the body to specific patterns, which is important for crime scene reconstruction.

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis: implementation of a fluid dynamic model for position determination of victims

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laan, Nick; de Bruin, Karla G.; Slenter, Denise; Wilhelm, Julie; Jermy, Mark; Bonn, Daniel

2015-06-01

Bloodstain Pattern Analysis is a forensic discipline in which, among others, the position of victims can be determined at crime scenes on which blood has been shed. To determine where the blood source was investigators use a straight-line approximation for the trajectory, ignoring effects of gravity and drag and thus overestimating the height of the source. We determined how accurately the location of the origin can be estimated when including gravity and drag into the trajectory reconstruction. We created eight bloodstain patterns at one meter distance from the wall. The origin’s location was determined for each pattern with: the straight-line approximation, our method including gravity, and our method including both gravity and drag. The latter two methods require the volume and impact velocity of each bloodstain, which we are able to determine with a 3D scanner and advanced fluid dynamics, respectively. We conclude that by including gravity and drag in the trajectory calculation, the origin’s location can be determined roughly four times more accurately than with the straight-line approximation. Our study enables investigators to determine if the victim was sitting or standing, or it might be possible to connect wounds on the body to specific patterns, which is important for crime scene reconstruction.

Science and Criminal Investigation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Ronald

1997-01-01

Presents a science activity that integrates the disciplines of anatomy, physiology, genetics, and forensics in which students act as detectives unraveling evidence at a murder crime scene. This project is designed to enhance student interest by providing immediate application of these disciplines. (DKM)

The first report of Telomerina flavipes (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera, Sphaeroceridae) in a forensic case, with redescription of its pupa.

PubMed

Arnaldos, María-Isabel; Ubero-Pascal, Nicolás; García, Rafael; Carles-Tolrá, Miguel; Presa, Juan-José; García, María-Dolores

2014-09-01

This paper presents a forensic investigation that took place in the city of Murcia (SE Spain) and shows how the entomological specimens collected at the scene were extremely helpful for estimating the minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin). The occurrence of Telomerina flavipes (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae) is reported here for the first time in a forensic case. Additionally, the importance of other entomological evidence in this case is discussed. The first known images of the puparium are provided, as well as its redescription and that of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton recovered from the puparium. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

3D reconstruction of emergency cranial computed tomography scans as a tool in clinical forensic radiology after survived blunt head trauma--report of two cases.

PubMed

Grassberger, M; Gehl, A; Püschel, K; Turk, E E

2011-04-15

When requested to evaluate surviving victims of blunt head trauma the forensic expert has to draw mainly on medical documentation from the time of hospital admission. In many cases these consist of written clinical records, radiographs and in some cases photographic documentation of the injuries. We report two cases of survived severe blunt head trauma where CT images, which had primarily been obtained for clinical diagnostic purposes, were used for forensic assessment. 3D reconstructions of the clinical CT-images yielded valuable information regarding the sequence, number and direction of the impacts to the head, their gross morphology and the inflicting weapon. We conclude that computed tomography and related imaging methods, along with their 3D reconstruction capabilities, provide a useful tool to approach questions in clinical forensic casework. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stable RNA markers for identification of blood and saliva stains revealed from whole genome expression analysis of time-wise degraded samples

PubMed Central

Zubakov, Dmitry; Hanekamp, Eline; Kokshoorn, Mieke; van IJcken, Wilfred

2007-01-01

Human body fluids such as blood and saliva represent the most common source of biological material found at a crime scene. Reliable tissue identification in forensic science can reveal significant insights into crime scene reconstruction and can thus contribute toward solving crimes. Limitations of existing presumptive tests for body fluid identification in forensics, which are usually based on chemoluminescence or protein analysis, are expected to be overcome by RNA-based methods, provided that stable RNA markers with tissue-specific expression patterns are available. To generate sets of stable RNA markers for reliable identification of blood and saliva stains we (1) performed whole-genome gene expression analyses on a series of time-wise degraded blood and saliva stain samples using the Affymetrix U133 plus2 GeneChip, (2) consulted expression databases to obtain additional information on tissue specificity, and (3) confirmed expression patterns of the most promising candidate genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction including additional forensically relevant tissues such as semen and vaginal secretion. Overall, we identified nine stable mRNA markers for blood and five stable mRNA markers for saliva detection showing tissue-specific expression signals in stains aged up to 180 days of age, expectedly older. Although, all of the markers were able to differentiate blood/saliva from semen samples, none of them could differentiate vaginal secretion because of the complex nature of vaginal secretion and the biological similarity of buccal and vaginal mucosa. We propose the use of these 14 stable mRNA markers for identification of blood and saliva stains in future forensic practice. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00414-007-0182-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. PMID:17579879

DNA typing in forensic medicine and in criminal investigations: a current survey.

PubMed

Benecke, M

1997-05-01

Since 1985 DNA typing of biological material has become one of the most powerful tools for personal identification in forensic medicine and in criminal investigations [1-6]. Classical DNA "fingerprinting" is increasingly being replaced by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based technology which detects very short polymorphic stretches of DNA [7-15]. DNA loci which forensic scientists study do not code for proteins, and they are spread over the whole genome [16, 17]. These loci are neutral, and few provide any information about individuals except for their identity. Minute amounts of biological material are sufficient for DNA typing. Many European countries are beginning to establish databases to store DNA profiles of crime scenes and known offenders. A brief overview is given of past and present DNA typing and the establishment of forensic DNA databases in Europe.

DNA typing in forensic medicine and in criminal investigations: a current survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benecke, Mark

Since 1985 DNA typing of biological material has become one of the most powerful tools for personal identification in forensic medicine and in criminal investigations [1-6]. Classical DNA "fingerprinting" is increasingly being replaced by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based technology which detects very short polymorphic stretches of DNA [7-15]. DNA loci which forensic scientists study do not code for proteins, and they are spread over the whole genome [16, 17]. These loci are neutral, and few provide any information about individuals except for their identity. Minute amounts of biological material are sufficient for DNA typing. Many European countries are beginning to establish databases to store DNA profiles of crime scenes and known offenders. A brief overview is given of past and present DNA typing and the establishment of forensic DNA databases in Europe.

Automated forensic DNA purification optimized for FTA card punches and identifiler STR-based PCR analysis.

PubMed

Tack, Lois C; Thomas, Michelle; Reich, Karl

2007-03-01

Forensic labs globally face the same problem-a growing need to process a greater number and wider variety of samples for DNA analysis. The same forensic lab can be tasked all at once with processing mixed casework samples from crime scenes, convicted offender samples for database entry, and tissue from tsunami victims for identification. Besides flexibility in the robotic system chosen for forensic automation, there is a need, for each sample type, to develop new methodology that is not only faster but also more reliable than past procedures. FTA is a chemical treatment of paper, unique to Whatman Bioscience, and is used for the stabilization and storage of biological samples. Here, the authors describe optimization of the Whatman FTA Purification Kit protocol for use with the AmpFlSTR Identifiler PCR Amplification Kit.

Integration of virtual and real scenes within an integral 3D imaging environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Jinsong; Aggoun, Amar; McCormick, Malcolm

2002-11-01

The Imaging Technologies group at De Montfort University has developed an integral 3D imaging system, which is seen as the most likely vehicle for 3D television avoiding psychological effects. To create real fascinating three-dimensional television programs, a virtual studio that performs the task of generating, editing and integrating the 3D contents involving virtual and real scenes is required. The paper presents, for the first time, the procedures, factors and methods of integrating computer-generated virtual scenes with real objects captured using the 3D integral imaging camera system. The method of computer generation of 3D integral images, where the lens array is modelled instead of the physical camera is described. In the model each micro-lens that captures different elemental images of the virtual scene is treated as an extended pinhole camera. An integration process named integrated rendering is illustrated. Detailed discussion and deep investigation are focused on depth extraction from captured integral 3D images. The depth calculation method from the disparity and the multiple baseline method that is used to improve the precision of depth estimation are also presented. The concept of colour SSD and its further improvement in the precision is proposed and verified.

Geoethics and Forensic Geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Laurance

2017-04-01

The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG) was set up in 2011 to promote and develop the applications of geology to policing and law enforcement throughout the world. This includes the provision of crime scene examinations, searches to locate graves or items of interest that have been buried beneath the ground surface as part of a criminal act and geological trace analysis and evidence. Forensic geologists may assist the police and law enforcement in a range of ways including for example; homicide, sexual assaults, counter terrorism, kidnapping, humanitarian incidents, environmental crimes, precious minerals theft, fakes and fraudulent crimes. The objective of this paper is to consider the geoethical aspects of forensic geology. This includes both delivery to research and teaching, and contribution to the practical applications of forensic geology in case work. The case examples cited are based on the personal experiences of the authors. Often, the technical and scientific aspect of forensic geology investigation may be the most straightforward, after all, this is what the forensic geologist has been trained to do. The associated geoethical issues can be the most challenging and complex to manage. Generally, forensic geologists are driven to carry-out their research or case work with integrity, honesty and in a manner that is law abiding, professional, socially acceptable and highly responsible. This is necessary in advising law enforcement organisations, society and the scientific community that they represent. As the science of forensic geology begins to advance around the world it is desirable to establish a standard set of principles, values and to provide an agreed ethical a framework. But what are these core values? Who is responsible for producing these? How may these become enforced? What happens when geoethical standards are breached? This paper does not attempt to provide all of the answers, as further work is required. However, it draws attention to some of the relevant geoethical issues within forensic geology and forensic geoscience. This paper also highlights the need for the development of a set of resources; references and guidelines, standards and protocols, a code of conduct (including for example integrity, accountability, honesty, professional fairness, courtesy, trustworthiness), data sharing and information transparency, education and training, multi-disciplinary collaboration, development of research, fair debate, evaluating uncertainty and risk, regulation and accreditation, effective communication and diplomacy, attendance at crime scenes, presenting evidence in courts of law, dealing with the media and elimination of potential bias. The uptake of Forensic Geoscience brings with it considerable challenges arising from the direct and often very sensitive human interactions. By developing this ethical component to the work that the IUGS-IFG group does, combines technical approaches with sensitive solutions, and also in parallel helps define an ethical framework for forensic geoscientists' research and practice in addressing these challenges.

Expertise in crime scene examination: comparing search strategies of expert and novice crime scene examiners in simulated crime scenes.

PubMed

Baber, Chris; Butler, Mark

2012-06-01

The strategies of novice and expert crime scene examiners were compared in searching crime scenes. Previous studies have demonstrated that experts frame a scene through reconstructing the likely actions of a criminal and use contextual cues to develop hypotheses that guide subsequent search for evidence. Novice (first-year undergraduate students of forensic sciences) and expert (experienced crime scene examiners) examined two "simulated" crime scenes. Performance was captured through a combination of concurrent verbal protocol and own-point recording, using head-mounted cameras. Although both groups paid attention to the likely modus operandi of the perpetrator (in terms of possible actions taken), the novices paid more attention to individual objects, whereas the experts paid more attention to objects with "evidential value." Novices explore the scene in terms of the objects that it contains, whereas experts consider the evidence analysis that can be performed as a consequence of the examination. The suggestion is that the novices are putting effort into detailing the scene in terms of its features, whereas the experts are putting effort into the likely actions that can be performed as a consequence of the examination. The findings have helped in developing the expertise of novice crime scene examiners and approaches to training of expertise within this population.

Evaluation of the Universal Viral Transport system for long-term storage of virus specimens for microbial forensics.

PubMed

Hosokawa-Muto, Junji; Fujinami, Yoshihito; Mizuno, Natsuko

2015-08-01

Forensic microbial specimens, including bacteria and viruses, are collected at biocrime and bioterrorism scenes. Although it is preferable that the pathogens in these samples are alive and kept in a steady state, the samples may be stored for prolonged periods before analysis. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of storage conditions on the pathogens contained within such samples. To evaluate the capacity to preserve viable virus and the viral genome, influenza virus was added to the transport medium of the Universal Viral Transport system and stored for over 3 months at various temperatures, after which virus titrations and quantitative analysis of the influenza hemagglutinin gene were performed. Although viable viruses became undetectable 29 days after the medium was stored at room temperature, viruses in the medium stored at 4°C were viable even after 99 days. A quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the hemagglutinin gene was maintained for 99 days at both 4°C and room temperature. Therefore, long-term storage at 4°C has little effect on viable virus and viral genes, so the Universal Viral Transport system can be useful for microbial forensics. This study provides important information for the handling of forensic virus specimens. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Computer Vision Research and its Applications to Automated Cartography

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

D Scene Geometry Thomas M. Strat and Martin A. Fischler Appendix D A New Sense for Depth of Field Alex P. Pentland iv 9.* qb CONTENTS (cont’d...D modeling. A. Baseline Stereo System As a framework for integration and evaluation of our research in modeling * 3-D scene geometry , as well as a...B. New Methods for Stereo Compilation As we previously indicated, the conventional approach to recovering scene geometry from a stereo pair of

Digitized forensics: retaining a link between physical and digital crime scene traces using QR-codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hildebrandt, Mario; Kiltz, Stefan; Dittmann, Jana

2013-03-01

The digitization of physical traces from crime scenes in forensic investigations in effect creates a digital chain-of-custody and entrains the challenge of creating a link between the two or more representations of the same trace. In order to be forensically sound, especially the two security aspects of integrity and authenticity need to be maintained at all times. Especially the adherence to the authenticity using technical means proves to be a challenge at the boundary between the physical object and its digital representations. In this article we propose a new method of linking physical objects with its digital counterparts using two-dimensional bar codes and additional meta-data accompanying the acquired data for integration in the conventional documentation of collection of items of evidence (bagging and tagging process). Using the exemplary chosen QR-code as particular implementation of a bar code and a model of the forensic process, we also supply a means to integrate our suggested approach into forensically sound proceedings as described by Holder et al.1 We use the example of the digital dactyloscopy as a forensic discipline, where currently progress is being made by digitizing some of the processing steps. We show an exemplary demonstrator of the suggested approach using a smartphone as a mobile device for the verification of the physical trace to extend the chain-of-custody from the physical to the digital domain. Our evaluation of the demonstrator is performed towards the readability and the verification of its contents. We can read the bar code despite its limited size of 42 x 42 mm and rather large amount of embedded data using various devices. Furthermore, the QR-code's error correction features help to recover contents of damaged codes. Subsequently, our appended digital signature allows for detecting malicious manipulations of the embedded data.

The effect of background and illumination on color identification of real, 3D objects.

PubMed

Allred, Sarah R; Olkkonen, Maria

2013-01-01

For the surface reflectance of an object to be a useful cue to object identity, judgments of its color should remain stable across changes in the object's environment. In 2D scenes, there is general consensus that color judgments are much more stable across illumination changes than background changes. Here we investigate whether these findings generalize to real 3D objects. Observers made color matches to cubes as we independently varied both the illumination impinging on the cube and the 3D background of the cube. As in 2D scenes, we found relatively high but imperfect stability of color judgments under an illuminant shift. In contrast to 2D scenes, we found that background had little effect on average color judgments. In addition, variability of color judgments was increased by an illuminant shift and decreased by embedding the cube within a background. Taken together, these results suggest that in real 3D scenes with ample cues to object segregation, the addition of a background may improve stability of color identification.

Watch your step! A frustrated total internal reflection approach to forensic footwear imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Needham, J. A.; Sharp, J. S.

2016-02-01

Forensic image retrieval and processing are vital tools in the fight against crime e.g. during fingerprint capture. However, despite recent advances in machine vision technology and image processing techniques (and contrary to the claims of popular fiction) forensic image retrieval is still widely being performed using outdated practices involving inkpads and paper. Ongoing changes in government policy, increasing crime rates and the reduction of forensic service budgets increasingly require that evidence be gathered and processed more rapidly and efficiently. A consequence of this is that new, low-cost imaging technologies are required to simultaneously increase the quality and throughput of the processing of evidence. This is particularly true in the burgeoning field of forensic footwear analysis, where images of shoe prints are being used to link individuals to crime scenes. Here we describe one such approach based upon frustrated total internal reflection imaging that can be used to acquire images of regions where shoes contact rigid surfaces.

Watch your step! A frustrated total internal reflection approach to forensic footwear imaging.

PubMed

Needham, J A; Sharp, J S

2016-02-16

Forensic image retrieval and processing are vital tools in the fight against crime e.g. during fingerprint capture. However, despite recent advances in machine vision technology and image processing techniques (and contrary to the claims of popular fiction) forensic image retrieval is still widely being performed using outdated practices involving inkpads and paper. Ongoing changes in government policy, increasing crime rates and the reduction of forensic service budgets increasingly require that evidence be gathered and processed more rapidly and efficiently. A consequence of this is that new, low-cost imaging technologies are required to simultaneously increase the quality and throughput of the processing of evidence. This is particularly true in the burgeoning field of forensic footwear analysis, where images of shoe prints are being used to link individuals to crime scenes. Here we describe one such approach based upon frustrated total internal reflection imaging that can be used to acquire images of regions where shoes contact rigid surfaces.

Traumatic injury pattern analysis in a light rail transit death: a retrospective case study.

PubMed

Kendell, Ashley E; Fleischman, Julie M; Fulginiti, Laura C

2015-05-01

Within the context of medical examiner's offices, forensic anthropologists are increasingly being asked to assist with the interpretation of traumatic skeletal injury. This case study presents an example of trauma analysis performed by forensic anthropologists at the Maricopa County Forensic Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The primary goal of this study is to document an uncommon pattern of traumatic injury-severe grinding abrasions of the lower appendage that macroscopically resemble sharp force trauma, especially as observed in dismemberment cases-resulting from an individual being dragged beneath a Light Rail train for c. 1.7 miles. The abraded skeletal elements include a femoral shaft fragment, a femoral head portion, and the right foot. Second, this study aims to illustrate the efficacy of forensic anthropological analysis of patterned skeletal trauma. Finally, this study demonstrates the critical importance of analyzing scene information before drawing conclusions as to the etiology of a traumatic injury pattern. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Haptics in forensics: the possibilities and advantages in using the haptic device for reconstruction approaches in forensic science.

PubMed

Buck, Ursula; Naether, Silvio; Braun, Marcel; Thali, Michael

2008-09-18

Non-invasive documentation methods such as surface scanning and radiological imaging are gaining in importance in the forensic field. These three-dimensional technologies provide digital 3D data, which are processed and handled in the computer. However, the sense of touch gets lost using the virtual approach. The haptic device enables the use of the sense of touch to handle and feel digital 3D data. The multifunctional application of a haptic device for forensic approaches is evaluated and illustrated in three different cases: the representation of bone fractures of the lower extremities, by traffic accidents, in a non-invasive manner; the comparison of bone injuries with the presumed injury-inflicting instrument; and in a gunshot case, the identification of the gun by the muzzle imprint, and the reconstruction of the holding position of the gun. The 3D models of the bones are generated from the Computed Tomography (CT) images. The 3D models of the exterior injuries, the injury-inflicting tools and the bone injuries, where a higher resolution is necessary, are created by the optical surface scan. The haptic device is used in combination with the software FreeForm Modelling Plus for touching the surface of the 3D models to feel the minute injuries and the surface of tools, to reposition displaced bone parts and to compare an injury-causing instrument with an injury. The repositioning of 3D models in a reconstruction is easier, faster and more precisely executed by means of using the sense of touch and with the user-friendly movement in the 3D space. For representation purposes, the fracture lines of bones are coloured. This work demonstrates that the haptic device is a suitable and efficient application in forensic science. The haptic device offers a new way in the handling of digital data in the virtual 3D space.

Familiarity from the configuration of objects in 3-dimensional space and its relation to déjà vu: a virtual reality investigation.

PubMed

Cleary, Anne M; Brown, Alan S; Sawyer, Benjamin D; Nomi, Jason S; Ajoku, Adaeze C; Ryals, Anthony J

2012-06-01

Déjà vu is the striking sense that the present situation feels familiar, alongside the realization that it has to be new. According to the Gestalt familiarity hypothesis, déjà vu results when the configuration of elements within a scene maps onto a configuration previously seen, but the previous scene fails to come to mind. We examined this using virtual reality (VR) technology. When a new immersive VR scene resembled a previously-viewed scene in its configuration but people failed to recall the previously-viewed scene, familiarity ratings and reports of déjà vu were indeed higher than for completely novel scenes. People also exhibited the contrasting sense of newness and of familiarity that is characteristic of déjà vu. Familiarity ratings and déjà vu reports among scenes recognized as new increased with increasing feature-match of a scene to one stored in memory, suggesting that feature-matching can produce familiarity and déjà vu when recall fails. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A HWIL test facility of infrared imaging laser radar using direct signal injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qian; Lu, Wei; Wang, Chunhui; Wang, Qi

2005-01-01

Laser radar has been widely used these years and the hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) testing of laser radar become important because of its low cost and high fidelity compare with On-the-Fly testing and whole digital simulation separately. Scene generation and projection two key technologies of hardware-in-the-loop testing of laser radar and is a complicated problem because the 3D images result from time delay. The scene generation process begins with the definition of the target geometry and reflectivity and range. The real-time 3D scene generation computer is a PC based hardware and the 3D target models were modeled using 3dsMAX. The scene generation software was written in C and OpenGL and is executed to extract the Z-buffer from the bit planes to main memory as range image. These pixels contain each target position x, y, z and its respective intensity and range value. Expensive optical injection technologies of scene projection such as LDP array, VCSEL array, DMD and associated scene generation is ongoing. But the optical scene projection is complicated and always unaffordable. In this paper a cheaper test facility was described that uses direct electronic injection to provide rang images for laser radar testing. The electronic delay and pulse shaping circuits inject the scenes directly into the seeker's signal processing unit.

A triple murder.

PubMed

Vidanapathirana, M; Ruwanpura, P R; Ariyaratne, D; Karunanayake, D S K

2015-12-01

Three partially burnt bodies were found in a burnt out bedroom. A candle and matches were found on a partially burnt bed, suggesting accidental deaths. Careful scene analysis and forensic post-mortems demonstrated that this was a multiple murder rather than an accident. © The Author(s) 2015.

Trace DNA analysis: do you know what your neighbour is doing? A multi-jurisdictional survey.

PubMed

Raymond, Jennifer J; van Oorschot, Roland A H; Walsh, Simon J; Roux, Claude

2008-01-01

Since 1997 the analysis of DNA recovered from handled objects, or 'trace' DNA, has become routine and is frequently demanded from crime scene examinations. However, this analysis often produces unpredictable results. The factors affecting the recovery of full profiles are numerous, and include varying methods of collection and analysis. Communication between forensic laboratories in Australia and New Zealand has been limited in the past, due in some part to sheer distance. Because of its relatively small population and low number of forensic jurisdictions this region is in an excellent position to provide a collective approach. However, the protocols, training methods and research of each jurisdiction had not been widely exchanged. A survey was developed to benchmark the current practices involved in trace DNA analysis, aiming to provide information for training programs and research directions, and to identify factors contributing to the success or failure of the analysis. The survey was divided in to three target groups: crime scene officers, DNA laboratory scientists, and managers of these staff. In late 2004 surveys were sent to forensic organisations in every Australian jurisdiction and New Zealand. A total of 169 completed surveys were received with a return rate of 54%. Information was collated regarding sampling, extraction, amplification and analysis methods, contamination prevention, samples collected, success rates, personnel training and education, and concurrent fingerprinting. The data from the survey responses provided an insight into aspects of trace DNA analysis, from crime scene to interpretation and management. Several concerning factors arose from the survey. Results collation is a significant issue being identified as poor and differing widely, preventing inter-jurisdictional comparison and intra-jurisdictional assessment of both the processes and outputs. A second point of note is the widespread lack of refresher training and proficiency testing, with no set standard for initial training courses. A common theme to these and other issues was the need for a collective approach to training and methodology in trace DNA analysis. Trace DNA is a small fraction of the evidence available in current investigations, and parallels to these results and problems will no doubt be found in other forensic disciplines internationally. The significant point to be realised from this study is the need for effective communication lines between forensic organisations to ensure that best practice is followed, ideally with a cohesive pan-jurisdictional approach.

Accidental death in autoerotic maneuvers.

PubMed

Focardi, Martina; Gualco, Barbara; Norelli, GianAristide

2008-03-01

The authors from the Florence Forensic Department present a case that demonstrates the paradigms attached to accidental deaths while performing autoerotic maneuvers. The incidents of such practices are underestimated and are only the tip of the iceberg since they do not represent the cases that are never reported due to successful practice. After analyzing the statistic data, the authors describe the case and discuss about the element that prove the accidental nature of the death and the importance of the correct application of forensic methodology at the scene and in the mortuary.

A roadmap for bridging basic and applied research in forensic entomology.

PubMed

Tomberlin, J K; Mohr, R; Benbow, M E; Tarone, A M; VanLaerhoven, S

2011-01-01

The National Research Council issued a report in 2009 that heavily criticized the forensic sciences. The report made several recommendations that if addressed would allow the forensic sciences to develop a stronger scientific foundation. We suggest a roadmap for decomposition ecology and forensic entomology hinging on a framework built on basic research concepts in ecology, evolution, and genetics. Unifying both basic and applied research fields under a common umbrella of terminology and structure would facilitate communication in the field and the production of scientific results. It would also help to identify novel research areas leading to a better understanding of principal underpinnings governing ecosystem structure, function, and evolution while increasing the accuracy of and ability to interpret entomological evidence collected from crime scenes. By following the proposed roadmap, a bridge can be built between basic and applied decomposition ecology research, culminating in science that could withstand the rigors of emerging legal and cultural expectations.

Morphological identification of animal hairs: Myths and misconceptions, possibilities and pitfalls.

PubMed

Tridico, S R; Houck, M M; Kirkbride, K Paul; Smith, M E; Yates, B C

2014-05-01

The examination of hair collected from crime scenes is an important and highly informative discipline relevant to many forensic investigations. However, the forensic identification of animal (non-human) hairs requires different skill sets and competencies to those required for human hair comparisons. The aim of this is paper is not only to highlight the intrinsic differences between forensic human hair comparison and forensic animal hair identification, but also discuss the utility and reliability of the two in the context of possibilities and pitfalls. It also addresses and dispels some of the more popular myths and misconceptions surrounding the microscopical examination of animal hairs. Furthermore, future directions of this discipline are explored through the proposal of recommendations for minimum standards for the morphological identification of animal hairs and the significance of the newly developed guidelines by SWGWILD is discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil DNA metabarcoding and high-throughput sequencing as a forensic tool: considerations, potential limitations and recommendations.

PubMed

Young, J M; Austin, J J; Weyrich, L S

2017-02-01

Analysis of physical evidence is typically a deciding factor in forensic casework by establishing what transpired at a scene or who was involved. Forensic geoscience is an emerging multi-disciplinary science that can offer significant benefits to forensic investigations. Soil is a powerful, nearly 'ideal' contact trace evidence, as it is highly individualistic, easy to characterise, has a high transfer and retention probability, and is often overlooked in attempts to conceal evidence. However, many real-life cases encounter close proximity soil samples or soils with low inorganic content, which cannot be easily discriminated based on current physical and chemical analysis techniques. The capability to improve forensic soil discrimination, and identify key indicator taxa from soil using the organic fraction is currently lacking. The development of new DNA sequencing technologies offers the ability to generate detailed genetic profiles from soils and enhance current forensic soil analyses. Here, we discuss the use of DNA metabarcoding combined with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology to distinguish between soils from different locations in a forensic context. Specifically, we provide recommendations for best practice, outline the potential limitations encountered in a forensic context and describe the future directions required to integrate soil DNA analysis into casework. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Multifarious applications of atomic force microscopy in forensic science investigations.

PubMed

Pandey, Gaurav; Tharmavaram, Maithri; Rawtani, Deepak; Kumar, Sumit; Agrawal, Y

2017-04-01

Forensic science is a wide field comprising of several subspecialties and uses methods derived from natural sciences for finding criminals and other evidence valid in a legal court. A relatively new area; Nano-forensics brings a new era of investigation in forensic science in which instantaneous results can be produced that determine various agents such as explosive gasses, biological agents and residues in different crime scenes and terrorist activity investigations. This can be achieved by applying Nanotechnology and its associated characterization techniques in forensic sciences. Several characterization techniques exist in Nanotechnology and nano-analysis is one such technique that is used in forensic science which includes Electron microscopes (EM) like Transmission (TEM) and Scanning (SEM), Raman microscopy (Micro -Raman) and Scanning Probe Microscopes (SPMs) like Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). Atomic force microscopy enables surface characterization of different materials by examining their morphology and mechanical properties. Materials that are immeasurable such as hair, body fluids, textile fibers, documents, polymers, pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs), etc. are often encountered during forensic investigations. This review article will mainly focus on the use of AFM in the examination of different evidence such as blood stains, forged documents, human hair samples, ammunitions, explosives, and other such applications in the field of Forensic Science. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effective use of forensic science in volume crime investigations: identifying recurring themes in the literature.

PubMed

Ludwig, Anika; Fraser, Jim

2014-01-01

New scientific, technological and legal developments, particularly the introduction of national databases for DNA and fingerprints, have led to increased use of forensic science in the investigation of crime. There is an assumption, and in some instances specific assertions, that such developments bring improvements either in broad criminal justice terms or more narrowly in terms of economic or practical efficiencies. The underlying presumption is that the new technological opportunities will be understood and effectively implemented. This research investigates whether such increases in activity have also been accompanied by improvements in the effective use of forensic science. A systematic review of thirty-six reports published (predominantly in England and Wales) since the 1980s, which have considered the use of forensic science in the investigation of volume crimes, was carried out. These reports have identified a number of recurrent themes that influenced how effectively forensic science was used in investigations. The themes identified included forensic knowledge and training of investigators, communication and information exchange between specialists and investigators, timeliness of forensic results, interagency relationships and deployment of crime scene examiner resources. The research findings suggest that these factors continue to hinder the effective use of forensic science despite technological advances and this paper considers their potential causes. © 2013.

Integrating forensic information in a crime intelligence database.

PubMed

Rossy, Quentin; Ioset, Sylvain; Dessimoz, Damien; Ribaux, Olivier

2013-07-10

Since 2008, intelligence units of six states of the western part of Switzerland have been sharing a common database for the analysis of high volume crimes. On a daily basis, events reported to the police are analysed, filtered and classified to detect crime repetitions and interpret the crime environment. Several forensic outcomes are integrated in the system such as matches of traces with persons, and links between scenes detected by the comparison of forensic case data. Systematic procedures have been settled to integrate links assumed mainly through DNA profiles, shoemarks patterns and images. A statistical outlook on a retrospective dataset of series from 2009 to 2011 of the database informs for instance on the number of repetition detected or confirmed and increased by forensic case data. Time needed to obtain forensic intelligence in regard with the type of marks treated, is seen as a critical issue. Furthermore, the underlying integration process of forensic intelligence into the crime intelligence database raised several difficulties in regards of the acquisition of data and the models used in the forensic databases. Solutions found and adopted operational procedures are described and discussed. This process form the basis to many other researches aimed at developing forensic intelligence models. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

a Low-Cost Panoramic Camera for the 3d Documentation of Contaminated Crime Scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abate, D.; Toschi, I.; Sturdy-Colls, C.; Remondino, F.

2017-11-01

Crime scene documentation is a fundamental task which has to be undertaken in a fast, accurate and reliable way, highlighting evidence which can be further used for ensuring justice for victims and for guaranteeing the successful prosecution of perpetrators. The main focus of this paper is on the documentation of a typical crime scene and on the rapid recording of any possible contamination that could have influenced its original appearance. A 3D reconstruction of the environment is first generated by processing panoramas acquired with the low-cost Ricoh Theta 360 camera, and further analysed to highlight potentials and limits of this emerging and consumer-grade technology. Then, a methodology is proposed for the rapid recording of changes occurring between the original and the contaminated crime scene. The approach is based on an automatic 3D feature-based data registration, followed by a cloud-to-cloud distance computation, given as input the 3D point clouds generated before and after e.g. the misplacement of evidence. All the algorithms adopted for panoramas pre-processing, photogrammetric 3D reconstruction, 3D geometry registration and analysis, are presented and currently available in open-source or low-cost software solutions.

Parallel phase-sensitive three-dimensional imaging camera

DOEpatents

Smithpeter, Colin L.; Hoover, Eddie R.; Pain, Bedabrata; Hancock, Bruce R.; Nellums, Robert O.

2007-09-25

An apparatus is disclosed for generating a three-dimensional (3-D) image of a scene illuminated by a pulsed light source (e.g. a laser or light-emitting diode). The apparatus, referred to as a phase-sensitive 3-D imaging camera utilizes a two-dimensional (2-D) array of photodetectors to receive light that is reflected or scattered from the scene and processes an electrical output signal from each photodetector in the 2-D array in parallel using multiple modulators, each having inputs of the photodetector output signal and a reference signal, with the reference signal provided to each modulator having a different phase delay. The output from each modulator is provided to a computational unit which can be used to generate intensity and range information for use in generating a 3-D image of the scene. The 3-D camera is capable of generating a 3-D image using a single pulse of light, or alternately can be used to generate subsequent 3-D images with each additional pulse of light.

Uniqueness of the anterior dentition three-dimensionally assessed for forensic bitemark analysis.

PubMed

Franco, A; Willems, G; Souza, Phc; Coucke, W; Thevissen, P

2017-02-01

The uniqueness of the human dentition (UHD) is an important concept in the comparative process in bitemark analysis. During this analysis, the incisal edges of the suspects' teeth are matched with the bitemarks collected from the victim's body or crime scenes. Despite playing an essential part to exclude suspects, the UHD contained in the involved incisal tooth edges remains an assumption on bitemark level. The present study was aimed, first, to investigate three-dimensionally (3D) the UHD within different quantities of dental material from the incisal edges; second, to test these outcomes in a bidimensional (2D) simulation. Four-hundred forty-five dental casts were collected to compose 4 study groups: I - randomly-selected subjects, II - orthodontically treated subjects, III - twins and IV - orthodontically treated twins. Additionally, 20 dental casts were included to create threshold groups on subjects from whom the dental impressions were taken at 2 different moments (Group V). All the dental casts were digitalized with an automated motion device (XCAD 3D ® (XCADCAM Technology ® , São Paulo, SP, Brazil). The digital cast files (DCF) were integrated in Geomagic Studio ® (3D Systems ® , Rock Hill, SC, USA) software package (GS) for cropping, automated superimposition and pair-wise comparisons. All the DCF were cropped remaining 3 mm (part 1), 2 mm (part 2) and 1 mm (part 3) from the incisal edges of the anterior teeth. For a 2D validation, slices of 1 mm, not including incisal edges (part 4), were also cropped. These procedures were repeated in Group V, creating specific thresholds for each of the study parts. The 4 study groups were compared with its respective threshold using ANOVA test with statistical significance of 5%. Groups I, II and III did not differ from the corresponding threshold (Group V) in all study parts (p > 0.05). Scientific evidence to support the UHD was not observed in the current study. Bitemark analysis should not be disregarded but considered carefully when the suspects present similar dental alignment and morphology, such as in orthodontically treated subjects and twins, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

HemoVision: An automated and virtual approach to bloodstain pattern analysis.

PubMed

Joris, Philip; Develter, Wim; Jenar, Els; Suetens, Paul; Vandermeulen, Dirk; Van de Voorde, Wim; Claes, Peter

2015-06-01

Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is a subspecialty of forensic sciences, dealing with the analysis and interpretation of bloodstain patterns in crime scenes. The aim of BPA is uncovering new information about the actions that took place in a crime scene, potentially leading to a confirmation or refutation of a suspect's statement. A typical goal of BPA is to estimate the flight paths for a set of stains, followed by a directional analysis in order to estimate the area of origin for the stains. The traditional approach, referred to as stringing, consists of attaching a piece of string to each stain, and letting the string represent an approximation of the stain's flight path. Even though stringing has been used extensively, many (practical) downsides exist. We propose an automated and virtual approach, employing fiducial markers and digital images. By automatically reconstructing a single coordinate frame from several images, limited user input is required. Synthetic crime scenes were created and analysed in order to evaluate the approach. Results demonstrate the correct operation and practical advantages, suggesting that the proposed approach may become a valuable asset for practically analysing bloodstain spatter patterns. Accompanying software called HemoVision is currently provided as a demonstrator and will be further developed for practical use in forensic investigations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Possibilities for retracing of copyright violations on current video game consoles by optical disk analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irmler, Frank; Creutzburg, Reiner

2014-02-01

This paper deals with the possibilities of retracing copyright violations on current video game consoles (e.g. Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, ...) by studying the corresponding optical storage media DVD and Blu-ray. The possibilities of forensic investigation of DVD and Blu-ray Discs are presented. It is shown which information can be read by using freeware and commercial software for forensic examination. A detailed analysis is given on the visualization of hidden content and the possibility to find out information about the burning hardware used for writing on the optical discs. In connection with a forensic analysis of the Windows registry of a suspects PC a detailed overview of the crime scene for forged DVD and Blu-ray Discs can be obtained. Optical discs are examined under forensic aspects and the obtained results are implemented into automatic analysis scripts for the commercial forensics program EnCase Forensic. It is shown that for the optical storage media a possibility of identification of the drive used for writing can be obtained. In particular Blu-ray Discs contain the serial number of the burner. These and other findings were incorporated into the creation of various EnCase scripts for the professional forensic investigation with EnCase Forensic. Furthermore, a detailed flowchart for a forensic investigation of copyright infringement was developed.

Additional Crime Scenes for Projectile Motion Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullerton, Dan; Bonner, David

2011-01-01

Building students' ability to transfer physics fundamentals to real-world applications establishes a deeper understanding of underlying concepts while enhancing student interest. Forensic science offers a great opportunity for students to apply physics to highly engaging, real-world contexts. Integrating these opportunities into inquiry-based…

Forensic facial comparison in South Africa: State of the science.

PubMed

Steyn, M; Pretorius, M; Briers, N; Bacci, N; Johnson, A; Houlton, T M R

2018-06-01

Forensic facial comparison (FFC) is a scientific technique used to link suspects to a crime scene based on the analysis of photos or video recordings from that scene. While basic guidelines on practice and training are provided by the Facial Identification Scientific Working Group, details of how these are applied across the world are scarce. FFC is frequently used in South Africa, with more than 700 comparisons conducted in the last two years alone. In this paper the standards of practice are outlined, with new proposed levels of agreement/conclusions. We outline three levels of training that were established, with training in facial anatomy, terminology, principles of image comparison, image science, facial recognition and computer skills being aimed at developing general competency. Training in generating court charts and understanding court case proceedings are being specifically developed for the South African context. Various shortcomings still exist, specifically with regard to knowledge of the reliability of the technique. These need to be addressed in future research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Applying Knowledge of Species-Typical Scavenging Behavior to the Search and Recovery of Mammalian Skeletal Remains.

PubMed

Young, Alexandria; Stillman, Richard; Smith, Martin J; Korstjens, Amanda H

2016-03-01

Forensic investigations involving animal scavenging of human remains require a physical search of the scene and surrounding areas. However, there is currently no standard procedure in the U.K. for physical searches of scavenged human remains. The Winthrop and grid search methods used by police specialist searchers for scavenged remains were examined through the use of mock red fox (Vulpes vulpes) scatter scenes. Forty-two police specialist searchers from two different regions within the U.K. were divided between those briefed and not briefed with fox-typical scavenging information. Briefing searchers with scavenging information significantly affected the recovery of scattered bones (χ(2) = 11.45, df = 1, p = 0.001). Searchers briefed with scavenging information were 2.05 times more likely to recover bones. Adaptions to search methods used by searchers were evident on a regional level, such that searchers more accustom to a peri-urban to rural region recovered a higher percentage of scattered bones (58.33%, n = 84). © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

DNA methylation: the future of crime scene investigation?

PubMed

Gršković, Branka; Zrnec, Dario; Vicković, Sanja; Popović, Maja; Mršić, Gordan

2013-07-01

Proper detection and subsequent analysis of biological evidence is crucial for crime scene reconstruction. The number of different criminal acts is increasing rapidly. Therefore, forensic geneticists are constantly on the battlefield, trying hard to find solutions how to solve them. One of the essential defensive lines in the fight against the invasion of crime is relying on DNA methylation. In this review, the role of DNA methylation in body fluid identification and other DNA methylation applications are discussed. Among other applications of DNA methylation, age determination of the donor of biological evidence, analysis of the parent-of-origin specific DNA methylation markers at imprinted loci for parentage testing and personal identification, differentiation between monozygotic twins due to their different DNA methylation patterns, artificial DNA detection and analyses of DNA methylation patterns in the promoter regions of circadian clock genes are the most important ones. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of open chapters in DNA methylation research that need to be closed before its final implementation in routine forensic casework.

Forensic DNA phenotyping in criminal investigations and criminal courts: assessing and mitigating the dilemmas inherent in the science.

PubMed

MacLean, Charles E; Lamparello, Adam

2014-01-01

Forensic DNA Phenotyping ("FDP"), estimating the externally visible characteristics ("EVCs") of the source of human DNA left at a crime scene, is evolving from science fiction toward science fact. FDP can already identify a source's gender with 100% accuracy, and likely hair color, iris color, adult height, and a number of other EVCs with accuracy rates approaching 70%. Patent applications have been filed for approaches to generating 3D likenesses of DNA sources based on the DNA alone. Nonetheless, criminal investigators, particularly in the United States, have been reticent to apply FDP in their casework. The reticence is likely related to a number of perceived and real dilemmas associated with FDP: is FDP racial profiling, should we test unknown and unseen physical conditions, does testing for behavioral characteristics impermissibly violate the source's privacy, ought testing be permitted for samples from known sources or DNA databases, and should FDP be limited to use in investigations only or is FDP appropriate for use in a criminal court. As this article explains, although those dilemmas are substantive, they are not insurmountable, and can be quite easily managed with appropriate regulation and protocols. As FDP continues to develop, there will be less need for criminal investigators to shy away from FDP. Cold cases, missing persons, and victims in crimes without other evidence will one day soon all be well served by FDP.

Camera pose estimation for augmented reality in a small indoor dynamic scene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frikha, Rawia; Ejbali, Ridha; Zaied, Mourad

2017-09-01

Camera pose estimation remains a challenging task for augmented reality (AR) applications. Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based methods are able to estimate the six degrees of freedom camera motion while constructing a map of an unknown environment. However, these methods do not provide any reference for where to insert virtual objects since they do not have any information about scene structure and may fail in cases of occlusion of three-dimensional (3-D) map points or dynamic objects. This paper presents a real-time monocular piece wise planar SLAM method using the planar scene assumption. Using planar structures in the mapping process allows rendering virtual objects in a meaningful way on the one hand and improving the precision of the camera pose and the quality of 3-D reconstruction of the environment by adding constraints on 3-D points and poses in the optimization process on the other hand. We proposed to benefit from the 3-D planes rigidity motion in the tracking process to enhance the system robustness in the case of dynamic scenes. Experimental results show that using a constrained planar scene improves our system accuracy and robustness compared with the classical SLAM systems.

Special effects used in creating 3D animated scenes-part 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avramescu, A. M.

2015-11-01

In present, with the help of computer, we can create special effects that look so real that we almost don't perceive them as being different. These special effects are somehow hard to differentiate from the real elements like those on the screen. With the increasingly accesible 3D field that has more and more areas of application, the 3D technology goes easily from architecture to product designing. Real like 3D animations are used as means of learning, for multimedia presentations of big global corporations, for special effects and even for virtual actors in movies. Technology, as part of the movie art, is considered a prerequisite but the cinematography is the first art that had to wait for the correct intersection of technological development, innovation and human vision in order to attain full achievement. Increasingly more often, the majority of industries is using 3D sequences (three dimensional). 3D represented graphics, commercials and special effects from movies are all designed in 3D. The key for attaining real visual effects is to successfully combine various distinct elements: characters, objects, images and video scenes; like all these elements represent a whole that works in perfect harmony. This article aims to exhibit a game design from these days. Considering the advanced technology and futuristic vision of designers, nowadays we have different and multifarious game models. Special effects are decisively contributing in the creation of a realistic three-dimensional scene. These effects are essential for transmitting the emotional state of the scene. Creating the special effects is a work of finesse in order to achieve high quality scenes. Special effects can be used to get the attention of the onlooker on an object from a scene. Out of the conducted study, the best-selling game of the year 2010 was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. This way, the article aims for the presented scene to be similar with many locations from this type of games, more precisely, a place from the Middle East, a very popular subject among game developers.

Estimation of stature from hand and handprint measurements in Iban population in Sarawak, Malaysia and its applications in forensic investigation.

PubMed

Zulkifly, Nuranis-Raihan; Wahab, Roswanira Abd; Layang, Elizabeth; Ismail, Dzulkiflee; Desa, Wan Nur Syuhaila Mat; Hisham, Salina; Mahat, Naji A

2018-01-01

Handprints and dismembered hands are commonly found during crime scene investigations and disaster victim identifications, respectively. It has been indicated that the accuracy of handprint and hand measurements for estimating stature maybe population specific. Since Iban is the largest ethnic population in Sarawak, Malaysia and because the application of anthropometry of hand and handprint within this population as well as other populations within the Southeast Asian countries remain unreported, this present study that investigated the reliability and accuracy of these two anthropometric aspects acquires forensic significance. Upon measuring the height, 21 measurements were recorded on each hand and the corresponding handprint of 50 male and 52 female consented adult Iban subjects. Using univariate statistics as well as simple and multiple regression analyses, interpretation of the measurements examined here was attempted. Results revealed that lengths of hand and handprint are the more reliable traits for estimating stature in both the male and female Iban subjects (p < 0.05) with correlation strength ranging from 0.60 to 0.76. Comparable to the established skeletal standards for hand, the stature prediction accuracy using hand and handprint measurements investigated in this research ranged between 4.29 and 5.78 cm. Hence, this research provided the first forensic standard for estimation of stature among the Iban population in Sarawak that may prove useful for crime scene investigations and disaster victim identifications in Malaysia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Statistical methods for the forensic analysis of striated tool marks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoeksema, Amy Beth

In forensics, fingerprints can be used to uniquely identify suspects in a crime. Similarly, a tool mark left at a crime scene can be used to identify the tool that was used. However, the current practice of identifying matching tool marks involves visual inspection of marks by forensic experts which can be a very subjective process. As a result, declared matches are often successfully challenged in court, so law enforcement agencies are particularly interested in encouraging research in more objective approaches. Our analysis is based on comparisons of profilometry data, essentially depth contours of a tool mark surface taken alongmore » a linear path. In current practice, for stronger support of a match or non-match, multiple marks are made in the lab under the same conditions by the suspect tool. We propose the use of a likelihood ratio test to analyze the difference between a sample of comparisons of lab tool marks to a field tool mark, against a sample of comparisons of two lab tool marks. Chumbley et al. (2010) point out that the angle of incidence between the tool and the marked surface can have a substantial impact on the tool mark and on the effectiveness of both manual and algorithmic matching procedures. To better address this problem, we describe how the analysis can be enhanced to model the effect of tool angle and allow for angle estimation for a tool mark left at a crime scene. With sufficient development, such methods may lead to more defensible forensic analyses.« less

Recent advances in head-mounted light field displays for virtual and augmented reality (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Hong

2017-02-01

Head-mounted light field displays render a true 3D scene by sampling either the projections of the 3D scene at different depths or the directions of the light rays apparently emitted by the 3D scene and viewed from different eye positions. They are capable of rendering correct or nearly correct focus cues and addressing the very well-known vergence-accommodation mismatch problem in conventional virtual and augmented reality displays. In this talk, I will focus on reviewing recent advancements of head-mounted light field displays for VR and AR applications. I will demonstrate examples of HMD systems developed in my group.

Using 3D range cameras for crime scene documentation and legal medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavagnini, Gianluca; Sansoni, Giovanna; Trebeschi, Marco

2009-01-01

Crime scene documentation and legal medicine analysis are part of a very complex process which is aimed at identifying the offender starting from the collection of the evidences on the scene. This part of the investigation is very critical, since the crime scene is extremely volatile, and once it is removed, it can not be precisely created again. For this reason, the documentation process should be as complete as possible, with minimum invasiveness. The use of optical 3D imaging sensors has been considered as a possible aid to perform the documentation step, since (i) the measurement is contactless and (ii) the process required to editing and modeling the 3D data is quite similar to the reverse engineering procedures originally developed for the manufacturing field. In this paper we show the most important results obtained in the experimentation.

Getting in touch--3D printing in forensic imaging.

PubMed

Ebert, Lars Chr; Thali, Michael J; Ross, Steffen

2011-09-10

With the increasing use of medical imaging in forensics, as well as the technological advances in rapid prototyping, we suggest combining these techniques to generate displays of forensic findings. We used computed tomography (CT), CT angiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and surface scanning with photogrammetry in conjunction with segmentation techniques to generate 3D polygon meshes. Based on these data sets, a 3D printer created colored models of the anatomical structures. Using this technique, we could create models of bone fractures, vessels, cardiac infarctions, ruptured organs as well as bitemark wounds. The final models are anatomically accurate, fully colored representations of bones, vessels and soft tissue, and they demonstrate radiologically visible pathologies. The models are more easily understood by laypersons than volume rendering or 2D reconstructions. Therefore, they are suitable for presentations in courtrooms and for educational purposes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weakly Supervised Segmentation-Aided Classification of Urban Scenes from 3d LIDAR Point Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guinard, S.; Landrieu, L.

2017-05-01

We consider the problem of the semantic classification of 3D LiDAR point clouds obtained from urban scenes when the training set is limited. We propose a non-parametric segmentation model for urban scenes composed of anthropic objects of simple shapes, partionning the scene into geometrically-homogeneous segments which size is determined by the local complexity. This segmentation can be integrated into a conditional random field classifier (CRF) in order to capture the high-level structure of the scene. For each cluster, this allows us to aggregate the noisy predictions of a weakly-supervised classifier to produce a higher confidence data term. We demonstrate the improvement provided by our method over two publicly-available large-scale data sets.

Teens and Spice: A Review of Adolescent Fatalities Associated with Synthetic Cannabinoid Use.

PubMed

Paul, Anthea B Mahesan; Simms, Lary; Amini, Saeideh; Paul, Abraham Ebenezer

2017-12-01

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are commonly abused by adolescents with reported past year (2013) use in high school students between 3 and 10%. Standard adolescent postmortem toxicology does not include routine SC analysis, and thus, the true burden of fatalities related to SCs is unknown. A retrospective case review of two cases included scene investigation, interviews, autopsy, and toxicology. SCs were confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Review of the eight adolescent SC-associated fatalities in the literature revealed five of eight cases had no other discernible cause of death on autopsy. Compounds detected included PB-22 (1.1 ng/mL), JWH-210 (12 ng/mL), XLR-11 (1.3 ng/mL), JWH-122, AB-CHMINACA (8.2 ng/mL), UR-144 (12.3 ng/mL), and JWH-022 (3 ng/mL). With synthetic drug use on the rise, forensic experts should have a high index of suspicion for the possibility of SC intoxication in adolescent fatalities with no other discernible cause of death. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Crime Scene Intelligence. An Experiment in Forensic Entomology

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

Investigation (Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1993), 72. 23 Smith, 86. 24 G. Bianchini, “La Biologia Del Cadaver, ” Archivic Antropologia...May R. Ninety-Nine More Maggots, Mites, and Munchers. Urbana and Chi- cago: University of Illinois Press, 1985. Bianchini, G. “La Biologia Del

[Suicidal single intraoral shooting by a shotgun--risk of misinterpretation at the crime scene].

PubMed

Woźniak, Krzysztof; Pohl, Jerzy

2003-01-01

The authors presented two cases of suicidal single intraoral shooting by a shotgun. The first case relates to a victim found near the peak of Swinica in the Tatra mountains. When the circumstances could have suggested fatal fall from a height and minute, insignificant external injuries were found, the pistol found at the scene has been the most important indicator leading to the actual cause of death. The second case relates to a 38-year-old male found in this family house in a village. Severe internal cranial injury (bone fragmentation) was diagnosed at the scene. A self-made weapon was previously removed and hidden from the scene by a relative of the victim. Before regular forensic autopsy X-ray examination was conducted which revealed multiple intracranial foreign bodies of a shape of a shot. After the results of the autopsy the relative of the deceased indicated the location of the weapon.

Identification and Discrimination of Brands of Fuels by Gas Chromatography and Neural Networks Algorithm in Forensic Research

PubMed Central

Ugena, L.; Moncayo, S.; Manzoor, S.; Rosales, D.

2016-01-01

The detection of adulteration of fuels and its use in criminal scenes like arson has a high interest in forensic investigations. In this work, a method based on gas chromatography (GC) and neural networks (NN) has been developed and applied to the identification and discrimination of brands of fuels such as gasoline and diesel without the necessity to determine the composition of the samples. The study included five main brands of fuels from Spain, collected from fifteen different local petrol stations. The methodology allowed the identification of the gasoline and diesel brands with a high accuracy close to 100%, without any false positives or false negatives. A success rate of three blind samples was obtained as 73.3%, 80%, and 100%, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate the potential of this methodology to help in resolving criminal situations. PMID:27375919

Forensic Geopedology and Micropedology: New Indications and Lookouts from Pigs Experimental Burials.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ern, Stephania Irmgard Elena; Trombino, Luca

2013-04-01

The role played by soil scientists in the modern forensic science is very real and important, above all in the crime scenes when buried remains, both strongly decomposed or skeletal, are found. Thanks to a PhD project on Forensic Geopedology, an interdisciplinary team of the Universities of Milano and Milano Bicocca, has been working for the last four years on several sets of experimental burials of pigs and piglets, in different soil types and for different times of burial, in order to get new evidences on environmental responses to the burial, including geopedological and micropedological aspects. The present work constitutes a conclusive synthesis of results emerged from comparative soil characterizations, listed as follow: - Grainsize analyses; - Determination of pH in H2O and KCl; - Total Nitrogen and Organic Carbon analyses: - Quantification of Available Phosphorous; - Determination of Cation Exchange Capacity and Base Saturation; - Analyses of Volatile Fatty Acids; - Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy analyses; - Petrographic Optical Microscope analyses (including thin sections descriptions). It is proposed a diachronic picture of the project where it is possible to follow the variability of significance of the different kinds of analyses carried out. The achieved results, especially when cross-checked, are very stimulating as regards the setting of analytical protocols for: - The determination of time since burial (TSB); - The discrimination between primary and secondary burials; - The identification of corpses concealments. All the analyses and different approaches discussed and addressed in this work require extreme care when applied to real forensic scenarios; however, the protocols tested can be a piece of a large and articulated puzzle that depicts the major forensic case studies in which Geopedology can be of help in solving problems or in answering some peculiar questions. It is important to understand that a science so rich in variability, as soil science is, has a great potential to reconstruct and solve various forensic cases. Many studies and experiments still need to be carried out to improve the knowledge of the specific processes, in order to give the correct answer to forensic and legal questions, together with the aim of reaching standardization for the analyses carried out.

Detection and localization of copy-paste forgeries in digital videos.

PubMed

Singh, Raahat Devender; Aggarwal, Naveen

2017-12-01

Amidst the continual march of technology, we find ourselves relying on digital videos to proffer visual evidence in several highly sensitive areas such as journalism, politics, civil and criminal litigation, and military and intelligence operations. However, despite being an indispensable source of information with high evidentiary value, digital videos are also extremely vulnerable to conscious manipulations. Therefore, in a situation where dependence on video evidence is unavoidable, it becomes crucial to authenticate the contents of this evidence before accepting them as an accurate depiction of reality. Digital videos can suffer from several kinds of manipulations, but perhaps, one of the most consequential forgeries is copy-paste forgery, which involves insertion/removal of objects into/from video frames. Copy-paste forgeries alter the information presented by the video scene, which has a direct effect on our basic understanding of what that scene represents, and so, from a forensic standpoint, the challenge of detecting such forgeries is especially significant. In this paper, we propose a sensor pattern noise based copy-paste detection scheme, which is an improved and forensically stronger version of an existing noise-residue based technique. We also study a demosaicing artifact based image forensic scheme to estimate the extent of its viability in the domain of video forensics. Furthermore, we suggest a simplistic clustering technique for the detection of copy-paste forgeries, and determine if it possess the capabilities desired of a viable and efficacious video forensic scheme. Finally, we validate these schemes on a set of realistically tampered MJPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and H.264/AVC encoded videos in a diverse experimental set-up by varying the strength of post-production re-compressions and transcodings, bitrates, and sizes of the tampered regions. Such an experimental set-up is representative of a neutral testing platform and simulates a real-world forgery scenario where the forensic investigator has no control over any of the variable parameters of the tampering process. When tested in such an experimental set-up, the four forensic schemes achieved varying levels of detection accuracies and exhibited different scopes of applicabilities. For videos compressed using QFs in the range 70-100, the existing noise residue based technique generated average detection accuracy in the range 64.5%-82.0%, while the proposed sensor pattern noise based scheme generated average accuracy in the range 89.9%-98.7%. For the aforementioned range of QFs, average accuracy rates achieved by the suggested clustering technique and the demosaicing artifact based approach were in the range 79.1%-90.1% and 83.2%-93.3%, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Saliency-Guided Detection of Unknown Objects in RGB-D Indoor Scenes.

PubMed

Bao, Jiatong; Jia, Yunyi; Cheng, Yu; Xi, Ning

2015-08-27

This paper studies the problem of detecting unknown objects within indoor environments in an active and natural manner. The visual saliency scheme utilizing both color and depth cues is proposed to arouse the interests of the machine system for detecting unknown objects at salient positions in a 3D scene. The 3D points at the salient positions are selected as seed points for generating object hypotheses using the 3D shape. We perform multi-class labeling on a Markov random field (MRF) over the voxels of the 3D scene, combining cues from object hypotheses and 3D shape. The results from MRF are further refined by merging the labeled objects, which are spatially connected and have high correlation between color histograms. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations on two benchmark RGB-D datasets illustrate the advantages of the proposed method. The experiments of object detection and manipulation performed on a mobile manipulator validate its effectiveness and practicability in robotic applications.

Saliency-Guided Detection of Unknown Objects in RGB-D Indoor Scenes

PubMed Central

Bao, Jiatong; Jia, Yunyi; Cheng, Yu; Xi, Ning

2015-01-01

This paper studies the problem of detecting unknown objects within indoor environments in an active and natural manner. The visual saliency scheme utilizing both color and depth cues is proposed to arouse the interests of the machine system for detecting unknown objects at salient positions in a 3D scene. The 3D points at the salient positions are selected as seed points for generating object hypotheses using the 3D shape. We perform multi-class labeling on a Markov random field (MRF) over the voxels of the 3D scene, combining cues from object hypotheses and 3D shape. The results from MRF are further refined by merging the labeled objects, which are spatially connected and have high correlation between color histograms. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations on two benchmark RGB-D datasets illustrate the advantages of the proposed method. The experiments of object detection and manipulation performed on a mobile manipulator validate its effectiveness and practicability in robotic applications. PMID:26343656

Real-Time Mapping Using Stereoscopic Vision Optimization

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

pinhole geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2.8. Artificially textured scenes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 3.1. Bilbo the robot...geometry. 2.2.1 The Fundamental Matrix. The fundamental matrix (F) describes the relationship between a pair of 2D pictures of a 3D scene . This is...eight CCD cameras to compute a mesh model of the environment from a large number of overlapped 3D images. In [1,17], a range scanner is combined with a

Graphics to H.264 video encoding for 3D scene representation and interaction on mobile devices using region of interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Minh Tuan; Nguyen, Congdu; Yoon, Dae-Il; Jung, Eun Ku; Jia, Jie; Kim, Hae-Kwang

2007-12-01

In this paper, we propose a method of 3D graphics to video encoding and streaming that are embedded into a remote interactive 3D visualization system for rapidly representing a 3D scene on mobile devices without having to download it from the server. In particular, a 3D graphics to video framework is presented that increases the visual quality of regions of interest (ROI) of the video by performing more bit allocation to ROI during H.264 video encoding. The ROI are identified by projection 3D objects to a 2D plane during rasterization. The system offers users to navigate the 3D scene and interact with objects of interests for querying their descriptions. We developed an adaptive media streaming server that can provide an adaptive video stream in term of object-based quality to the client according to the user's preferences and the variation of network bandwidth. Results show that by doing ROI mode selection, PSNR of test sample slightly change while visual quality of objects increases evidently.

Genetic variability and forensic efficiency of 39 microsatellite loci in the Li ethnic group from Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Xie, Bingbing; Yang, Yaran; Yang, Meng; Liu, Chao; Lv, Yuexin; Chen, Chuguang; Liu, Xu; Fang, Xiangdong; Wu, Huijuan; Yan, Jiangwei

2017-08-01

Investigation of allele and genotype frequencies of microsatellite loci in various populations is an essential pre-requisite in forensic application. The present study obtained population genetic data and forensic parameters of 39 autosomal Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) loci from a Chinese Li ethnic group and estimated the genetic relationships between Li and other reference populations. Thirty-nine STR loci, which include D19S433, D5S818, D21S11, D18S51, D6S1043, D3S1358, D13S317, D7S820, D16S539, CSF1PO, Penta D, D2S441, vWA, D8S1179, TPOX, Penta E, TH01, D12S391, D2S1338, FGA, D6S477, D18S535, D19S253, D15S659, D11S2368, D20S470, D1S1656, D22-GATA198B05, D8S1132, D4S2366, D21S1270, D13S325, D9S925, D3S3045, D14S608, D10S1435, D7S3048, D17S1290 and D5S2500, were amplified in two multiplex DNA-STR fluorescence detection systems for 189 unrelated healthy individuals of the Chinese Li ethnic group. The allele frequency distribution and several parameters commonly used in forensic science were statistically analysed. A total of 378 alleles were observed with corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0026-0.5899. The power of discrimination and power of exclusion ranged from 0.7569-0.9672 and 0.2513-0.7355, respectively. The power of exclusion (PE) ranged from 0.2580-0.7943 for trio paternity cases and 0.1693-0.5940 for duo paternity cases. The polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.5001-0.8611. The cumulative match probability across these 39 loci was 2.4242 × 10 -38 . The results indicate that 39 STR loci are polymorphic among the Li ethnic group in Hainan Island in the South China Sea. This set of polymorphic STR loci provide highly polymorphic information and forensic efficiency for forensic individual identification and paternity testing, as well as basic population data for population genetics and anthropological research.

Using VIS/NIR and IR spectral cameras for detecting and separating crime scene details

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuula, Jaana; Pölönen, Ilkka; Puupponen, Hannu-Heikki; Selander, Tuomas; Reinikainen, Tapani; Kalenius, Tapani; Saari, Heikki

2012-06-01

Detecting invisible details and separating mixed evidence is critical for forensic inspection. If this can be done reliably and fast at the crime scene, irrelevant objects do not require further examination at the laboratory. This will speed up the inspection process and release resources for other critical tasks. This article reports on tests which have been carried out at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland together with the Central Finland Police Department and the National Bureau of Investigation for detecting and separating forensic details with hyperspectral technology. In the tests evidence was sought after at an assumed violent burglary scene with the use of VTT's 500-900 nm wavelength VNIR camera, Specim's 400- 1000 nm VNIR camera, and Specim's 1000-2500 nm SWIR camera. The tested details were dried blood on a ceramic plate, a stain of four types of mixed and absorbed blood, and blood which had been washed off a table. Other examined details included untreated latent fingerprints, gunshot residue, primer residue, and layered paint on small pieces of wood. All cameras could detect visible details and separate mixed paint. The SWIR camera could also separate four types of human and animal blood which were mixed in the same stain and absorbed into a fabric. None of the cameras could however detect primer residue, untreated latent fingerprints, or blood that had been washed off. The results are encouraging and indicate the need for further studies. The results also emphasize the importance of creating optimal imaging conditions into the crime scene for each kind of subjects and backgrounds.

The collation of forensic DNA case data into a multi-dimensional intelligence database.

PubMed

Walsh, S J; Moss, D S; Kliem, C; Vintiner, G M

2002-01-01

The primary aim of any DNA Database is to link individuals to unsolved offenses and unsolved offenses to each other via DNA profiling. This aim has been successfully realised during the operation of the New Zealand (NZ) DNA Databank over the past five years. The DNA Intelligence Project (DIP), a collaborative project involving NZ forensic and law enforcement agencies, interrogated the forensic case data held on the NZ DNA databank and collated it into a functional intelligence database. This database has been used to identify significant trends which direct Police and forensic personnel towards the most appropriate use of DNA technology. Intelligence is being provided in areas such as the level of usage of DNA techniques in criminal investigation, the relative success of crime scene samples and the geographical distribution of crimes. The DIP has broadened the dimensions of the information offered through the NZ DNA Databank and has furthered the understanding and investigative capability of both Police and forensic scientists. The outcomes of this research fit soundly with the current policies of 'intelligence led policing', which are being adopted by Police jurisdictions locally and overseas.

[Forensic entomology].

PubMed

Açikgöz, Halide Nihal

2010-01-01

Odour of the animal or human corpses immediately after death is very attractive for insects and other invertebrates. Blue and green bottle flies from the Calliphoridae family are the first colonizers of cadaver and immediately later necrophagous Diptera from the Sarcophagidae family settle on the same corpse. It is essential to determine the time past after death for elucidating the event in case of the homicide or suspicious death, and it is directly proportional to the post mortem interval expected time, which is based upon the speed of the larval growth. In this article, we purposed to stress the special interest of forensic entomology for the scientists who will apply this science in their forensic researches and case studies, and also to provide information to our judges, prosecutors and law enforcement agents in order to consider the entomological samples to be reliable and applicable evidences as biological stains and hairs. We are of the opinion that if any forensic entomologist is called to the crime scene or if the evidences are collected and then delivered to an entomologist, the forensic cases will be elucidated faster and more accurately.

Gestalt-like constraints produce veridical (Euclidean) percepts of 3D indoor scenes

PubMed Central

Kwon, TaeKyu; Li, Yunfeng; Sawada, Tadamasa; Pizlo, Zygmunt

2015-01-01

This study, which was influenced a lot by Gestalt ideas, extends our prior work on the role of a priori constraints in the veridical perception of 3D shapes to the perception of 3D scenes. Our experiments tested how human subjects perceive the layout of a naturally-illuminated indoor scene that contains common symmetrical 3D objects standing on a horizontal floor. In one task, the subject was asked to draw a top view of a scene that was viewed either monocularly or binocularly. The top views the subjects reconstructed were configured accurately except for their overall size. These size errors varied from trial to trial, and were shown most-likely to result from the presence of a response bias. There was little, if any, evidence of systematic distortions of the subjects’ perceived visual space, the kind of distortions that have been reported in numerous experiments run under very unnatural conditions. This shown, we proceeded to use Foley’s (Vision Research 12 (1972) 323–332) isosceles right triangle experiment to test the intrinsic geometry of visual space directly. This was done with natural viewing, with the impoverished viewing conditions Foley had used, as well as with a number of intermediate viewing conditions. Our subjects produced very accurate triangles when the viewing conditions were natural, but their performance deteriorated systematically as the viewing conditions were progressively impoverished. Their perception of visual space became more compressed as their natural visual environment was degraded. Once this was shown, we developed a computational model that emulated the most salient features of our psychophysical results. We concluded that human observers see 3D scenes veridically when they view natural 3D objects within natural 3D environments. PMID:26525845

Identification of Forensic Samples via Mitochondrial DNA in the Undergraduate Biochemistry Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millard, Julie T.; Pilon, André M.

2003-04-01

A recent forensic approach for identification of unknown biological samples is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing. We describe a laboratory exercise suitable for an undergraduate biochemistry course in which the polymerase chain reaction is used to amplify a 440 base pair hypervariable region of human mtDNA from a variety of "crime scene" samples (e.g., teeth, hair, nails, cigarettes, envelope flaps, toothbrushes, and chewing gum). Amplification is verified via agarose gel electrophoresis and then samples are subjected to cycle sequencing. Sequence alignments are made via the program CLUSTAL W, allowing students to compare samples and solve the "crime."

Discriminant analysis of Raman spectra for body fluid identification for forensic purposes.

PubMed

Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Virkler, Kelly; Lednev, Igor K

2010-01-01

Detection and identification of blood, semen and saliva stains, the most common body fluids encountered at a crime scene, are very important aspects of forensic science today. This study targets the development of a nondestructive, confirmatory method for body fluid identification based on Raman spectroscopy coupled with advanced statistical analysis. Dry traces of blood, semen and saliva obtained from multiple donors were probed using a confocal Raman microscope with a 785-nm excitation wavelength under controlled laboratory conditions. Results demonstrated the capability of Raman spectroscopy to identify an unknown substance to be semen, blood or saliva with high confidence.

Towards Gesture-Based Multi-User Interactions in Collaborative Virtual Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pretto, N.; Poiesi, F.

2017-11-01

We present a virtual reality (VR) setup that enables multiple users to participate in collaborative virtual environments and interact via gestures. A collaborative VR session is established through a network of users that is composed of a server and a set of clients. The server manages the communication amongst clients and is created by one of the users. Each user's VR setup consists of a Head Mounted Display (HMD) for immersive visualisation, a hand tracking system to interact with virtual objects and a single-hand joypad to move in the virtual environment. We use Google Cardboard as a HMD for the VR experience and a Leap Motion for hand tracking, thus making our solution low cost. We evaluate our VR setup though a forensics use case, where real-world objects pertaining to a simulated crime scene are included in a VR environment, acquired using a smartphone-based 3D reconstruction pipeline. Users can interact using virtual gesture-based tools such as pointers and rulers.

Experiments in MPEG-4 content authoring, browsing, and streaming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puri, Atul; Schmidt, Robert L.; Basso, Andrea; Civanlar, Mehmet R.

2000-12-01

In this paper, within the context of the MPEG-4 standard we report on preliminary experiments in three areas -- authoring of MPEG-4 content, a player/browser for MPEG-4 content, and streaming of MPEG-4 content. MPEG-4 is a new standard for coding of audiovisual objects; the core of MPEG-4 standard is complete while amendments are in various stages of completion. MPEG-4 addresses compression of audio and visual objects, their integration by scene description, and interactivity of users with such objects. MPEG-4 scene description is based on VRML like language for 3D scenes, extended to 2D scenes, and supports integration of 2D and 3D scenes. This scene description language is called BIFS. First, we introduce the basic concepts behind BIFS and then show with an example, textual authoring of different components needed to describe an audiovisual scene in BIFS; the textual BIFS is then saved as compressed binary file/s for storage or transmission. Then, we discuss a high level design of an MPEG-4 player/browser that uses the main components from authoring such as encoded BIFS stream, media files it refers to, and multiplexed object descriptor stream to play an MPEG-4 scene. We also discuss our extensions to such a player/browser. Finally, we present our work in streaming of MPEG-4 -- the payload format, modification to client MPEG-4 player/browser, server-side infrastructure and example content used in our MPEG-4 streaming experiments.

Forensic quest for age determination of bloodstains.

PubMed

Bremmer, Rolf H; de Bruin, Karla G; van Gemert, Martin J C; van Leeuwen, Ton G; Aalders, Maurice C G

2012-03-10

Bloodstains at crime scenes are among the most important types of evidence for forensic investigators. They can be used for DNA-profiling for verifying the suspect's identity or for pattern analysis in order to reconstruct the crime. However, until now, using bloodstains to determine the time elapsed since the crime was committed is still not possible. From a criminalistic point of view, an accurate estimation of when the crime was committed enables to verify witnesses' statements, limits the number of suspects and assesses alibis. Despite several attempts and exploration of many technologies during a century, no method has been materialized into forensic practice. This review gives an overview of an extensive search in scientific literature of techniques that address the quest for age determination of bloodstains. We found that most techniques are complementary to each other, in short as well as long term age determination. Techniques are compared concerning their sensitivity for short and long term ageing of bloodstains and concerning their possible applicability to be used on a crime scene. In addition, experimental challenges like substrate variation, interdonor variation and environmental influences are addressed. Comparison of these techniques contributes to our knowledge of the physics and biochemistry in an ageing bloodstain. Further improvement and incorporation of environmental factors are necessary to enable age determination of bloodstains to be acceptable in court. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics: Recommendations on the evaluation of STR typing results that may include drop-out and/or drop-in using probabilistic methods

PubMed Central

Gill, P.; Gusmão, L.; Haned, H.; Mayr, W.R.; Morling, N.; Parson, W.; Prieto, L.; Prinz, M.; Schneider, H.; Schneider, P.M.; Weir, B.S.

2015-01-01

DNA profiling of biological material from scenes of crimes is often complicated because the amount of DNA is limited and the quality of the DNA may be compromised. Furthermore, the sensitivity of STR typing kits has been continuously improved to detect low level DNA traces. This may lead to (1) partial DNA profiles and (2) detection of additional alleles. There are two key phenomena to consider: allelic or locus ‘drop-out’, i.e. ‘missing’ alleles at one or more genetic loci, while ‘drop-in’ may explain alleles in the DNA profile that are additional to the assumed main contributor(s). The drop-in phenomenon is restricted to 1 or 2 alleles per profile. If multiple alleles are observed at more than two loci then these are considered as alleles from an extra contributor and analysis can proceed as a mixture of two or more contributors. Here, we give recommendations on how to estimate probabilities considering drop-out, Pr(D), and drop-in, Pr(C). For reasons of clarity, we have deliberately restricted the current recommendations considering drop-out and/or drop-in at only one locus. Furthermore, we offer recommendations on how to use Pr(D) and Pr(C) with the likelihood ratio principles that are generally recommended by the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) as measure of the weight of the evidence in forensic genetics. Examples of calculations are included. An Excel spreadsheet is provided so that scientists and laboratories may explore the models and input their own data. PMID:22864188

Handheld real-time volumetric 3-D gamma-ray imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haefner, Andrew; Barnowski, Ross; Luke, Paul; Amman, Mark; Vetter, Kai

2017-06-01

This paper presents the concept of real-time fusion of gamma-ray imaging and visual scene data for a hand-held mobile Compton imaging system in 3-D. The ability to obtain and integrate both gamma-ray and scene data from a mobile platform enables improved capabilities in the localization and mapping of radioactive materials. This not only enhances the ability to localize these materials, but it also provides important contextual information of the scene which once acquired can be reviewed and further analyzed subsequently. To demonstrate these concepts, the high-efficiency multimode imager (HEMI) is used in a hand-portable implementation in combination with a Microsoft Kinect sensor. This sensor, in conjunction with open-source software, provides the ability to create a 3-D model of the scene and to track the position and orientation of HEMI in real-time. By combining the gamma-ray data and visual data, accurate 3-D maps of gamma-ray sources are produced in real-time. This approach is extended to map the location of radioactive materials within objects with unknown geometry.

Characterizing Woody Vegetation Spectral and Structural Parameters with a 3-D Scene Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, W.; Yang, L.

2004-05-01

Quantification of structural and biophysical parameters of woody vegetation is of great significance in understanding vegetation condition, dynamics and functionality. Such information over a landscape scale is crucial for global and regional land cover characterization, global carbon-cycle research, forest resource inventories, and fire fuel estimation. While great efforts and progress have been made in mapping general land cover types over large area, at present, the ability to quantify regional woody vegetation structural and biophysical parameters is limited. One approach to address this research issue is through an integration of physically based 3-D scene model with multiangle and multispectral remote sensing data and in-situ measurements. The first step of this work is to model woody vegetation structure and its radiation regime using a physically based 3-D scene model and field data, before a robust operational algorithm can be developed for retrieval of important woody vegetation structural/biophysical parameters. In this study, we use an advanced 3-D scene model recently developed by Qin and Gerstl (2000), based on L-systems and radiosity theories. This 3-D scene model has been successfully applied to semi-arid shrubland to study structure and radiation regime at a regional scale. We apply this 3-D scene model to a more complicated and heterogeneous forest environment dominated by deciduous and coniferous trees. The data used in this study are from a field campaign conducted by NASA in a portion of the Superior National Forest (SNF) near Ely, Minnesota during the summers of 1983 and 1984, and supplement data collected during our revisit to the same area of SNF in summer of 2003. The model is first validated with reflectance measurements at different scales (ground observations, helicopter, aircraft, and satellite). Then its ability to characterize the structural and spectral parameters of the forest scene is evaluated. Based on the results from this study and the current multi-spectral and multi-angular satellite data (MODIS, MISR), a robust retrieval system to estimate woody vegetation structural/biophysical parameters is proposed.

Infrared spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging in forensic science.

PubMed

Ewing, Andrew V; Kazarian, Sergei G

2017-01-16

Infrared spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging, are robust, label free and inherently non-destructive methods with a high chemical specificity and sensitivity that are frequently employed in forensic science research and practices. This review aims to discuss the applications and recent developments of these methodologies in this field. Furthermore, the use of recently emerged Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic imaging in transmission, external reflection and Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR) modes are summarised with relevance and potential for forensic science applications. This spectroscopic imaging approach provides the opportunity to obtain the chemical composition of fingermarks and information about possible contaminants deposited at a crime scene. Research that demonstrates the great potential of these techniques for analysis of fingerprint residues, explosive materials and counterfeit drugs will be reviewed. The implications of this research for the examination of different materials are considered, along with an outlook of possible future research avenues for the application of vibrational spectroscopic methods to the analysis of forensic samples.

Forensic geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffell, Alastair; McKinley, Jennifer

2014-02-01

Geomorphology plays a critical role in two areas of geoforensics: searching the land for surface or buried objects and sampling scenes of crime and control locations as evidence. Associated geoscience disciplines have substantial bodies of work dedicated to their relevance in forensic investigations, yet geomorphology (specifically landforms, their mapping and evolution, soils and relationship to geology and biogeography) have not had similar public exposure. This is strange considering how fundamental to legal enquiries the location of a crime and its evolution are, as this article will demonstrate. This work aims to redress the balance by showing how geomorphology featured in one of the earliest works on forensic science methods, and has continued to play a role in the sociology, archaeology, criminalistics and geoforensics of crime. Traditional landscape interpretation from aerial photography is used to demonstrate how a geomorphological approach saved police time in the search for a clandestine grave. The application geomorphology has in military/humanitarian geography and environmental/engineering forensics is briefly discussed as these are also regularly reviewed in courts of law.

The Value of Outsourcing Selected Cases in a Medical Examiner Population: A 10-Year Experience.

PubMed

McCleskey, Brandi C; Reilly, Stephanie D; Atherton, Dan

2017-01-01

Due to increasing caseloads and inadequate staffing, the burden on Coroner/Medical Examiner Offices to comply with recommended autopsy limits for forensic pathologists (FPs) has been difficult. Since 2006, pathologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have performed select autopsies for the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Each case was reviewed by a state FP and scene investigator to determine appropriateness for referral. All referred cases received full postmortem examination including microscopic examination and collection of toxicological samples, and toxicology was ordered by the referring FP as appropriate. The final cause and manner of death were determined by the referring state FP after review of all findings. A majority of the 421 cases were ruled accidental deaths (233), most due to drug toxicity. Of the 178 natural deaths, 118 were attributed to cardiovascular disease. Outsourcing select forensic cases can be educational and an effective tool to manage workflow without compromising quality. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An instrument for automated purification of nucleic acids from contaminated forensic samples

PubMed Central

Broemeling, David J; Pel, Joel; Gunn, Dylan C; Mai, Laura; Thompson, Jason D; Poon, Hiron; Marziali, Andre

2008-01-01

Forensic crime scene sample analysis, by its nature, often deals with samples in which there are low amounts of nucleic acids, on substrates that often lead to inhibition of subsequent enzymatic reactions such as PCR amplification for STR profiling. Common substrates include denim from blue jeans, which yields indigo dye as a PCR inhibitor, and soil, which yields humic substances as inhibitors. These inhibitors frequently co-extract with nucleic acids in standard column or bead-based preps, leading to frequent failure of STR profiling. We present a novel instrument for DNA purification of forensic samples that is capable of highly effective concentration of nucleic acids from soil particulates, fabric, and other complex samples including solid components. The novel concentration process, known as SCODA, is inherently selective for long charged polymers such as DNA, and therefore is able to effectively reject known contaminants. We present an automated sample preparation instrument based on this process, and preliminary results based on mock forensic samples. PMID:18438455

Overview of Forensic Toxicology, Yesterday, Today and in the Future.

PubMed

Chung, Heesun; Choe, Sanggil

2017-01-01

The scope of forensic toxicology has been tremendously expanded over the past 50 years. From two general sections forensic toxicology can be further classified into 8-9 sections. The most outstanding improvement in forensic toxicology is the changes brought by instrumental development. The field of forensic toxicology was revolutionized by the development of immunoassay and benchtop GC-MS in the 1980's and LC-MS-MS in 2000's. Detection of trace amounts of analytes has allowed the use of new specimens such as hair and oral fluids, along with blood and urine. Over a longer period of time, continuous efforts have been made to efficiently extract and separate drug and poison from biological fluids. International endeavors to develop high quality standards and guidelines for drugs and poisons in biological specimens and to promote them in order to increase reliability of laboratories are also part of the recent advancement of forensic toxicology. Interpretation of postmortem toxicology encompasses various factors including postmortem redistribution and stability. Considering the recent trend, the interpretation of toxicological results should account for autopsy findings, crime scene information, and related medical history. The fields of forensic toxicology will continuously develop to improve analysis of target analytes from various specimens, quality assurance program, and results interpretation. In addition, the development of analytical techniques will also contribute further advancement of forensic toxicology. The societies of forensic toxicologists, such as TIAFT, will play an important role for the advancement of forensic toxicology by collaborating and sharing ideas between toxicologists from both developed and developing countries. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Bloodstain detection and discrimination impacted by spectral shift when using an interference filter-based visible and near-infrared multispectral crime scene imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jie; Messinger, David W.; Dube, Roger R.

2018-03-01

Bloodstain detection and discrimination from nonblood substances on various substrates are critical in forensic science as bloodstains are a critical source for confirmatory DNA tests. Conventional bloodstain detection methods often involve time-consuming sample preparation, a chance of harm to investigators, the possibility of destruction of blood samples, and acquisition of too little data at crime scenes either in the field or in the laboratory. An imaging method has the advantages of being nondestructive, noncontact, real-time, and covering a large field-of-view. The abundant spectral information provided by multispectral imaging makes it a potential presumptive bloodstain detection and discrimination method. This article proposes an interference filter (IF) based area scanning three-spectral-band crime scene imaging system used for forensic bloodstain detection and discrimination. The impact of large angle of views on the spectral shift of calibrated IFs is determined, for both detecting and discriminating bloodstains from visually similar substances on multiple substrates. Spectral features in the visible and near-infrared portion employed by the relative band depth method are used. This study shows that 1 ml bloodstain on black felt, gray felt, red felt, white cotton, white polyester, and raw wood can be detected. Bloodstains on the above substrates can be discriminated from cola, coffee, ketchup, orange juice, red wine, and green tea.

Integrated VR platform for 3D and image-based models: a step toward interactive image-based virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Jayoung; Kim, Gerard J.

2003-04-01

Traditionally, three dimension models have been used for building virtual worlds, and a data structure called the "scene graph" is often employed to organize these 3D objects in the virtual space. On the other hand, image-based rendering has recently been suggested as a probable alternative VR platform for its photo-realism, however, due to limited interactivity, it has only been used for simple navigation systems. To combine the merits of these two approaches to object/scene representations, this paper proposes for a scene graph structure in which both 3D models and various image-based scenes/objects can be defined, traversed, and rendered together. In fact, as suggested by Shade et al., these different representations can be used as different LOD's for a given object. For instance, an object might be rendered using a 3D model at close range, a billboard at an intermediate range, and as part of an environment map at far range. The ultimate objective of this mixed platform is to breath more interactivity into the image based rendered VE's by employing 3D models as well. There are several technical challenges in devising such a platform: designing scene graph nodes for various types of image based techniques, establishing criteria for LOD/representation selection, handling their transitions, implementing appropriate interaction schemes, and correctly rendering the overall scene. Currently, we have extended the scene graph structure of the Sense8's WorldToolKit, to accommodate new node types for environment maps billboards, moving textures and sprites, "Tour-into-the-Picture" structure, and view interpolated objects. As for choosing the right LOD level, the usual viewing distance and image space criteria are used, however, the switching between the image and 3D model occurs at a distance from the user where the user starts to perceive the object's internal depth. Also, during interaction, regardless of the viewing distance, a 3D representation would be used, it if exists. Before rendering, objects are conservatively culled from the view frustum using the representation with the largest volume. Finally, we carried out experiments to verify the theoretical derivation of the switching rule and obtained positive results.

A molecular identification system for grasses: a novel technology for forensic botany.

PubMed

Ward, J; Peakall, R; Gilmore, S R; Robertson, J

2005-09-10

Our present inability to rapidly, accurately and cost-effectively identify trace botanical evidence remains the major impediment to the routine application of forensic botany. Grasses are amongst the most likely plant species encountered as forensic trace evidence and have the potential to provide links between crime scenes and individuals or other vital crime scene information. We are designing a molecular DNA-based identification system for grasses consisting of several PCR assays that, like a traditional morphological taxonomic key, provide criteria that progressively identify an unknown grass sample to a given taxonomic rank. In a prior study of DNA sequences across 20 phylogenetically representative grass species, we identified a series of potentially informative indels in the grass mitochondrial genome. In this study we designed and tested five PCR assays spanning these indels and assessed the feasibility of these assays to aid identification of unknown grass samples. We confirmed that for our control set of 20 samples, on which the design of the PCR assays was based, the five primer combinations produced the expected results. Using these PCR assays in a 'blind test', we were able to identify 25 unknown grass samples with some restrictions. Species belonging to genera represented in our control set were all correctly identified to genus with one exception. Similarly, genera belonging to tribes in the control set were correctly identified to the tribal level. Finally, for those samples for which neither the tribal or genus specific PCR assays were designed, we could confidently exclude these samples from belonging to certain tribes and genera. The results confirmed the utility of the PCR assays and the feasibility of developing a robust full-scale usable grass identification system for forensic purposes.

Virtobot--a multi-functional robotic system for 3D surface scanning and automatic post mortem biopsy.

PubMed

Ebert, Lars Christian; Ptacek, Wolfgang; Naether, Silvio; Fürst, Martin; Ross, Steffen; Buck, Ursula; Weber, Stefan; Thali, Michael

2010-03-01

The Virtopsy project, a multi-disciplinary project that involves forensic science, diagnostic imaging, computer science, automation technology, telematics and biomechanics, aims to develop new techniques to improve the outcome of forensic investigations. This paper presents a new approach in the field of minimally invasive virtual autopsy for a versatile robotic system that is able to perform three-dimensional (3D) surface scans as well as post mortem image-guided soft tissue biopsies. The system consists of an industrial six-axis robot with additional extensions (i.e. a linear axis to increase working space, a tool-changing system and a dedicated safety system), a multi-slice CT scanner with equipment for angiography, a digital photogrammetry and 3D optical surface-scanning system, a 3D tracking system, and a biopsy end effector for automatic needle placement. A wax phantom was developed for biopsy accuracy tests. Surface scanning times were significantly reduced (scanning times cut in half, calibration three times faster). The biopsy module worked with an accuracy of 3.2 mm. Using the Virtobot, the surface-scanning procedure could be standardized and accelerated. The biopsy module is accurate enough for use in biopsies in a forensic setting. The Virtobot can be utilized for several independent tasks in the field of forensic medicine, and is sufficiently versatile to be adapted to different tasks in the future. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hypothermia.

PubMed

Turk, Elisabeth E

2010-06-01

Hypothermia refers to a situation where there is a drop in body core temperature below 35 degrees C. It is a potentially fatal condition. In forensic medicine and pathology, cases of hypothermia often pose a special challenge to experts because of their complex nature, and the often absent or nonspecific nature of morphological findings. The scene of the incident may raise suspicions of a crime initially, due to phenomena such as terminal burrowing behavior and paradoxical undressing. An element of hypothermia often contributes to the cause of death in drug- and alcohol-related fatalities, in the homeless, in immersion deaths, in accidents and in cases of abuse or neglect, making the condition extremely relevant to forensic medical specialists. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the pathophysiological aspects of hypothermia and to illustrate different aspects relevant to forensic medical casework.

View generated database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Downward, James G.

1992-01-01

This document represents the final report for the View Generated Database (VGD) project, NAS7-1066. It documents the work done on the project up to the point at which all project work was terminated due to lack of project funds. The VGD was to provide the capability to accurately represent any real-world object or scene as a computer model. Such models include both an accurate spatial/geometric representation of surfaces of the object or scene, as well as any surface detail present on the object. Applications of such models are numerous, including acquisition and maintenance of work models for tele-autonomous systems, generation of accurate 3-D geometric/photometric models for various 3-D vision systems, and graphical models for realistic rendering of 3-D scenes via computer graphics.

Research on 3D virtual campus scene modeling based on 3ds Max and VRML

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Chuanli; Zhou, Yanliu; Liang, Xianyue

2015-12-01

With the rapid development of modem technology, the digital information management and the virtual reality simulation technology has become a research hotspot. Virtual campus 3D model can not only express the real world objects of natural, real and vivid, and can expand the campus of the reality of time and space dimension, the combination of school environment and information. This paper mainly uses 3ds Max technology to create three-dimensional model of building and on campus buildings, special land etc. And then, the dynamic interactive function is realized by programming the object model in 3ds Max by VRML .This research focus on virtual campus scene modeling technology and VRML Scene Design, and the scene design process in a variety of real-time processing technology optimization strategy. This paper guarantees texture map image quality and improve the running speed of image texture mapping. According to the features and architecture of Guilin University of Technology, 3ds Max, AutoCAD and VRML were used to model the different objects of the virtual campus. Finally, the result of virtual campus scene is summarized.

A Forensic Experiment: The Case of the Crime at the Cinema

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valente Nabais, J. M.; Costa, Sara D.

2017-01-01

This paper reports an experimental activity where students have to carefully analyze the evidence collected at the crime scene, namely fibers and lipstick traces. The fibers are analyzed by infrared spectroscopy, solubility tests, and optical microscopy, while in turn the lipstick traces are investigated by thin layer chromatography. Students also…

Offender Characteristics in Lethal Violence with Special Reference to Antisocial and Autistic Personality Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahlund, Katarina; Kristiansson, Marianne

2006-01-01

The objective of the study is to assess the relationships between personality traits, lifetime psychosocial functioning, and crime scene behavior. Thirty-five male offenders referred for forensic psychiatric assessment in Sweden (1996-2001) and assigned a main diagnosis of either antisocial personality disorder (APD) or autism spectrum disorder…

Rigorous Training of Dogs Leads to High Accuracy in Human Scent Matching-To-Sample Performance

PubMed Central

Marchal, Sophie; Bregeras, Olivier; Puaux, Didier; Gervais, Rémi; Ferry, Barbara

2016-01-01

Human scent identification is based on a matching-to-sample task in which trained dogs are required to compare a scent sample collected from an object found at a crime scene to that of a suspect. Based on dogs’ greater olfactory ability to detect and process odours, this method has been used in forensic investigations to identify the odour of a suspect at a crime scene. The excellent reliability and reproducibility of the method largely depend on rigor in dog training. The present study describes the various steps of training that lead to high sensitivity scores, with dogs matching samples with 90% efficiency when the complexity of the scents presented during the task in the sample is similar to that presented in the in lineups, and specificity reaching a ceiling, with no false alarms in human scent matching-to-sample tasks. This high level of accuracy ensures reliable results in judicial human scent identification tests. Also, our data should convince law enforcement authorities to use these results as official forensic evidence when dogs are trained appropriately. PMID:26863620

Classification of Mls Point Clouds in Urban Scenes Using Detrended Geometric Features from Supervoxel-Based Local Contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Z.; Xu, Y.; Hoegner, L.; Stilla, U.

2018-05-01

In this work, we propose a classification method designed for the labeling of MLS point clouds, with detrended geometric features extracted from the points of the supervoxel-based local context. To achieve the analysis of complex 3D urban scenes, acquired points of the scene should be tagged with individual labels of different classes. Thus, assigning a unique label to the points of an object that belong to the same category plays an essential role in the entire 3D scene analysis workflow. Although plenty of studies in this field have been reported, this work is still a challenging task. Specifically, in this work: 1) A novel geometric feature extraction method, detrending the redundant and in-salient information in the local context, is proposed, which is proved to be effective for extracting local geometric features from the 3D scene. 2) Instead of using individual point as basic element, the supervoxel-based local context is designed to encapsulate geometric characteristics of points, providing a flexible and robust solution for feature extraction. 3) Experiments using complex urban scene with manually labeled ground truth are conducted, and the performance of proposed method with respect to different methods is analyzed. With the testing dataset, we have obtained a result of 0.92 for overall accuracy for assigning eight semantic classes.

Web GIS in practice VII: stereoscopic 3-D solutions for online maps and virtual globes

PubMed Central

Boulos, Maged N Kamel; Robinson, Larry R

2009-01-01

Because our pupils are about 6.5 cm apart, each eye views a scene from a different angle and sends a unique image to the visual cortex, which then merges the images from both eyes into a single picture. The slight difference between the right and left images allows the brain to properly perceive the 'third dimension' or depth in a scene (stereopsis). However, when a person views a conventional 2-D (two-dimensional) image representation of a 3-D (three-dimensional) scene on a conventional computer screen, each eye receives essentially the same information. Depth in such cases can only be approximately inferred from visual clues in the image, such as perspective, as only one image is offered to both eyes. The goal of stereoscopic 3-D displays is to project a slightly different image into each eye to achieve a much truer and realistic perception of depth, of different scene planes, and of object relief. This paper presents a brief review of a number of stereoscopic 3-D hardware and software solutions for creating and displaying online maps and virtual globes (such as Google Earth) in "true 3D", with costs ranging from almost free to multi-thousand pounds sterling. A practical account is also given of the experience of the USGS BRD UMESC (United States Geological Survey's Biological Resources Division, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center) in setting up a low-cost, full-colour stereoscopic 3-D system. PMID:19849837

Web GIS in practice VII: stereoscopic 3-D solutions for online maps and virtual globes.

PubMed

Boulos, Maged N Kamel; Robinson, Larry R

2009-10-22

Because our pupils are about 6.5 cm apart, each eye views a scene from a different angle and sends a unique image to the visual cortex, which then merges the images from both eyes into a single picture. The slight difference between the right and left images allows the brain to properly perceive the 'third dimension' or depth in a scene (stereopsis). However, when a person views a conventional 2-D (two-dimensional) image representation of a 3-D (three-dimensional) scene on a conventional computer screen, each eye receives essentially the same information. Depth in such cases can only be approximately inferred from visual clues in the image, such as perspective, as only one image is offered to both eyes. The goal of stereoscopic 3-D displays is to project a slightly different image into each eye to achieve a much truer and realistic perception of depth, of different scene planes, and of object relief. This paper presents a brief review of a number of stereoscopic 3-D hardware and software solutions for creating and displaying online maps and virtual globes (such as Google Earth) in "true 3D", with costs ranging from almost free to multi-thousand pounds sterling. A practical account is also given of the experience of the USGS BRD UMESC (United States Geological Survey's Biological Resources Division, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center) in setting up a low-cost, full-colour stereoscopic 3-D system.

Web GIS in practice VII: stereoscopic 3-D solutions for online maps and virtual globes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boulos, Maged N.K.; Robinson, Larry R.

2009-01-01

Because our pupils are about 6.5 cm apart, each eye views a scene from a different angle and sends a unique image to the visual cortex, which then merges the images from both eyes into a single picture. The slight difference between the right and left images allows the brain to properly perceive the 'third dimension' or depth in a scene (stereopsis). However, when a person views a conventional 2-D (two-dimensional) image representation of a 3-D (three-dimensional) scene on a conventional computer screen, each eye receives essentially the same information. Depth in such cases can only be approximately inferred from visual clues in the image, such as perspective, as only one image is offered to both eyes. The goal of stereoscopic 3-D displays is to project a slightly different image into each eye to achieve a much truer and realistic perception of depth, of different scene planes, and of object relief. This paper presents a brief review of a number of stereoscopic 3-D hardware and software solutions for creating and displaying online maps and virtual globes (such as Google Earth) in "true 3D", with costs ranging from almost free to multi-thousand pounds sterling. A practical account is also given of the experience of the USGS BRD UMESC (United States Geological Survey's Biological Resources Division, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center) in setting up a low-cost, full-colour stereoscopic 3-D system.

Personalized Medicine Applied to Forensic Sciences: New Advances and Perspectives for a Tailored Forensic Approach.

PubMed

Santurro, Alessandro; Vullo, Anna Maria; Borro, Marina; Gentile, Giovanna; La Russa, Raffaele; Simmaco, Maurizio; Frati, Paola; Fineschi, Vittorio

2017-01-01

Personalized medicine (PM), included in P5 medicine (Personalized, Predictive, Preventive, Participative and Precision medicine) is an innovative approach to the patient, emerging from the need to tailor and to fit the profile of each individual. PM promises to dramatically impact also on forensic sciences and justice system in ways we are only beginning to understand. The application of omics (genomic, transcriptomics, epigenetics/imprintomics, proteomic and metabolomics) is ever more fundamental in the so called "molecular autopsy". Emerging fields of interest in forensic pathology are represented by diagnosis and detection of predisposing conditions to fatal thromboembolic and hypertensive events, determination of genetic variants related to sudden death, such as congenital long QT syndromes, demonstration of lesions vitality, identification of biological matrices and species diagnosis of a forensic trace on crime scenes without destruction of the DNA. The aim of this paper is to describe the state-of-art in the application of personalized medicine in forensic sciences, to understand the possibilities of integration in routine investigation of these procedures with classical post-mortem studies and to underline the importance of these new updates in medical examiners' armamentarium in determining cause of death or contributing factors to death. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Direct analysis in real time-Mass spectrometry (DART-MS) in forensic and security applications.

PubMed

Pavlovich, Matthew J; Musselman, Brian; Hall, Adam B

2018-03-01

Over the last decade, direct analysis in real time (DART) has emerged as a viable method for fast, easy, and reliable "ambient ionization" for forensic analysis. The ability of DART to generate ions from chemicals that might be present at the scene of a criminal activity, whether they are in the gas, liquid, or solid phase, with limited sample preparation has made the technology a useful analytical tool in numerous forensic applications. This review paper summarizes many of those applications, ranging from the analysis of trace evidence to security applications, with a focus on providing the forensic scientist with a resource for developing their own applications. The most common uses for DART in forensics are in studying seized drugs, drugs of abuse and their metabolites, bulk and detonated explosives, toxic chemicals, chemical warfare agents, inks and dyes, and commercial plant and animal products that have been adulterated for economic gain. This review is meant to complement recent reviews that have described the fundamentals of the ionization mechanism and the general use of DART. We describe a wide range of forensic applications beyond the field of analyzing drugs of abuse, which dominates the literature, including common experimental and data analysis methods. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 37:171-187, 2018. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of organ tissue types and skin from forensic samples by microRNA expression analysis.

PubMed

Sauer, Eva; Extra, Antje; Cachée, Philipp; Courts, Cornelius

2017-05-01

The identification of organ tissues in traces recovered from scenes and objects with regard to violent crimes involving serious injuries can be of considerable relevance in forensic investigations. Molecular genetic approaches are provably superior to histological and immunological assays in characterizing organ tissues, and micro-RNAs (miRNAs), due to their cell type specific expression patterns and stability against degradation, emerged as a promising molecular species for forensic analyses, with a range of tried and tested indicative markers. Thus, herein we present the first miRNA based approach for the forensic identification of organ tissues. Using quantitative PCR employing an empirically derived strategy for data normalization and unbiased statistical decision making, we assessed the differential expression of 15 preselected miRNAs in tissues of brain, kidney, lung, liver, heart muscle, skeletal muscle and skin. We show that not only can miRNA expression profiling be used to reliably differentiate between organ tissues but also that this method, which is compatible with and complementary to forensic DNA analysis, is applicable to realistic forensic samples e.g. mixtures, aged and degraded material as well as traces generated by mock stabbings and experimental shootings at ballistic models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation and identification of age-related DNA methylation markers for forensic age-prediction.

PubMed

Yi, Shao Hua; Xu, Long Chang; Mei, Kun; Yang, Rong Zhi; Huang, Dai Xin

2014-07-01

Age-prediction is an important part of forensic science. There is no available method of individual age-prediction for general forensic biological samples at crime scenes. Accumulating evidence indicates that aging resembles a developmentally regulated process tightly controlled by specific age-associated methylation exists in human genome. This study isolated and identified eight gene fragments in which the degree of cytosine methylation is significantly correlated with age in blood of 40 donors. Furthermore, we validated two CpG sites of each gene fragment and replicated our results in a general population sample of 40 males and 25 females with a wide age-range (11-72 years). The methylation of these fragments is linear with age over a range of six decades (Fragment P1 (r=-0.64), P2 (r=-0.58), P3 (r=-0.79), R1 (r=0.82), R2 (r=0.63), R3 (r=0.59), R4 (r=0.63) and R5 (r=0.62)). Using average methylation of two CpG sites from each fragment, we built a regression model that explained 95% of the variance in age and is able to predict the age of an individual with great accuracy (R(2)=0.918). The predicted values are highly correlated with the observed age in the sample (r=0.91). This study implicates that DNA methylation will be an available biological marker of age-prediction. Furthermore, measurement of relevant sites in the genome could be a tool in routine forensic screening to predict age of biological samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of forensic odontological examinations at the National Forensic Service of Korea from 2011 to 2015.

PubMed

Roh, Byung-Yoon; Lee, Won-Joon; Seo, Jeong-Uk; Lee, U-Young; Lee, Sang-Seob

2018-05-01

The National Forensic Service (NFS) of Korea is a government agency responsible for examining and evaluating evidence obtained at crime scenes. The Section of Forensic Odontology of the Medical Examiner's Office conducts forensic odontological analyses of human remains, and mainly criminal cases are handled. In this study, 588 forensic odontological cases referred to NFS during 2011-2015 were analyzed for referral pattern, evidence material, examination criteria, and other factors and were compared with respective data from 2007 to 2010. Majority of the requests were internal (further dental examinations after autopsy) rather than external (direct requests from other agencies such as police departments). Regarding evidence materials, "Teeth" (including teeth and resected jaws) were dominant evidences. Due to the seasonal effects in Korea, the highest number of requests was in September of each year, but the number of requests in April has recently increased. Evidence materials were mostly found in suburban and rural area, especially in mountainous area due to the geographic characteristics of Korea. Regarding specific examinations, profiling, including age estimation, accounted for majority of the requests; this number had increased relative to the findings of a previous study, whereas the number of requests for dental identification and bite mark analysis had decreased. With this analysis, trends in forensic odontology can be observed, and we expect that these trends would be served as a reference for designing study and making training protocol for forensic odontology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of plant DNA markers in forensic botany: genetic comparison of Quercus evidence leaves to crime scene trees using microsatellites.

PubMed

Craft, Kathleen J; Owens, Jeffrey D; Ashley, Mary V

2007-01-05

As highly polymorphic DNA markers become increasingly available for a wide range of plant and animal species, there will be increasing opportunities for applications to forensic investigations. To date, however, relatively few studies have reported using DNA profiles of non-human species to place suspects at or near crime scenes. Here we describe an investigation of a double homicide of a female and her near-term fetus. Leaf material taken from a suspect's vehicle was identified to be that of sand live oak, Quercus geminata, the same tree species that occurred near a shallow grave where the victims were found. Quercus-specific DNA microsatellites were used to genotype both dried and fresh material from trees located near the burial site and from the material taken from the suspect's car. Samples from the local population of Q. geminata were also collected and genotyped in order to demonstrate that genetic variation at four microsatellite loci was sufficient to assign leaves to an individual tree with high statistical certainty. The cumulative average probability of identity for these four loci was 2.06x10(-6). DNA was successfully obtained from the dried leaf material although PCR amplification was more difficult than amplification of DNA from fresh leaves. The DNA profiles of the dried leaves from the suspect's car did not match those of the trees near the crime scene. Although this investigation did not provide evidence that could be used against the suspect, it does demonstrate the potential for plant microsatellite markers providing physical evidence that links plant materials to live plants at or near crime scenes.

Three-dimensional image technology in forensic anthropology: Assessing the validity of biological profiles derived from CT-3D images of the skeleton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia de Leon Valenzuela, Maria Julia

This project explores the reliability of building a biological profile for an unknown individual based on three-dimensional (3D) images of the individual's skeleton. 3D imaging technology has been widely researched for medical and engineering applications, and it is increasingly being used as a tool for anthropological inquiry. While the question of whether a biological profile can be derived from 3D images of a skeleton with the same accuracy as achieved when using dry bones has been explored, bigger sample sizes, a standardized scanning protocol and more interobserver error data are needed before 3D methods can become widely and confidently used in forensic anthropology. 3D images of Computed Tomography (CT) scans were obtained from 130 innominate bones from Boston University's skeletal collection (School of Medicine). For each bone, both 3D images and original bones were assessed using the Phenice and Suchey-Brooks methods. Statistical analysis was used to determine the agreement between 3D image assessment versus traditional assessment. A pool of six individuals with varying experience in the field of forensic anthropology scored a subsample (n = 20) to explore interobserver error. While a high agreement was found for age and sex estimation for specimens scored by the author, the interobserver study shows that observers found it difficult to apply standard methods to 3D images. Higher levels of experience did not result in higher agreement between observers, as would be expected. Thus, a need for training in 3D visualization before applying anthropological methods to 3D bones is suggested. Future research should explore interobserver error using a larger sample size in order to test the hypothesis that training in 3D visualization will result in a higher agreement between scores. The need for the development of a standard scanning protocol focusing on the optimization of 3D image resolution is highlighted. Applications for this research include the possibility of digitizing skeletal collections in order to expand their use and for deriving skeletal collections from living populations and creating population-specific standards. Further research for the development of a standard scanning and processing protocol is needed before 3D methods in forensic anthropology are considered as reliable tools for generating biological profiles.

An integratable microfluidic cartridge for forensic swab samples lysis.

PubMed

Yang, Jianing; Brooks, Carla; Estes, Matthew D; Hurth, Cedric M; Zenhausern, Frederic

2014-01-01

Fully automated rapid forensic DNA analysis requires integrating several multistep processes onto a single microfluidic platform, including substrate lysis, extraction of DNA from the released lysate solution, multiplexed PCR amplification of STR loci, separation of PCR products by capillary electrophoresis, and analysis for allelic peak calling. Over the past several years, most of the rapid DNA analysis systems developed started with the reference swab sample lysate and involved an off-chip lysis of collected substrates. As a result of advancement in technology and chemistry, addition of a microfluidic module for swab sample lysis has been achieved in a few of the rapid DNA analysis systems. However, recent reports on integrated rapid DNA analysis systems with swab-in and answer-out capability lack any quantitative and qualitative characterization of the swab-in sample lysis module, which is important for downstream forensic sample processing. Maximal collection and subsequent recovery of the biological material from the crime scene is one of the first and critical steps in forensic DNA technology. Herein we present the design, fabrication and characterization of an integratable swab lysis cartridge module and the test results obtained from different types of commonly used forensic swab samples, including buccal, saliva, and blood swab samples, demonstrating the compatibility with different downstream DNA extraction chemistries. This swab lysis cartridge module is easy to operate, compatible with both forensic and microfluidic requirements, and ready to be integrated with our existing automated rapid forensic DNA analysis system. Following the characterization of the swab lysis module, an integrated run from buccal swab sample-in to the microchip CE electropherogram-out was demonstrated on the integrated prototype instrument. Therefore, in this study, we demonstrate that this swab lysis cartridge module is: (1) functionally, comparable with routine benchtop lysis, (2) compatible with various types of swab samples and chemistries, and (3) integratable to achieve a micro total analysis system (μTAS) for rapid DNA analysis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Forensic analysis of 7 infant homicide cases in Suzhou].

PubMed

Wei, Ming; Zhu, Jin-Long; Zhang, Lu; Wu, Rong-Qi; Chen, Xin

2014-02-01

To discuss and summarize the major characteristics, autopsy examination, and scene investigation in infant homicide cases. From 2008 to 2013 in Suzhou, the information of seven detected infant homicide cases were collected and analyzed. The criminal suspects were victims' mothers with young ages and pregnancies were premarital. Infant homicide cases occurred at the same location of the delivery. The infants died of mechanical asphyxia in the majority of the cases. Most bodies were naked and their umbilical cords were not cut by iatrogenic method and didn't connect with the bodies. The standardization of forensic investigation can improve the analysis and detection of infant homicide cases.

Discriminant Analysis of Raman Spectra for Body Fluid Identification for Forensic Purposes

PubMed Central

Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Virkler, Kelly; Lednev, Igor K.

2010-01-01

Detection and identification of blood, semen and saliva stains, the most common body fluids encountered at a crime scene, are very important aspects of forensic science today. This study targets the development of a nondestructive, confirmatory method for body fluid identification based on Raman spectroscopy coupled with advanced statistical analysis. Dry traces of blood, semen and saliva obtained from multiple donors were probed using a confocal Raman microscope with a 785-nm excitation wavelength under controlled laboratory conditions. Results demonstrated the capability of Raman spectroscopy to identify an unknown substance to be semen, blood or saliva with high confidence. PMID:22319277

Conceptualising forensic science and forensic reconstruction. Part I: A conceptual model.

PubMed

Morgan, R M

2017-11-01

There has been a call for forensic science to actively return to the approach of scientific endeavour. The importance of incorporating an awareness of the requirements of the law in its broadest sense, and embedding research into both practice and policy within forensic science, is arguably critical to achieving such an endeavour. This paper presents a conceptual model (FoRTE) that outlines the holistic nature of trace evidence in the 'endeavour' of forensic reconstruction. This model offers insights into the different components intrinsic to transparent, reproducible and robust reconstructions in forensic science. The importance of situating evidence within the whole forensic science process (from crime scene to court), of developing evidence bases to underpin each stage, of frameworks that offer insights to the interaction of different lines of evidence, and the role of expertise in decision making are presented and their interactions identified. It is argued that such a conceptual model has value in identifying the future steps for harnessing the value of trace evidence in forensic reconstruction. It also highlights that there is a need to develop a nuanced approach to reconstructions that incorporates both empirical evidence bases and expertise. A conceptual understanding has the potential to ensure that the endeavour of forensic reconstruction has its roots in 'problem-solving' science, and can offer transparency and clarity in the conclusions and inferences drawn from trace evidence, thereby enabling the value of trace evidence to be realised in investigations and the courts. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Allele frequencies for 13 STRs loci in a Western Anatolia population and their forensic evaluation.

PubMed

Baransel Isir, Aysun; Ozkorkmaz, Abdulmuttalip; Pehlivan, Sacide

2015-01-01

Numerous studies demonstrated that STRs have become powerful tools in forensic case work. To profile DNA samples from 104 Turkish males for 13 autosomal, STR markers intended for human identification purposes and to estimate the allele frequency distribution in forensic cases in a Turkish population. Thirteen autosomal STR loci, namely D3S1358, D2S1338, D16S539, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, TH01, D13S317, D7S820, CSF1PO, TPOX, D5S818 and FGA, were analysed in a sample of 104 healthy and unrelated Turkish individuals who have been living in the city of İzmir. All loci were amplified by using AmpFlSTR Identifier Kit. Genetic analysis was carried out on an ABI PRISM 310 Genetic Analyser. For each locus, 6-15 alleles were found with frequencies ranging from 0.005-0.514 and heterozygosities ranging from 0.686-0.868. The PIC value was highly significant (0.999). The 13 STR loci in the AmpFlSTR Identifier Kit are suitable for forensic identification and paternity tests due to high heterozygosity. The observed PD value is sufficiently high for human identification purposes. In conclusion, the 13 STR loci seem to be useful markers for personal identification and forensic case work in the Turkish population. The results also demonstrate the importance of region-specific studies.

Vergence-accommodation conflicts hinder visual performance and cause visual fatigue.

PubMed

Hoffman, David M; Girshick, Ahna R; Akeley, Kurt; Banks, Martin S

2008-03-28

Three-dimensional (3D) displays have become important for many applications including vision research, operation of remote devices, medical imaging, surgical training, scientific visualization, virtual prototyping, and more. In many of these applications, it is important for the graphic image to create a faithful impression of the 3D structure of the portrayed object or scene. Unfortunately, 3D displays often yield distortions in perceived 3D structure compared with the percepts of the real scenes the displays depict. A likely cause of such distortions is the fact that computer displays present images on one surface. Thus, focus cues-accommodation and blur in the retinal image-specify the depth of the display rather than the depths in the depicted scene. Additionally, the uncoupling of vergence and accommodation required by 3D displays frequently reduces one's ability to fuse the binocular stimulus and causes discomfort and fatigue for the viewer. We have developed a novel 3D display that presents focus cues that are correct or nearly correct for the depicted scene. We used this display to evaluate the influence of focus cues on perceptual distortions, fusion failures, and fatigue. We show that when focus cues are correct or nearly correct, (1) the time required to identify a stereoscopic stimulus is reduced, (2) stereoacuity in a time-limited task is increased, (3) distortions in perceived depth are reduced, and (4) viewer fatigue and discomfort are reduced. We discuss the implications of this work for vision research and the design and use of displays.

Two sources and two kinds of trace evidence: Enhancing the links between clothing, footwear and crime scene.

PubMed

Wiltshire, Patricia E J; Hawksworth, David L; Webb, Judy A; Edwards, Kevin J

2015-09-01

The body of a murdered woman was found on the planted periphery of a busy roundabout in Dundee, United Kingdom. A suspect was apprehended and his footwear yielded a similar palynological (botanical and mycological) profile to that obtained from the ground and vegetation of the crime scene, and to that of the victim's clothing. The sources of palynomorphs at the roundabout were the in situ vegetation, and macerated woody mulch which had been laid on the ground surface. The degree of rarity of individual forensic markers, the complexity of the overall profile, and the application of both botanical and mycological expertise, led to a high level of resolution in the results, enabling the exhibits to be linked to the crime scene. The suspect was convicted of murder. The interpretation of the results allowed conclusions which added to the list of essential protocols for crime scene sampling as well the requirement for advanced expertise in identification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of New Technologies on the Visual Attention of CSIs Performing a Crime Scene Investigation.

PubMed

de Gruijter, Madeleine; de Poot, Christianne J; Elffers, Henk

2016-01-01

Currently, a series of promising new tools are under development that will enable crime scene investigators (CSIs) to analyze traces in situ during the crime scene investigation or enable them to detect blood and provide information on the age of blood. An experiment is conducted with thirty CSIs investigating a violent robbery at a mock crime scene to study the influence of such technologies on the perception and interpretation of traces during the first phase of the investigation. Results show that in their search for traces, CSIs are not directed by the availability of technologies, which is a reassuring finding. Qualitative findings suggest that CSIs are generally more focused on analyzing perpetrator traces than on reconstructing the event. A focus on perpetrator traces might become a risk when other crime-related traces are overlooked, and when analyzed traces are in fact not crime-related and in consequence lead to the identification of innocent suspects. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Staged crime scene determination by handling physical and digital evidence: Reports and review of the literature.

PubMed

Lupariello, Francesco; Curti, Serena; Barber Duval, Janet; Abbattista, Giovanni; Di Vella, Giancarlo

2018-05-16

Geberth in 2006 stated that "staging is a conscious criminal action on the part of an offender to thwart an investigation." In the present paper two crime scenes staged by handling digital evidence are reported. The first case involves a 50-year-old woman who had been living with the offender for three years before he murdered her at the end of their relationship. He staged the scene as a sex-related crime committed by an unknown perpetrator. The second case concerns a young woman who was found dead in Southern Italy in January 2004 with a gunshot on the forehead. The boyfriend, responsible for the murder, had staged the crime scene as a suicide. Three years earlier in Germany, he had also murdered the victim's mother. In both cases, the correlation of physical and digital forensic evidence was crucial in the definition of the manner of death. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Size at emergence improves accuracy of age estimates in forensically-useful beetle Creophilus maxillosus L. (Staphylinidae).

PubMed

Matuszewski, Szymon; Frątczak-Łagiewska, Katarzyna

2018-02-05

Insects colonizing human or animal cadavers may be used to estimate post-mortem interval (PMI) usually by aging larvae or pupae sampled on a crime scene. The accuracy of insect age estimates in a forensic context is reduced by large intraspecific variation in insect development time. Here we test the concept that insect size at emergence may be used to predict insect physiological age and accordingly to improve the accuracy of age estimates in forensic entomology. Using results of laboratory study on development of forensically-useful beetle Creophilus maxillosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Staphylinidae) we demonstrate that its physiological age at emergence [i.e. thermal summation value (K) needed for emergence] fall with an increase of beetle size. In the validation study it was found that K estimated based on the adult insect size was significantly closer to the true K as compared to K from the general thermal summation model. Using beetle length at emergence as a predictor variable and male or female specific model regressing K against beetle length gave the most accurate predictions of age. These results demonstrate that size of C. maxillosus at emergence improves accuracy of age estimates in a forensic context.

Video Segmentation Descriptors for Event Recognition

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-08

Velastin, 3D Extended Histogram of Oriented Gradients (3DHOG) for Classification of Road Users in Urban Scenes , BMVC, 2009. [3] M.-Y. Chen and A. Hauptmann...computed on 3D volume outputted by the hierarchical segmentation . Each video is described as follows. Each supertube is temporally divided in n-frame...strength of these descriptors is their adaptability to the scene variations since they are grounded on a video segmentation . This makes them naturally robust

Enhanced RGB-D Mapping Method for Detailed 3D Indoor and Outdoor Modeling

PubMed Central

Tang, Shengjun; Zhu, Qing; Chen, Wu; Darwish, Walid; Wu, Bo; Hu, Han; Chen, Min

2016-01-01

RGB-D sensors (sensors with RGB camera and Depth camera) are novel sensing systems that capture RGB images along with pixel-wise depth information. Although they are widely used in various applications, RGB-D sensors have significant drawbacks including limited measurement ranges (e.g., within 3 m) and errors in depth measurement increase with distance from the sensor with respect to 3D dense mapping. In this paper, we present a novel approach to geometrically integrate the depth scene and RGB scene to enlarge the measurement distance of RGB-D sensors and enrich the details of model generated from depth images. First, precise calibration for RGB-D Sensors is introduced. In addition to the calibration of internal and external parameters for both, IR camera and RGB camera, the relative pose between RGB camera and IR camera is also calibrated. Second, to ensure poses accuracy of RGB images, a refined false features matches rejection method is introduced by combining the depth information and initial camera poses between frames of the RGB-D sensor. Then, a global optimization model is used to improve the accuracy of the camera pose, decreasing the inconsistencies between the depth frames in advance. In order to eliminate the geometric inconsistencies between RGB scene and depth scene, the scale ambiguity problem encountered during the pose estimation with RGB image sequences can be resolved by integrating the depth and visual information and a robust rigid-transformation recovery method is developed to register RGB scene to depth scene. The benefit of the proposed joint optimization method is firstly evaluated with the publicly available benchmark datasets collected with Kinect. Then, the proposed method is examined by tests with two sets of datasets collected in both outside and inside environments. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed method. PMID:27690028

Enhanced RGB-D Mapping Method for Detailed 3D Indoor and Outdoor Modeling.

PubMed

Tang, Shengjun; Zhu, Qing; Chen, Wu; Darwish, Walid; Wu, Bo; Hu, Han; Chen, Min

2016-09-27

RGB-D sensors (sensors with RGB camera and Depth camera) are novel sensing systems that capture RGB images along with pixel-wise depth information. Although they are widely used in various applications, RGB-D sensors have significant drawbacks including limited measurement ranges (e.g., within 3 m) and errors in depth measurement increase with distance from the sensor with respect to 3D dense mapping. In this paper, we present a novel approach to geometrically integrate the depth scene and RGB scene to enlarge the measurement distance of RGB-D sensors and enrich the details of model generated from depth images. First, precise calibration for RGB-D Sensors is introduced. In addition to the calibration of internal and external parameters for both, IR camera and RGB camera, the relative pose between RGB camera and IR camera is also calibrated. Second, to ensure poses accuracy of RGB images, a refined false features matches rejection method is introduced by combining the depth information and initial camera poses between frames of the RGB-D sensor. Then, a global optimization model is used to improve the accuracy of the camera pose, decreasing the inconsistencies between the depth frames in advance. In order to eliminate the geometric inconsistencies between RGB scene and depth scene, the scale ambiguity problem encountered during the pose estimation with RGB image sequences can be resolved by integrating the depth and visual information and a robust rigid-transformation recovery method is developed to register RGB scene to depth scene. The benefit of the proposed joint optimization method is firstly evaluated with the publicly available benchmark datasets collected with Kinect. Then, the proposed method is examined by tests with two sets of datasets collected in both outside and inside environments. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed method.

Complex scenes and situations visualization in hierarchical learning algorithm with dynamic 3D NeoAxis engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, James; Ternovskiy, Igor V.

2013-06-01

We applied a two stage unsupervised hierarchical learning system to model complex dynamic surveillance and cyber space monitoring systems using a non-commercial version of the NeoAxis visualization software. The hierarchical scene learning and recognition approach is based on hierarchical expectation maximization, and was linked to a 3D graphics engine for validation of learning and classification results and understanding the human - autonomous system relationship. Scene recognition is performed by taking synthetically generated data and feeding it to a dynamic logic algorithm. The algorithm performs hierarchical recognition of the scene by first examining the features of the objects to determine which objects are present, and then determines the scene based on the objects present. This paper presents a framework within which low level data linked to higher-level visualization can provide support to a human operator and be evaluated in a detailed and systematic way.

The introduction of forensic advisors in Belgium and their role in the criminal justice system.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja; Heudt, Laetitia; Barret, Aurélie; George, Lore; Van Dijk, Karolien; Gason, Fabrice; Renard, Bertrand

2018-05-01

Forensic advisors (FA) at the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC), generalists in forensic science, act as an advising body to the magistrate to improve communication between the various parties involved in the investigation: magistrate, police and crime scene investigators, and forensic experts. Their role is manifold, but their main objectives are to optimise trace processing by selecting the most pertinent traces in the context of the case and by advising magistrates on the feasibility of forensic analyses in particular circumstances in regards to the latest technical advances. Despite the absence of a legal framework governing their role and involvement in judicial cases, the demand for their services has increased over the years. Initially, forensic advisors were called for complex homicide cases. Due to the proximity with the Public Prosecutor's Office, the types of offences for which their expertise was sought have become more diverse (mainly including robbery, burglary and sexual assault cases), leading to a diversity in the types of cases handled by the forensic advisors (complex, simple and review). In many of the cases they are requested for, in addition to consulting on the best analytical strategy, forensic advisors also assume the role of case coordinator regarding the seized objects and their respective analyses. Indeed, in the majority of cases treated by the FAs, two or more types of expertise have been requested and performed, either at the internal laboratories of NICC or at external laboratories. This paper explains the role of the forensic advisors in Belgium, the path that let to their current status and problems encountered. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is 'virtual histology' the next step after the 'virtual autopsy'? Magnetic resonance microscopy in forensic medicine.

PubMed

Thali, M J; Dirnhofer, R; Becker, R; Oliver, W; Potter, K

2004-10-01

The study aimed to validate magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) studies of forensic tissue specimens (skin samples with electric injury patterns) against the results from routine histology. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are fast becoming important tools in clinical and forensic pathology. This study is the first forensic application of MRM to the analysis of electric injury patterns in human skin. Three-dimensional high-resolution MRM images of fixed skin specimens provided a complete 3D view of the damaged tissues at the site of an electric injury as well as in neighboring tissues, consistent with histologic findings. The image intensity of the dermal layer in T2-weighted MRM images was reduced in the central zone due to carbonization or coagulation necrosis and increased in the intermediate zone because of dermal edema. A subjacent blood vessel with an intravascular occlusion supports the hypothesis that current traveled through the vascular system before arcing to ground. High-resolution imaging offers a noninvasive alternative to conventional histology in forensic wound analysis and can be used to perform 3D virtual histology.

Three-dimensional simulation and auto-stereoscopic 3D display of the battlefield environment based on the particle system algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ning, Jiwei; Sang, Xinzhu; Xing, Shujun; Cui, Huilong; Yan, Binbin; Yu, Chongxiu; Dou, Wenhua; Xiao, Liquan

2016-10-01

The army's combat training is very important now, and the simulation of the real battlefield environment is of great significance. Two-dimensional information has been unable to meet the demand at present. With the development of virtual reality technology, three-dimensional (3D) simulation of the battlefield environment is possible. In the simulation of 3D battlefield environment, in addition to the terrain, combat personnel and the combat tool ,the simulation of explosions, fire, smoke and other effects is also very important, since these effects can enhance senses of realism and immersion of the 3D scene. However, these special effects are irregular objects, which make it difficult to simulate with the general geometry. Therefore, the simulation of irregular objects is always a hot and difficult research topic in computer graphics. Here, the particle system algorithm is used for simulating irregular objects. We design the simulation of the explosion, fire, smoke based on the particle system and applied it to the battlefield 3D scene. Besides, the battlefield 3D scene simulation with the glasses-free 3D display is carried out with an algorithm based on GPU 4K super-multiview 3D video real-time transformation method. At the same time, with the human-computer interaction function, we ultimately realized glasses-free 3D display of the simulated more realistic and immersed 3D battlefield environment.

Better Pictures in a Snap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Retinex Imaging Processing, winner of NASA's 1999 Space Act Award, is commercially available through TruView Imaging Company. With this technology, amateur photographers use their personal computers to improve the brightness, scene contrast, detail, and overall sharpness of images with increased ease. The process was originally developed for remote sensing of the Earth by researchers at Langley Research Center and Science and Technology Corporation (STC). It automatically enhances a digital image in terms of dynamic range compression, color independence from the spectral distribution of the scene illuminant, and color/lightness rendition. As a result, the enhanced digital image is much closer to the scene perceived by the human visual system, under all kinds and levels of lighting variations. TruView believes there are other applications for the software in medical imaging, forensics, security, recognizance, mining, assembly, and other industrial areas.

Evaluation of reliability on STR typing at leukemic patients used for forensic purposes.

PubMed

Filoglu, G; Bulbul, O; Rayimoglu, G; Yediay, F E; Zorlu, T; Ongoren, S; Altuncul, H

2014-06-01

Over the past decades, main advances in the field of molecular biology, coupled with benefits in genomic technologies, have led to detailed molecular investigations in the genetic diversity generated by researchers. Short tandem repeat (STR) loci are polymorphic loci found throughout all eukaryotic genome. DNA profiling identification, parental testing and kinship analysis by analysis of STR loci have been widely used in forensic sciences since 1993. Malignant tissues may sometimes be the source of biological material for forensic analysis, including identification of individuals or paternity testing. There are a number of studies on microsatellite instability in different types of tumors by comparing the STR profiles of malignant and healthy tissues on the same individuals. Defects in DNA repair pathways (non-repair or mis-repair) and metabolism lead to an accumulation of microsatellite alterations in genomic DNA of various cancer types that result genomic instabilities on forensic analyses. Common forms of genomic instability are loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and microsatellite instability (MSI). In this study, the applicability of autosomal STR markers, which are routinely used in forensic analysis, were investigated in order to detect genotypes in blood samples collected from leukemic patients to estimate the reliability of the results when malignant tissues are used as a source of forensic individual identification. Specimens were collected from 90 acute and 10 chronic leukemia volunteers with oral swabs as well as their paired peripheral blood samples from the Oncology Centre of the Department of Hematology at Istanbul University, during the years 2010-2011. Specimens were tested and compared with 16 somatic STR loci (CSFIPO, THO1, TPOX, vWA, D2S1338, D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11 and FGA) widely used in forensic identification and kinship. Only two STR instabilities were encountered among 100 specimens. An MSI in the FGA loci and a LOH in the D2S1338 loci were determined in two individuals separately. Our results demonstrate that the use of the biological samples from leukemia patients in forensic identification and kinship testing is questionable, especially if known microsatellite instability is available. Genetic instabilities may alter the STR polymorphism, leading to potential errors on forensic identification of individuals. Therefore, typing of autosomal STRs from leukemia patients should be performed with both healthy and malignant tissue samples of individual as references.

Three-dimensional information hierarchical encryption based on computer-generated holograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Dezhao; Shen, Xueju; Cao, Liangcai; Zhang, Hao; Zong, Song; Jin, Guofan

2016-12-01

A novel approach for encrypting three-dimensional (3-D) scene information hierarchically based on computer-generated holograms (CGHs) is proposed. The CGHs of the layer-oriented 3-D scene information are produced by angular-spectrum propagation algorithm at different depths. All the CGHs are then modulated by different chaotic random phase masks generated by the logistic map. Hierarchical encryption encoding is applied when all the CGHs are accumulated one by one, and the reconstructed volume of the 3-D scene information depends on permissions of different users. The chaotic random phase masks could be encoded into several parameters of the chaotic sequences to simplify the transmission and preservation of the keys. Optical experiments verify the proposed method and numerical simulations show the high key sensitivity, high security, and application flexibility of the method.

Study on Practical Technologies of Aerial Triangulation for Real Scene 3d Moeling with Oblique Photography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Z.; Liu, W.; Luo, G.; Xiang, Z.

2018-04-01

The key technologies in the real scene 3D modeling of oblique photography mainly include the data acquisition of oblique photography, layout and surveying of photo control points, oblique camera calibration, aerial triangulation, dense matching of multi-angle image, building of triangulation irregular network (TIN) and TIN simplification and automatic texture mapping, among which aerial triangulation is the core and the results of aerial triangulation directly affect the later model effect and the corresponding data accuracy. Starting from this point of view, this paper aims to study the practical technologies of aerial triangulation for real scene 3D modeling with oblique photography and finally proposes a technical method of aerial triangulation with oblique photography which can be put into practice.

Design of 3D simulation engine for oilfield safety training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hua-Ming; Kang, Bao-Sheng

2015-03-01

Aiming at the demand for rapid custom development of 3D simulation system for oilfield safety training, this paper designs and implements a 3D simulation engine based on script-driven method, multi-layer structure, pre-defined entity objects and high-level tools such as scene editor, script editor, program loader. A scripting language been defined to control the system's progress, events and operating results. Training teacher can use this engine to edit 3D virtual scenes, set the properties of entity objects, define the logic script of task, and produce a 3D simulation training system without any skills of programming. Through expanding entity class, this engine can be quickly applied to other virtual training areas.

Signs of depth-luminance covariance in 3-D cluttered scenes.

PubMed

Scaccia, Milena; Langer, Michael S

2018-03-01

In three-dimensional (3-D) cluttered scenes such as foliage, deeper surfaces often are more shadowed and hence darker, and so depth and luminance often have negative covariance. We examined whether the sign of depth-luminance covariance plays a role in depth perception in 3-D clutter. We compared scenes rendered with negative and positive depth-luminance covariance where positive covariance means that deeper surfaces are brighter and negative covariance means deeper surfaces are darker. For each scene, the sign of the depth-luminance covariance was given by occlusion cues. We tested whether subjects could use this sign information to judge the depth order of two target surfaces embedded in 3-D clutter. The clutter consisted of distractor surfaces that were randomly distributed in a 3-D volume. We tested three independent variables: the sign of the depth-luminance covariance, the colors of the targets and distractors, and the background luminance. An analysis of variance showed two main effects: Subjects performed better when the deeper surfaces were darker and when the color of the target surfaces was the same as the color of the distractors. There was also a strong interaction: Subjects performed better under a negative depth-luminance covariance condition when targets and distractors had different colors than when they had the same color. Our results are consistent with a "dark means deep" rule, but the use of this rule depends on the similarity between the color of the targets and color of the 3-D clutter.

The effect of wild card designations and rare alleles in forensic DNA database searches.

PubMed

Tvedebrink, Torben; Bright, Jo-Anne; Buckleton, John S; Curran, James M; Morling, Niels

2015-05-01

Forensic DNA databases are powerful tools used for the identification of persons of interest in criminal investigations. Typically, they consist of two parts: (1) a database containing DNA profiles of known individuals and (2) a database of DNA profiles associated with crime scenes. The risk of adventitious or chance matches between crimes and innocent people increases as the number of profiles within a database grows and more data is shared between various forensic DNA databases, e.g. from different jurisdictions. The DNA profiles obtained from crime scenes are often partial because crime samples may be compromised in quantity or quality. When an individual's profile cannot be resolved from a DNA mixture, ambiguity is introduced. A wild card, F, may be used in place of an allele that has dropped out or when an ambiguous profile is resolved from a DNA mixture. Variant alleles that do not correspond to any marker in the allelic ladder or appear above or below the extent of the allelic ladder range are assigned the allele designation R for rare allele. R alleles are position specific with respect to the observed/unambiguous allele. The F and R designations are made when the exact genotype has not been determined. The F and R designation are treated as wild cards for searching, which results in increased chance of adventitious matches. We investigated the probability of adventitious matches given these two types of wild cards. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimising crime scene temperature collection for forensic entomology casework.

PubMed

Hofer, Ines M J; Hart, Andrew J; Martín-Vega, Daniel; Hall, Martin J R

2017-01-01

The value of minimum post-mortem interval (minPMI) estimations in suspicious death investigations from insect evidence using temperature modelling is indisputable. In order to investigate the reliability of the collected temperature data used for modelling minPMI, it is necessary to study the effects of data logger location on the accuracy and precision of measurements. Digital data logging devices are the most commonly used temperature measuring devices in forensic entomology, however, the relationship between ambient temperatures (measured by loggers) and body temperatures has been little studied. The placement of loggers in this study in three locations (two outdoors, one indoors) had measurable effects when compared with actual body temperature measurements (simulated with pig heads), some more significant than others depending on season, exposure to the environment and logger location. Overall, the study demonstrated the complexity of the question of optimal logger placement at a crime scene and the potential impact of inaccurate temperature data on minPMI estimations, showing the importance of further research in this area and development of a standard protocol. Initial recommendations are provided for data logger placement (within a Stevenson Screen where practical), situations to avoid (e.g. placement of logger in front of windows when measuring indoor temperatures), and a baseline for further research into producing standard guidelines for logger placement, to increase the accuracy of minPMI estimations and, thereby, the reliability of forensic entomology evidence in court. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Portable X-ray Fluorescence Unit for Analyzing Crime Scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visco, A.

2003-12-01

Goddard Space Flight Center and the National Institute of Justice have teamed up to apply NASA technology to the field of forensic science. NASA hardware that is under development for future planetary robotic missions, such as Mars exploration, is being engineered into a rugged, portable, non-destructive X-ray fluorescence system for identifying gunshot residue, blood, and semen at crime scenes. This project establishes the shielding requirements that will ensure that the exposure of a user to ionizing radiation is below the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's allowable limits, and also develops the benchtop model for testing the system in a controlled environment.

Forensic veterinary radiology: ballistic-radiological 3D computertomographic reconstruction of an illegal lynx shooting in Switzerland.

PubMed

Thali, Michael J; Kneubuehl, Beat P; Bolliger, Stephan A; Christe, Andreas; Koenigsdorfer, Urs; Ozdoba, Christoph; Spielvogel, Elke; Dirnhofer, Richard

2007-08-24

The lynx, which was reintroduced to Switzerland after being exterminated at the beginning of the 20th century, is protected by Swiss law. However, poaching occurs from time to time, which makes criminal investigations necessary. In the presented case, an illegally shot lynx was examined by conventional plane radiography and three-dimensional multislice computertomography (3D MSCT), of which the latter yielded superior results with respect to documentation and reconstruction of the inflicted gunshot wounds. We believe that 3D MSCT, already described in human forensic-pathological cases, is also a suitable and promising new technique for veterinary pathology.

Investigation into Seasonal Scavenging Patterns of Raccoons on Human Decomposition.

PubMed

Jeong, Yangseung; Jantz, Lee Meadows; Smith, Jake

2016-03-01

Although raccoons are known as one of the most common scavengers in the U.S., scavenging by these animals has seldom been studied in terms of forensic significance. In this research, the seasonal pattern of raccoon scavenging and its effect on human decomposition was investigated using 178 human cadavers placed at the Anthropological Research Facility (ARF) of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) between February 2011 and December 2013. The results reveal that (i) the frequency of scavenging increases during summer, (ii) scavenging occurs relatively immediately and lasts shorter in summer months, and (iii) scavenging influences the decomposition process by hollowing limbs and by disturbing insect activities, both of which eventually increases the chance of mummification on the affected body. This information is expected to help forensic investigators identify raccoon scavenging as well as make a more precise interpretation of the effect of raccoon scavenging on bodies at crime scenes. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Shells and Bones: A Forensic Medicine Study of the Association of Terrestrial Snail Allopeas micra with Buried Human Remains in Brazil.

PubMed

Galvão, Malthus Fonseca; Pujol-Luz, José Roberto; de Assis Pujol-Luz, Cristiane Vieira; de Rosa, Cássio Thyone Almeida; Simone, Luiz Ricardo L; Báo, Sônia Nair; Barros-Cordeiro, Karine Brenda; Pessoa, Larissa; Bissacot, Giovanna

2015-09-01

Little is known regarding the scavenger fauna associated with buried human corpses, particularly in clandestine burials. We report the presence of 20 shells of the terrestrial snail Allopeas micra, within hollow bones of human remains buried for 5 years, during the process of collecting DNA material. The fact that a large number of shells of A. micra had been found in the corpse and in the crime scene supports the assumption that there was no attempt to remove the corpse from the area where the crime occurred. Despite this, our observations cannot be used to estimate the postmortem interval because there is no precise knowledge about the development of this species. This is the first record of a terrestrial snail associated with a human corpse and its role in this forensic medicine case. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

DNA methylation-based age prediction from various tissues and body fluids

PubMed Central

Jung, Sang-Eun; Shin, Kyoung-Jin; Lee, Hwan Young

2017-01-01

Aging is a natural and gradual process in human life. It is influenced by heredity, environment, lifestyle, and disease. DNA methylation varies with age, and the ability to predict the age of donor using DNA from evidence materials at a crime scene is of considerable value in forensic investigations. Recently, many studies have reported age prediction models based on DNA methylation from various tissues and body fluids. Those models seem to be very promising because of their high prediction accuracies. In this review, the changes of age-associated DNA methylation and the age prediction models for various tissues and body fluids were examined, and then the applicability of the DNA methylation-based age prediction method to the forensic investigations was discussed. This will improve the understandings about DNA methylation markers and their potential to be used as biomarkers in the forensic field, as well as the clinical field. PMID:28946940

A novel point cloud registration using 2D image features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chien-Chou; Tai, Yen-Chou; Lee, Jhong-Jin; Chen, Yong-Sheng

2017-01-01

Since a 3D scanner only captures a scene of a 3D object at a time, a 3D registration for multi-scene is the key issue of 3D modeling. This paper presents a novel and an efficient 3D registration method based on 2D local feature matching. The proposed method transforms the point clouds into 2D bearing angle images and then uses the 2D feature based matching method, SURF, to find matching pixel pairs between two images. The corresponding points of 3D point clouds can be obtained by those pixel pairs. Since the corresponding pairs are sorted by their distance between matching features, only the top half of the corresponding pairs are used to find the optimal rotation matrix by the least squares approximation. In this paper, the optimal rotation matrix is derived by orthogonal Procrustes method (SVD-based approach). Therefore, the 3D model of an object can be reconstructed by aligning those point clouds with the optimal transformation matrix. Experimental results show that the accuracy of the proposed method is close to the ICP, but the computation cost is reduced significantly. The performance is six times faster than the generalized-ICP algorithm. Furthermore, while the ICP requires high alignment similarity of two scenes, the proposed method is robust to a larger difference of viewing angle.

Cube search, revisited.

PubMed

Zhang, Xuetao; Huang, Jie; Yigit-Elliott, Serap; Rosenholtz, Ruth

2015-03-16

Observers can quickly search among shaded cubes for one lit from a unique direction. However, replace the cubes with similar 2-D patterns that do not appear to have a 3-D shape, and search difficulty increases. These results have challenged models of visual search and attention. We demonstrate that cube search displays differ from those with "equivalent" 2-D search items in terms of the informativeness of fairly low-level image statistics. This informativeness predicts peripheral discriminability of target-present from target-absent patches, which in turn predicts visual search performance, across a wide range of conditions. Comparing model performance on a number of classic search tasks, cube search does not appear unexpectedly easy. Easy cube search, per se, does not provide evidence for preattentive computation of 3-D scene properties. However, search asymmetries derived from rotating and/or flipping the cube search displays cannot be explained by the information in our current set of image statistics. This may merely suggest a need to modify the model's set of 2-D image statistics. Alternatively, it may be difficult cube search that provides evidence for preattentive computation of 3-D scene properties. By attributing 2-D luminance variations to a shaded 3-D shape, 3-D scene understanding may slow search for 2-D features of the target. © 2015 ARVO.

Cube search, revisited

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xuetao; Huang, Jie; Yigit-Elliott, Serap; Rosenholtz, Ruth

2015-01-01

Observers can quickly search among shaded cubes for one lit from a unique direction. However, replace the cubes with similar 2-D patterns that do not appear to have a 3-D shape, and search difficulty increases. These results have challenged models of visual search and attention. We demonstrate that cube search displays differ from those with “equivalent” 2-D search items in terms of the informativeness of fairly low-level image statistics. This informativeness predicts peripheral discriminability of target-present from target-absent patches, which in turn predicts visual search performance, across a wide range of conditions. Comparing model performance on a number of classic search tasks, cube search does not appear unexpectedly easy. Easy cube search, per se, does not provide evidence for preattentive computation of 3-D scene properties. However, search asymmetries derived from rotating and/or flipping the cube search displays cannot be explained by the information in our current set of image statistics. This may merely suggest a need to modify the model's set of 2-D image statistics. Alternatively, it may be difficult cube search that provides evidence for preattentive computation of 3-D scene properties. By attributing 2-D luminance variations to a shaded 3-D shape, 3-D scene understanding may slow search for 2-D features of the target. PMID:25780063

X-ray Diffraction and Rietveld Refinement in Deferrified Clays for Forensic Science.

PubMed

Prandel, Luis V; Melo, Vander de F; Brinatti, André M; Saab, Sérgio da C; Salvador, Fábio A S

2018-01-01

Soil vestiges might provide information about a crime scene. The Rietveld method with X-ray diffraction data (RM-XRD) is a nondestructive technique that makes it possible to characterize minerals present in the soils. Soil clays from the metropolitan region of Curitiba (Brazil) were submitted to DCB treatment and analyzed using XRD with CuK α radiation in the step-scan mode (0.02° 2θ/5 s). The GSAS+EXPGUI software was used for RM refinement. The RM-XRD results, together with the principal component analysis (PCA) (52.6% total variance), showed the kaolinite predominance in most analyzed samples and the highest quartz contents in "site 1." Higher anatase, and gibbsite and muscovite contents influenced discrimination, mainly in "site 3" and "site 1," respectively. These results were enough to discriminate clays of four sites and two horizons using a reduced amount of sample showing that the technique can be applied to the investigation into soil vestiges. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Influence of velocity on variability in gait kinematics: implications for recognition in forensic science.

PubMed

Yang, Sylvia X M; Larsen, Peter K; Alkjaer, Tine; Lynnerup, Niels; Simonsen, Erik B

2014-09-01

Closed circuit television (CCTV) footage is often available from crime scenes and may be used to compare perpetrators with suspects. Usually, the footage comprises incomplete gait cycles at different velocities, making gait pattern identification from crimes difficult. This study investigated the concurrence of joint angles throughout a gait cycle at three different velocities (3.0, 4.5, 6.0 km/h). Six datasets at each velocity were collected from 16 men. A variability range VR throughout the gait cycle at each velocity for each joint angle for each person was calculated. The joint angles at each velocity were compared pairwise, and whenever this showed values within the VR of this velocity, the case was positive. By adding the positives throughout the gait cycle, phases with high and low concurrences were located; peak concurrence was observed at mid-stance phase. Striving for the same velocity for the suspect and perpetrator is recommended. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Physical Mechanism, Spectral Detection, and Potential Mitigation of 3D Cloud Effects on OCO-2 Radiances and Retrievals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cochrane, S.; Schmidt, S.; Massie, S. T.; Iwabuchi, H.; Chen, H.

2017-12-01

Analysis of multiple partially cloudy scenes as observed by OCO-2 in nadir and target mode (published previously and reviewed here) revealed that XCO2 retrievals are systematically biased in presence of scattered clouds. The bias can only partially be removed by applying more stringent filtering, and it depends on the degree of scene inhomogeneity as quantified with collocated MODIS/Aqua imagery. The physical reason behind this effect was so far not well understood because in contrast to cloud-mediated biases in imagery-derived aerosol retrievals, passive gas absorption spectroscopy products do not depend on the absolute radiance level and should therefore be less sensitive to 3D cloud effects and surface albedo variability. However, preliminary evidence from 3D radiative transfer calculations suggested that clouds in the vicinity of an OCO-2 footprint not only offset the reflected radiance spectrum, but introduce a spectrally dependent perturbation that affects absorbing channels disproportionately, and therefore bias the spectroscopy products. To understand the nature of this effect for a variety of scenes, we developed the OCO-2 radiance simulator, which uses the available information on a scene (e.g., MODIS-derived surface albedo, cloud distribution, and other parameters) as the basis for 3D radiative transfer calculations that can predict the radiances observed by OCO-2. We present this new tool and show examples of its utility for a few specific scenes. More importantly, we draw conclusions about the physical mechanism behind this 3D cloud effect on radiances and ultimately OCO-2 retrievals, which involves not only the clouds themselves but also the surface. Harnessed with this understanding, we can now detect cloud vicinity effects in the OCO-2 spectra directly, without actually running the 3D radiance simulator. Potentially, it is even possible to mitigate these effects and thus increase data harvest in regions with ubiquitous cloud cover such as the Amazon. We will discuss some of the hurdles one faces when using only OCO-2 spectra to accomplish this goal, but also that scene context from the other A-Train instruments and the new radiance simulator tool can help overcome some of them.

Development of MPEG standards for 3D and free viewpoint video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolic, Aljoscha; Kimata, Hideaki; Vetro, Anthony

2005-11-01

An overview of 3D and free viewpoint video is given in this paper with special focus on related standardization activities in MPEG. Free viewpoint video allows the user to freely navigate within real world visual scenes, as known from virtual worlds in computer graphics. Suitable 3D scene representation formats are classified and the processing chain is explained. Examples are shown for image-based and model-based free viewpoint video systems, highlighting standards conform realization using MPEG-4. Then the principles of 3D video are introduced providing the user with a 3D depth impression of the observed scene. Example systems are described again focusing on their realization based on MPEG-4. Finally multi-view video coding is described as a key component for 3D and free viewpoint video systems. MPEG is currently working on a new standard for multi-view video coding. The conclusion is that the necessary technology including standard media formats for 3D and free viewpoint is available or will be available in the near future, and that there is a clear demand from industry and user side for such applications. 3DTV at home and free viewpoint video on DVD will be available soon, and will create huge new markets.

Augmented reality three-dimensional object visualization and recognition with axially distributed sensing.

PubMed

Markman, Adam; Shen, Xin; Hua, Hong; Javidi, Bahram

2016-01-15

An augmented reality (AR) smartglass display combines real-world scenes with digital information enabling the rapid growth of AR-based applications. We present an augmented reality-based approach for three-dimensional (3D) optical visualization and object recognition using axially distributed sensing (ADS). For object recognition, the 3D scene is reconstructed, and feature extraction is performed by calculating the histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) of a sliding window. A support vector machine (SVM) is then used for classification. Once an object has been identified, the 3D reconstructed scene with the detected object is optically displayed in the smartglasses allowing the user to see the object, remove partial occlusions of the object, and provide critical information about the object such as 3D coordinates, which are not possible with conventional AR devices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on combining axially distributed sensing with 3D object visualization and recognition for applications to augmented reality. The proposed approach can have benefits for many applications, including medical, military, transportation, and manufacturing.

[Postmortem imaging studies with data processing and 3D reconstruction: a new path of development of classic forensic medicine?].

PubMed

Woźniak, Krzysztof; Moskała, Artur; Urbanik, Andrzej; Kopacz, Paweł; Kłys, Małgorzata

2009-01-01

The techniques employed in "classic" forensic autopsy have been virtually unchanged for many years. One of the fundamental purposes of forensic documentation is to register as objectively as possible the changes found by forensic pathologists. The authors present the review of techniques of postmortem imaging studies, which aim not only at increased objectivity of observations, but also at extending the scope of the registered data. The paper is illustrated by images originating from research carried out by the authors.

Display of travelling 3D scenes from single integral-imaging capture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez-Corral, Manuel; Dorado, Adrian; Hong, Seok-Min; Sola-Pikabea, Jorge; Saavedra, Genaro

2016-06-01

Integral imaging (InI) is a 3D auto-stereoscopic technique that captures and displays 3D images. We present a method for easily projecting the information recorded with this technique by transforming the integral image into a plenoptic image, as well as choosing, at will, the field of view (FOV) and the focused plane of the displayed plenoptic image. Furthermore, with this method we can generate a sequence of images that simulates a camera travelling through the scene from a single integral image. The application of this method permits to improve the quality of 3D display images and videos.

Medico legal aspects of self-injection of metallic mercury in cases of suicide or self-harming.

PubMed

Da Broi, Ugo; Moreschi, Carlo; Colatutto, Antonio; Marcon, Barbara; Zago, Silvia

2017-08-01

Metallic mercury may be self-injected for suicidal or self-harm purposes or sometimes for superstitious or other inadvisable reasons. Local tissue or systemic consequences such as mercurialism can frequently occur in cases of subcutaneous or deep injection, while death due to pulmonary embolism and cardiac, brain, hepatic or renal toxicity may occur in cases of high dosage intravenous administration. The aim of this review is to focus on the diagnostic difficulties facing coroners and forensic pathologists when the courts require confirmation that evidence of self-injection of metallic mercury is the result of suicide or self-harming. Forensic examination performed on the corpses of victims who died in or out of hospital or on surviving injured or intoxicated victims showing signs of mercurialism, demands the careful evaluation of the death scene, of all related circumstances and of the clinical and autopsy data. Close interaction between forensic pathologists and toxicologists is also needed to identify and quantify mercury levels in blood, urine and tissue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Forensic entomology: applications and limitations.

PubMed

Amendt, J; Richards, C S; Campobasso, C P; Zehner, R; Hall, M J R

2011-12-01

Forensic entomology is the science of collecting and analysing insect evidence to aid in forensic investigations. Its main application is in the determination of the minimum time since death in cases of suspicious death, either by estimating the age of the oldest necrophagous insects that developed on the corpse, or by analysing the insect species composition on the corpse. In addition, toxicological and molecular examinations of these insects may help reveal the cause of death or even the identity of a victim, by associating a larva with its last meal, for example, in cases where insect evidence is left at a scene after human remains have been deliberately removed. Some fly species can develop not only on corpses but on living bodies too, causing myiasis. Analysis of larvae in such cases can demonstrate the period of neglect of humans or animals. Without the appropriate professional collection of insect evidence, an accurate and convincing presentation of such evidence in court will be hampered or even impossible. The present paper describes the principles and methods of forensic entomology and the optimal techniques for collecting insect evidence.

Source Identification of Human Biological Materials and Its Prospect in Forensic Science.

PubMed

Zou, K N; Gui, C; Gao, Y; Yang, F; Zhou, H G

2016-06-01

Source identification of human biological materials in crime scene plays an important role in reconstructing the crime process. Searching specific genetic markers to identify the source of different human biological materials is the emphasis and difficulty of the research work of legal medical experts in recent years. This paper reviews the genetic markers which are used for identifying the source of human biological materials and studied widely, such as DNA methylation, mRNA, microRNA, microflora and protein, etc. By comparing the principles and methods of source identification of human biological materials using different kinds of genetic markers, different source of human biological material owns suitable marker types and can be identified by detecting single genetic marker or combined multiple genetic markers. Though there is no uniform standard and method for identifying the source of human biological materials in forensic laboratories at present, the research and development of a series of mature and reliable methods for distinguishing different human biological materials play the role as forensic evidence which will be the future development direction. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine.

Format preferences of district attorneys for post-mortem medical imaging reports: understandability, cost effectiveness, and suitability for the courtroom: a questionnaire based study.

PubMed

Ampanozi, Garyfalia; Zimmermann, David; Hatch, Gary M; Ruder, Thomas D; Ross, Steffen; Flach, Patricia M; Thali, Michael J; Ebert, Lars C

2012-05-01

The objective of this study was to explore the perception of the legal authorities regarding different report types and visualization techniques for post-mortem radiological findings. A standardized digital questionnaire was developed and the district attorneys in the catchment area of the affiliated Forensic Institute were requested to evaluate four different types of forensic imaging reports based on four cases examples. Each case was described in four different report types (short written report only, gray-scale CT image with figure caption, color-coded CT image with figure caption, 3D-reconstruction with figure caption). The survey participants were asked to evaluate those types of reports regarding understandability, cost effectiveness and overall appropriateness for the courtroom. 3D reconstructions and color-coded CT images accompanied by written report were preferred regarding understandability and cost/effectiveness. 3D reconstructions of the forensic findings reviewed as most adequate for court. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vergence–accommodation conflicts hinder visual performance and cause visual fatigue

PubMed Central

Hoffman, David M.; Girshick, Ahna R.; Akeley, Kurt; Banks, Martin S.

2010-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) displays have become important for many applications including vision research, operation of remote devices, medical imaging, surgical training, scientific visualization, virtual prototyping, and more. In many of these applications, it is important for the graphic image to create a faithful impression of the 3D structure of the portrayed object or scene. Unfortunately, 3D displays often yield distortions in perceived 3D structure compared with the percepts of the real scenes the displays depict. A likely cause of such distortions is the fact that computer displays present images on one surface. Thus, focus cues—accommodation and blur in the retinal image—specify the depth of the display rather than the depths in the depicted scene. Additionally, the uncoupling of vergence and accommodation required by 3D displays frequently reduces one’s ability to fuse the binocular stimulus and causes discomfort and fatigue for the viewer. We have developed a novel 3D display that presents focus cues that are correct or nearly correct for the depicted scene. We used this display to evaluate the influence of focus cues on perceptual distortions, fusion failures, and fatigue. We show that when focus cues are correct or nearly correct, (1) the time required to identify a stereoscopic stimulus is reduced, (2) stereoacuity in a time-limited task is increased, (3) distortions in perceived depth are reduced, and (4) viewer fatigue and discomfort are reduced. We discuss the implications of this work for vision research and the design and use of displays. PMID:18484839

Exploring direct 3D interaction for full horizontal parallax light field displays using leap motion controller.

PubMed

Adhikarla, Vamsi Kiran; Sodnik, Jaka; Szolgay, Peter; Jakus, Grega

2015-04-14

This paper reports on the design and evaluation of direct 3D gesture interaction with a full horizontal parallax light field display. A light field display defines a visual scene using directional light beams emitted from multiple light sources as if they are emitted from scene points. Each scene point is rendered individually resulting in more realistic and accurate 3D visualization compared to other 3D displaying technologies. We propose an interaction setup combining the visualization of objects within the Field Of View (FOV) of a light field display and their selection through freehand gesture tracked by the Leap Motion Controller. The accuracy and usefulness of the proposed interaction setup was also evaluated in a user study with test subjects. The results of the study revealed high user preference for free hand interaction with light field display as well as relatively low cognitive demand of this technique. Further, our results also revealed some limitations and adjustments of the proposed setup to be addressed in future work.

3D Traffic Scene Understanding From Movable Platforms.

PubMed

Geiger, Andreas; Lauer, Martin; Wojek, Christian; Stiller, Christoph; Urtasun, Raquel

2014-05-01

In this paper, we present a novel probabilistic generative model for multi-object traffic scene understanding from movable platforms which reasons jointly about the 3D scene layout as well as the location and orientation of objects in the scene. In particular, the scene topology, geometry, and traffic activities are inferred from short video sequences. Inspired by the impressive driving capabilities of humans, our model does not rely on GPS, lidar, or map knowledge. Instead, it takes advantage of a diverse set of visual cues in the form of vehicle tracklets, vanishing points, semantic scene labels, scene flow, and occupancy grids. For each of these cues, we propose likelihood functions that are integrated into a probabilistic generative model. We learn all model parameters from training data using contrastive divergence. Experiments conducted on videos of 113 representative intersections show that our approach successfully infers the correct layout in a variety of very challenging scenarios. To evaluate the importance of each feature cue, experiments using different feature combinations are conducted. Furthermore, we show how by employing context derived from the proposed method we are able to improve over the state-of-the-art in terms of object detection and object orientation estimation in challenging and cluttered urban environments.

Forensic Science Research and Development at the National Institute of Justice: Opportunities in Applied Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutton, Gregory

Forensic science is a collection of applied disciplines that draws from all branches of science. A key question in forensic analysis is: to what degree do a piece of evidence and a known reference sample share characteristics? Quantification of similarity, estimation of uncertainty, and determination of relevant population statistics are of current concern. A 2016 PCAST report questioned the foundational validity and the validity in practice of several forensic disciplines, including latent fingerprints, firearms comparisons and DNA mixture interpretation. One recommendation was the advancement of objective, automated comparison methods based on image analysis and machine learning. These concerns parallel the National Institute of Justice's ongoing R&D investments in applied chemistry, biology and physics. NIJ maintains a funding program spanning fundamental research with potential for forensic application to the validation of novel instruments and methods. Since 2009, NIJ has funded over 179M in external research to support the advancement of accuracy, validity and efficiency in the forensic sciences. An overview of NIJ's programs will be presented, with examples of relevant projects from fluid dynamics, 3D imaging, acoustics, and materials science.

Two cloud-based cues for estimating scene structure and camera calibration.

PubMed

Jacobs, Nathan; Abrams, Austin; Pless, Robert

2013-10-01

We describe algorithms that use cloud shadows as a form of stochastically structured light to support 3D scene geometry estimation. Taking video captured from a static outdoor camera as input, we use the relationship of the time series of intensity values between pairs of pixels as the primary input to our algorithms. We describe two cues that relate the 3D distance between a pair of points to the pair of intensity time series. The first cue results from the fact that two pixels that are nearby in the world are more likely to be under a cloud at the same time than two distant points. We describe methods for using this cue to estimate focal length and scene structure. The second cue is based on the motion of cloud shadows across the scene; this cue results in a set of linear constraints on scene structure. These constraints have an inherent ambiguity, which we show how to overcome by combining the cloud motion cue with the spatial cue. We evaluate our method on several time lapses of real outdoor scenes.

Testing a Novel 3D Printed Radiographic Imaging Device for Use in Forensic Odontology.

PubMed

Newcomb, Tara L; Bruhn, Ann M; Giles, Bridget; Garcia, Hector M; Diawara, Norou

2017-01-01

There are specific challenges related to forensic dental radiology and difficulties in aligning X-ray equipment to teeth of interest. Researchers used 3D printing to create a new device, the combined holding and aiming device (CHAD), to address the positioning limitations of current dental X-ray devices. Participants (N = 24) used the CHAD, soft dental wax, and a modified external aiming device (MEAD) to determine device preference, radiographer's efficiency, and technique errors. Each participant exposed six X-rays per device for a total of 432 X-rays scored. A significant difference was found at the 0.05 level between the three devices (p = 0.0015), with the MEAD having the least amount of total errors and soft dental wax taking the least amount of time. Total errors were highest when participants used soft dental wax-both the MEAD and the CHAD performed best overall. Further research in forensic dental radiology and use of holding devices is needed. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic Facial Reconstruction: The Final Frontier.

PubMed

Gupta, Sonia; Gupta, Vineeta; Vij, Hitesh; Vij, Ruchieka; Tyagi, Nutan

2015-09-01

Forensic facial reconstruction can be used to identify unknown human remains when other techniques fail. Through this article, we attempt to review the different methods of facial reconstruction reported in literature. There are several techniques of doing facial reconstruction, which vary from two dimensional drawings to three dimensional clay models. With the advancement in 3D technology, a rapid, efficient and cost effective computerized 3D forensic facial reconstruction method has been developed which has brought down the degree of error previously encountered. There are several methods of manual facial reconstruction but the combination Manchester method has been reported to be the best and most accurate method for the positive recognition of an individual. Recognition allows the involved government agencies to make a list of suspected victims'. This list can then be narrowed down and a positive identification may be given by the more conventional method of forensic medicine. Facial reconstruction allows visual identification by the individual's family and associates to become easy and more definite.

Medicolegal Investigations Into Deaths Due to Crush Asphyxia After Tractor Side Rollovers.

PubMed

Moreschi, Carlo; Da Broi, Ugo; Fanzutto, Antonia; Cividino, Sirio; Gubiani, Rino; Pergher, Gianfranco

2017-12-01

Farm tractors are large, heavy, powerful vehicles with a high center of gravity. When driven carelessly on sloping, irregular, or slippery ground, tractors can overturn sideways and cause the death by crush asphyxia of the driver or passengers, especially if appropriate safety equipment is not fitted or used. The aim of this review is to focus on the diagnostic difficulties with which coroners and forensic pathologists have to cope when a confirmation of crush asphyxia after tractor side rollover is required by judicial authorities. Forensic investigations in such cases must involve the meticulous analysis of the death scene and the mechanical characteristics of the vehicle together with accurate postmortem and toxicological examination.

A View to the Future: A Novel Approach for 3D-3D Superimposition and Quantification of Differences for Identification from Next-Generation Video Surveillance Systems.

PubMed

Gibelli, Daniele; De Angelis, Danilo; Poppa, Pasquale; Sforza, Chiarella; Cattaneo, Cristina

2017-03-01

Techniques of 2D-3D superimposition are widely used in cases of personal identification from video surveillance systems. However, the progressive improvement of 3D image acquisition technology will enable operators to perform also 3D-3D facial superimposition. This study aims at analyzing the possible applications of 3D-3D superimposition to personal identification, although from a theoretical point of view. Twenty subjects underwent a facial 3D scan by stereophotogrammetry twice at different time periods. Scans were superimposed two by two according to nine landmarks, and root-mean-square (RMS) value of point-to-point distances was calculated. When the two superimposed models belonged to the same individual, RMS value was 2.10 mm, while it was 4.47 mm in mismatches with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001). This experiment shows the potential of 3D-3D superimposition: Further studies are needed to ascertain technical limits which may occur in practice and to improve methods useful in the forensic practice. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Creating photo-realistic works in a 3D scene using layers styles to create an animation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avramescu, A. M.

2015-11-01

Creating realist objects in a 3D scene is not an easy work. We have to be very careful to make the creation very detailed. If we don't know how to make these photo-realistic works, by using the techniques and a good reference photo we can create an amazing amount of detail and realism. For example, in this article there are some of these detailed methods from which we can learn the techniques necessary to make beautiful and realistic objects in a scene. More precisely, in this paper, we present how to create a 3D animated scene, mainly using the Pen Tool and Blending Options. Indeed, this work is based on teaching some simple ways of using the Layer Styles to create some great shadows, lights, textures and a realistic sense of 3 Dimension. The present work involves also showing how some interesting ways of using the illuminating and rendering options can create a realistic effect in a scene. Moreover, this article shows how to create photo realistic 3D models from a digital image. The present work proposes to present how to use Illustrator paths, texturing, basic lighting and rendering, how to apply textures and how to parent the building and objects components. We also propose to use this proposition to recreate smaller details or 3D objects from a 2D image. After a critic art stage, we are able now to present in this paper the architecture of a design method that proposes to create an animation. The aim is to create a conceptual and methodological tutorial to address this issue both scientifically and in practice. This objective also includes proposing, on strong scientific basis, a model that gives the possibility of a better understanding of the techniques necessary to create a realistic animation.

Visual Object Recognition with 3D-Aware Features in KITTI Urban Scenes

PubMed Central

Yebes, J. Javier; Bergasa, Luis M.; García-Garrido, Miguel Ángel

2015-01-01

Driver assistance systems and autonomous robotics rely on the deployment of several sensors for environment perception. Compared to LiDAR systems, the inexpensive vision sensors can capture the 3D scene as perceived by a driver in terms of appearance and depth cues. Indeed, providing 3D image understanding capabilities to vehicles is an essential target in order to infer scene semantics in urban environments. One of the challenges that arises from the navigation task in naturalistic urban scenarios is the detection of road participants (e.g., cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles). In this regard, this paper tackles the detection and orientation estimation of cars, pedestrians and cyclists, employing the challenging and naturalistic KITTI images. This work proposes 3D-aware features computed from stereo color images in order to capture the appearance and depth peculiarities of the objects in road scenes. The successful part-based object detector, known as DPM, is extended to learn richer models from the 2.5D data (color and disparity), while also carrying out a detailed analysis of the training pipeline. A large set of experiments evaluate the proposals, and the best performing approach is ranked on the KITTI website. Indeed, this is the first work that reports results with stereo data for the KITTI object challenge, achieving increased detection ratios for the classes car and cyclist compared to a baseline DPM. PMID:25903553

Visual Object Recognition with 3D-Aware Features in KITTI Urban Scenes.

PubMed

Yebes, J Javier; Bergasa, Luis M; García-Garrido, Miguel Ángel

2015-04-20

Driver assistance systems and autonomous robotics rely on the deployment of several sensors for environment perception. Compared to LiDAR systems, the inexpensive vision sensors can capture the 3D scene as perceived by a driver in terms of appearance and depth cues. Indeed, providing 3D image understanding capabilities to vehicles is an essential target in order to infer scene semantics in urban environments. One of the challenges that arises from the navigation task in naturalistic urban scenarios is the detection of road participants (e.g., cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles). In this regard, this paper tackles the detection and orientation estimation of cars, pedestrians and cyclists, employing the challenging and naturalistic KITTI images. This work proposes 3D-aware features computed from stereo color images in order to capture the appearance and depth peculiarities of the objects in road scenes. The successful part-based object detector, known as DPM, is extended to learn richer models from the 2.5D data (color and disparity), while also carrying out a detailed analysis of the training pipeline. A large set of experiments evaluate the proposals, and the best performing approach is ranked on the KITTI website. Indeed, this is the first work that reports results with stereo data for the KITTI object challenge, achieving increased detection ratios for the classes car and cyclist compared to a baseline DPM.

Towards disparity joint upsampling for robust stereoscopic endoscopic scene reconstruction in robotic prostatectomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xiongbiao; McLeod, A. Jonathan; Jayarathne, Uditha L.; Pautler, Stephen E.; Schlacta, Christopher M.; Peters, Terry M.

2016-03-01

Three-dimensional (3-D) scene reconstruction from stereoscopic binocular laparoscopic videos is an effective way to expand the limited surgical field and augment the structure visualization of the organ being operated in minimally invasive surgery. However, currently available reconstruction approaches are limited by image noise, occlusions, textureless and blurred structures. In particular, an endoscope inside the body only has the limited light source resulting in illumination non-uniformities in the visualized field. These limitations unavoidably deteriorate the stereo image quality and hence lead to low-resolution and inaccurate disparity maps, resulting in blurred edge structures in 3-D scene reconstruction. This paper proposes an improved stereo correspondence framework that integrates cost-volume filtering with joint upsampling for robust disparity estimation. Joint bilateral upsampling, joint geodesic upsampling, and tree filtering upsampling were compared to enhance the disparity accuracy. The experimental results demonstrate that joint upsampling provides an effective way to boost the disparity estimation and hence to improve the surgical endoscopic scene 3-D reconstruction. Moreover, the bilateral upsampling generally outperforms the other two upsampling methods in disparity estimation.

Procedural 3d Modelling for Traditional Settlements. The Case Study of Central Zagori

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitsakis, D.; Tsiliakou, E.; Labropoulos, T.; Dimopoulou, E.

2017-02-01

Over the last decades 3D modelling has been a fast growing field in Geographic Information Science, extensively applied in various domains including reconstruction and visualization of cultural heritage, especially monuments and traditional settlements. Technological advances in computer graphics, allow for modelling of complex 3D objects achieving high precision and accuracy. Procedural modelling is an effective tool and a relatively novel method, based on algorithmic modelling concept. It is utilized for the generation of accurate 3D models and composite facade textures from sets of rules which are called Computer Generated Architecture grammars (CGA grammars), defining the objects' detailed geometry, rather than altering or editing the model manually. In this paper, procedural modelling tools have been exploited to generate the 3D model of a traditional settlement in the region of Central Zagori in Greece. The detailed geometries of 3D models derived from the application of shape grammars on selected footprints, and the process resulted in a final 3D model, optimally describing the built environment of Central Zagori, in three levels of Detail (LoD). The final 3D scene was exported and published as 3D web-scene which can be viewed with 3D CityEngine viewer, giving a walkthrough the whole model, same as in virtual reality or game environments. This research work addresses issues regarding textures' precision, LoD for 3D objects and interactive visualization within one 3D scene, as well as the effectiveness of large scale modelling, along with the benefits and drawbacks that derive from procedural modelling techniques in the field of cultural heritage and more specifically on 3D modelling of traditional settlements.

DNA Profiling of Convicted Offender Samples for the Combined DNA Index System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Millard, Julie T

2011-01-01

The cornerstone of forensic chemistry is that a perpetrator inevitably leaves trace evidence at a crime scene. One important type of evidence is DNA, which has been instrumental in both the implication and exoneration of thousands of suspects in a wide range of crimes. The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a network of DNA databases, provides…

Phase 1 Development Report for the SESSA Toolkit

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

data acquisition, data management, and data analysis. SESSA was designed to meet forensic crime scene needs as defined by the DoD’s Military Criminal...on the design , functional attributes, algorithm development, system architecture, and software programming include: Robert Knowlton, Brad Melton...Building Restoration Operations Optimization Model (BROOM). BROOM (Knowlton et al., 2012) was designed for consequence management activities (e.g

Recreating Death's Acre in the School Yard: Using Pig Carcasses as Model Corpses to Teach Concepts of Forensic Entomology & Ecological Succession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoenly, Kenneth G.; Haskell, Neal H.; Mills, David K.; Bieme-Ndi, Carine; Larsen, Kristie; Lee, Yer

2006-01-01

In this article, the authors describe how to construct a mock crime scene, acquire a pig carcass, sample its arthropod fauna, integrate photographic, climatic and arthropod successional data, and estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) from insect successional timetables. The experimental layout described in this article represents the untreated…

Three-dimensional model-based object recognition and segmentation in cluttered scenes.

PubMed

Mian, Ajmal S; Bennamoun, Mohammed; Owens, Robyn

2006-10-01

Viewpoint independent recognition of free-form objects and their segmentation in the presence of clutter and occlusions is a challenging task. We present a novel 3D model-based algorithm which performs this task automatically and efficiently. A 3D model of an object is automatically constructed offline from its multiple unordered range images (views). These views are converted into multidimensional table representations (which we refer to as tensors). Correspondences are automatically established between these views by simultaneously matching the tensors of a view with those of the remaining views using a hash table-based voting scheme. This results in a graph of relative transformations used to register the views before they are integrated into a seamless 3D model. These models and their tensor representations constitute the model library. During online recognition, a tensor from the scene is simultaneously matched with those in the library by casting votes. Similarity measures are calculated for the model tensors which receive the most votes. The model with the highest similarity is transformed to the scene and, if it aligns accurately with an object in the scene, that object is declared as recognized and is segmented. This process is repeated until the scene is completely segmented. Experiments were performed on real and synthetic data comprised of 55 models and 610 scenes and an overall recognition rate of 95 percent was achieved. Comparison with the spin images revealed that our algorithm is superior in terms of recognition rate and efficiency.

Computational Approach to Identify Different Injuries by Firearms.

PubMed

Costa, Sarah Teixeira; Freire, Alexandre Rodrigues; Matoso, Rodrigo Ivo; Daruge Júnior, Eduardo; Rossi, Ana Cláudia; Prado, Felippe Bevilacqua

2017-03-01

Complications arise in the analysis of gunshot wounds to the maxillofacial region, when neither the projectile nor the gun is found at the crime scene. We simulated 5- and 15-cm firing distances at a human mandible to investigate the external morphology of entrance wounds based on fire range. The ammunition models, .40-caliber S&W, .380-caliber, and 9 × 19-mm Luger, were constructed with free-form NURBS surfaces. In a dynamic simulation, projectiles were fired against mandibular body 3D model at 5 and 15 cm. All entrance wounds presented oval aspect. Maximum diameter and von Mises stress values were 16.5 mm and 50.8 MPa, both for .40-caliber S&W fired at 5 cm. The maximum energy loss was 138.4 J for .40 S&W fired at 15 cm. In conclusion, the mandible was most affected by .40-caliber S&W and morphological differences were observable in holes caused by different incoming projectile calibers fired at different distances. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Utilising E-on Vue and Unity 3D scenes to generate synthetic images and videos for visible signature analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madden, Christopher S.; Richards, Noel J.; Culpepper, Joanne B.

2016-10-01

This paper investigates the ability to develop synthetic scenes in an image generation tool, E-on Vue, and a gaming engine, Unity 3D, which can be used to generate synthetic imagery of target objects across a variety of conditions in land environments. Developments within these tools and gaming engines have allowed the computer gaming industry to dramatically enhance the realism of the games they develop; however they utilise short cuts to ensure that the games run smoothly in real-time to create an immersive effect. Whilst these short cuts may have an impact upon the realism of the synthetic imagery, they do promise a much more time efficient method of developing imagery of different environmental conditions and to investigate the dynamic aspect of military operations that is currently not evaluated in signature analysis. The results presented investigate how some of the common image metrics used in target acquisition modelling, namely the Δμ1, Δμ2, Δμ3, RSS, and Doyle metrics, perform on the synthetic scenes generated by E-on Vue and Unity 3D compared to real imagery of similar scenes. An exploration of the time required to develop the various aspects of the scene to enhance its realism are included, along with an overview of the difficulties associated with trying to recreate specific locations as a virtual scene. This work is an important start towards utilising virtual worlds for visible signature evaluation, and evaluating how equivalent synthetic imagery is to real photographs.

Determining the optimal forensic DNA analysis procedure following investigation of sample quality.

PubMed

Hedell, Ronny; Hedman, Johannes; Mostad, Petter

2018-07-01

Crime scene traces of various types are routinely sent to forensic laboratories for analysis, generally with the aim of addressing questions about the source of the trace. The laboratory may choose to analyse the samples in different ways depending on the type and quality of the sample, the importance of the case and the cost and performance of the available analysis methods. Theoretically well-founded guidelines for the choice of analysis method are, however, lacking in most situations. In this paper, it is shown how such guidelines can be created using Bayesian decision theory. The theory is applied to forensic DNA analysis, showing how the information from the initial qPCR analysis can be utilized. It is assumed the alternatives for analysis are using a standard short tandem repeat (STR) DNA analysis assay, using the standard assay and a complementary assay, or the analysis may be cancelled following quantification. The decision is based on information about the DNA amount and level of DNA degradation of the forensic sample, as well as case circumstances and the cost for analysis. Semi-continuous electropherogram models are used for simulation of DNA profiles and for computation of likelihood ratios. It is shown how tables and graphs, prepared beforehand, can be used to quickly find the optimal decision in forensic casework.

Examination of the "CSI Effect" on Perceptions of Scientific and Testimonial Evidence in a Hong Kong Chinese Sample.

PubMed

Hui, Cora Y T; Lo, T Wing

2017-05-01

Television is a powerful medium through which to convey information and messages to the public. The recent proliferation of forensic science and criminal justice information throughout all forms of media, coupled with raised expectations toward forensic evidence, has led some to suspect that a "CSI effect" ( Crime Scene Investigation effect) is taking place. The present study contributes to the literature addressing the CSI effect in two ways. First, it examines whether the CSI effect exists in the Chinese population of Hong Kong. Second, using a mock-jury paradigm, it empirically examines a more integrative perspective of the CSI effect. It was found that, although the amount of media coverage involving forensic evidence does influence participants' perception of legal evidence to some degree, such a perception does not affect participants' legal decision making. Viewers of forensic dramas were not more likely to convict the defendant when forensic evidence was presented and not less likely to convict when only testimonial evidence was presented. The only significant predictor of the defendant's culpability when scientific evidence was presented was participants' ratings of the reliability of scientific evidence. Results from the present study lend no support to the existence of the CSI effect in Hong Kong.

Augmented reality glass-free three-dimensional display with the stereo camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Bo; Sang, Xinzhu; Chen, Duo; Xing, Shujun; Yu, Xunbo; Yan, Binbin; Wang, Kuiru; Yu, Chongxiu

2017-10-01

An improved method for Augmented Reality (AR) glass-free three-dimensional (3D) display based on stereo camera used for presenting parallax contents from different angle with lenticular lens array is proposed. Compared with the previous implementation method of AR techniques based on two-dimensional (2D) panel display with only one viewpoint, the proposed method can realize glass-free 3D display of virtual objects and real scene with 32 virtual viewpoints. Accordingly, viewers can get abundant 3D stereo information from different viewing angles based on binocular parallax. Experimental results show that this improved method based on stereo camera can realize AR glass-free 3D display, and both of virtual objects and real scene have realistic and obvious stereo performance.

[Forensic entomology exemplified by a homicide. A combined stain and postmortem time analysis].

PubMed

Benecke, M; Seifert, B

1999-01-01

The combined analysis of both ant and blow fly evidence recovered from a corpse, and from the boot of a suspect, suggested that an assumed scenario in a high profile murder case was likely to be true. The ants (Lasius fuliginous) were used as classical crime scene stains that linked the suspect to the scene. Blow fly maggots (Calliphora spec.) helped to determine the post mortem interval (PMI) with the calculated PMI overlapping with the assumed time of the killing. In the trial, the results of the medico-legal analysis of the insects was understood to be crucial scientific evidence, and the suspect was sentenced to 8 years in prison.

Real-time visual tracking of less textured three-dimensional objects on mobile platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Byung-Kuk; Park, Jungsik; Park, Hanhoon; Park, Jong-Il

2012-12-01

Natural feature-based approaches are still challenging for mobile applications (e.g., mobile augmented reality), because they are feasible only in limited environments such as highly textured and planar scenes/objects, and they need powerful mobile hardware for fast and reliable tracking. In many cases where conventional approaches are not effective, three-dimensional (3-D) knowledge of target scenes would be beneficial. We present a well-established framework for real-time visual tracking of less textured 3-D objects on mobile platforms. Our framework is based on model-based tracking that efficiently exploits partially known 3-D scene knowledge such as object models and a background's distinctive geometric or photometric knowledge. Moreover, we elaborate on implementation in order to make it suitable for real-time vision processing on mobile hardware. The performance of the framework is tested and evaluated on recent commercially available smartphones, and its feasibility is shown by real-time demonstrations.

Computer 3D site model generation based on aerial images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheltov, Sergey Y.; Blokhinov, Yuri B.; Stepanov, Alexander A.; Skryabin, Sergei V.; Sibiriakov, Alexandre V.

1997-07-01

The technology for 3D model design of real world scenes and its photorealistic rendering are current topics of investigation. Development of such technology is very attractive to implement in vast varieties of applications: military mission planning, crew training, civil engineering, architecture, virtual reality entertainments--just a few were mentioned. 3D photorealistic models of urban areas are often discussed now as upgrade from existing 2D geographic information systems. Possibility of site model generation with small details depends on two main factors: available source dataset and computer power resources. In this paper PC based technology is presented, so the scenes of middle resolution (scale of 1:1000) be constructed. Types of datasets are the gray level aerial stereo pairs of photographs (scale of 1:14000) and true color on ground photographs of buildings (scale ca.1:1000). True color terrestrial photographs are also necessary for photorealistic rendering, that in high extent improves human perception of the scene.

Large-Scale Partial-Duplicate Image Retrieval and Its Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-23

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: The explosive growth of Internet Media (partial-duplicate/similar images, 3D objects, 3D models, etc.) sheds bright...light on many promising applications in forensics, surveillance, 3D animation, mobile visual search, and 3D model/object search. Compared with the...and stable spatial configuration. Compared with the general 2D objects, 3D models/objects consist of 3D data information (typically a list of

A 360-degree floating 3D display based on light field regeneration.

PubMed

Xia, Xinxing; Liu, Xu; Li, Haifeng; Zheng, Zhenrong; Wang, Han; Peng, Yifan; Shen, Weidong

2013-05-06

Using light field reconstruction technique, we can display a floating 3D scene in the air, which is 360-degree surrounding viewable with correct occlusion effect. A high-frame-rate color projector and flat light field scanning screen are used in the system to create the light field of real 3D scene in the air above the spinning screen. The principle and display performance of this approach are investigated in this paper. The image synthesis method for all the surrounding viewpoints is analyzed, and the 3D spatial resolution and angular resolution of the common display zone are employed to evaluate display performance. The prototype is achieved and the real 3D color animation image has been presented vividly. The experimental results verified the representability of this method.

Semantic point cloud interpretation based on optimal neighborhoods, relevant features and efficient classifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinmann, Martin; Jutzi, Boris; Hinz, Stefan; Mallet, Clément

2015-07-01

3D scene analysis in terms of automatically assigning 3D points a respective semantic label has become a topic of great importance in photogrammetry, remote sensing, computer vision and robotics. In this paper, we address the issue of how to increase the distinctiveness of geometric features and select the most relevant ones among these for 3D scene analysis. We present a new, fully automated and versatile framework composed of four components: (i) neighborhood selection, (ii) feature extraction, (iii) feature selection and (iv) classification. For each component, we consider a variety of approaches which allow applicability in terms of simplicity, efficiency and reproducibility, so that end-users can easily apply the different components and do not require expert knowledge in the respective domains. In a detailed evaluation involving 7 neighborhood definitions, 21 geometric features, 7 approaches for feature selection, 10 classifiers and 2 benchmark datasets, we demonstrate that the selection of optimal neighborhoods for individual 3D points significantly improves the results of 3D scene analysis. Additionally, we show that the selection of adequate feature subsets may even further increase the quality of the derived results while significantly reducing both processing time and memory consumption.

Forensic odontology education:from undergraduate to PhD - a Brazilian experience.

PubMed

Dietrichkeit Pereira, J G; Frontanilla Recalde, T S; Barreto Costa, P; Jacometti, V; Vigorito Magalhães, L; Alves Da Silva, R H

2017-12-01

Forensic Odontology is a topic present in the majority of Dental Schools in Brazil, and due to this reality, some universities develop activities related to undergraduate and graduate students, from the Dentistry course until the Ph.D. degree. To present the education experience related to Forensic Odontology at School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto (USP - University of São Paulo), showing the strategies and activities in the different degrees (Dental course, Forensic Odontology Specialization Program, Specific Professional Training, Master, and Ph.D.). To the undergraduate students, many activities are developed in order to demonstrate all the possibilities that Forensic Dentistry allow, including theoretical and practical activities; in the Forensic Odontology Specialization Program, the dentists are trained to act as Forensic Odontologists in all its amplitude; in the Specific Professional Training, some courses are available, related to specific topics as DVI, Forensic Facial Reconstruction, Auditor in Dental Care Insurance and others; and in the Master and Ph.D. Programs, the professionals receive training in skills like teaching, research, student's guidance and others. In Brazil, Forensic Odontology is a well-known field in Dentistry and universities develop an important role in training a qualified workforce.

Factors leading to the involvement of Forensic Advisors in the Belgian criminal justice system.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja

2018-04-01

Forensic Advisors at the National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology in Brussels act as advising body to the magistrate regarding analytical possibilities and the usefulness of trace analysis in a case. Initially, their function was devised to assist in complex murder cases with unknown offender. However, in a previous study, the increasing diversity of the cases they are requested for has been observed (Bitzer et al., in press). In order to deepen our understanding of the decision steps in the criminal investigation process, the decision to involve a Forensic Advisor and the factors leading to their involvement were evaluated. The study focused on homicide, robbery and burglary cases with and without requests for a Forensic Advisor between January 2014 and June 2016. The factors were categorised into five knowledge dimensions: strategic, immediate, physical, criminal and utility. Decision tree modelling was carried out in order to identify the factors influencing the request for a Forensic Advisor in the case. The decision to request a Forensic Advisor differs between different types of offences. It also depends on the complexity of the case in terms of the number of traces and objects collected at the crime scene, and the availability of witness reports. Indeed, Forensic Advisors take the role of trace analysis coordinator by providing an overview of all available traces, objects, analyses and results. According to the principal implication factors and the performed case study, the contribution of Forensic Advisors consists mainly in summarising all information and advise on potential additional analyses. This might be explained by a loss of overview of the information and the possibilities regarding trace analysis by the magistrate responsible of the case. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Soil forensics: How far can soil clay analysis distinguish between soil vestiges?

PubMed

Corrêa, R S; Melo, V F; Abreu, G G F; Sousa, M H; Chaker, J A; Gomes, J A

2018-03-01

Soil traces are useful as forensic evidences because they frequently adhere to individuals and objects associated with crimes and can place or discard a suspect at/from a crime scene. Soil is a mixture of organic and inorganic components and among them soil clay contains signatures that make it reliable as forensic evidence. In this study, we hypothesized that soils can be forensically distinguished through the analysis of their clay fraction alone, and that samples of the same soil type can be consistently distinguished according to the distance they were collected from each other. To test these hypotheses 16 Oxisol samples were collected at distances of between 2m and 1.000m, and 16 Inceptisol samples were collected at distances of between 2m and 300m from each other. Clay fractions were extracted from soil samples and analyzed for hyperspectral color reflectance (HSI), X-ray diffraction crystallographic (XRD), and for contents of iron oxides, kaolinite and gibbsite. The dataset was submitted to multivariate analysis and results were from 65% to 100% effective to distinguish between samples from the two soil types. Both soil types could be consistently distinguished for forensic purposes according to the distance that samples were collected from each other: 1000m for Oxisol and 10m for Inceptisol. Clay color and XRD analysis were the most effective techniques to distinguish clay samples, and Inceptisol samples were more easily distinguished than Oxisol samples. Soil forensics seems a promising field for soil scientists as soil clay can be useful as forensic evidence by using routine analytical techniques from soil science. Copyright © 2017 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Features of the traffic accidents happened in the province of Aydın between 2005 and 2011.

PubMed

Dirlik, Musa; Bostancıoğlu, Başak Çakır; Elbek, Tülay; Korkmaz, Bedir; Çallak Kallem, Füsun; Gün, Berk

2014-09-01

In this study, it was aimed to analyze the traffic accidents with postmortem examinations and autopsies. From the one thousand eight hundred and fifteen forensic autopsies, reports of 334 traffic accidents were searched. Features such as the scene of the accident, type of the accident, type of the vehicles involved in the accident, the year, season, day and hour of the accident, the positions of the victims in the traffic, concomitant orthopedic injuries, whether autopsy was performed, and cause of death were investigated. Among the one thousand eight hundred and fifteen forensic death cases, observed cause of death was determined to be traffic accidents in 334 (18.4%) cases. Male cases accounted 84.1%, and male to female ratio was 5.3 to 1. From the reports, 32.6% of the accidents happened in summer and most commonly during holidays (33%). The rate of the accidents happened in the city center was 35.3% and 32.9% of these cases died due to pedestrian collision. Moreover, it was determined that the most injured person was the driver. Automobiles took the lead in the causes of the traffic accidents. It is realized that traffic accident-related deaths have a substantial place among forensic deaths and continue to be an important public health problem. It is conspicuous that improving public education on traffic safety, increasing traffic management and control measures are of great significance.

Generation, recognition, and consistent fusion of partial boundary representations from range images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohlhepp, Peter; Hanczak, Andrzej M.; Li, Gang

1994-10-01

This paper presents SOMBRERO, a new system for recognizing and locating 3D, rigid, non- moving objects from range data. The objects may be polyhedral or curved, partially occluding, touching or lying flush with each other. For data collection, we employ 2D time- of-flight laser scanners mounted to a moving gantry robot. By combining sensor and robot coordinates, we obtain 3D cartesian coordinates. Boundary representations (Brep's) provide view independent geometry models that are both efficiently recognizable and derivable automatically from sensor data. SOMBRERO's methods for generating, matching and fusing Brep's are highly synergetic. A split-and-merge segmentation algorithm with dynamic triangular builds a partial (21/2D) Brep from scattered data. The recognition module matches this scene description with a model database and outputs recognized objects, their positions and orientations, and possibly surfaces corresponding to unknown objects. We present preliminary results in scene segmentation and recognition. Partial Brep's corresponding to different range sensors or viewpoints can be merged into a consistent, complete and irredundant 3D object or scene model. This fusion algorithm itself uses the recognition and segmentation methods.

Age Estimation with DNA: From Forensic DNA Fingerprinting to Forensic (Epi)Genomics: A Mini-Review.

PubMed

Parson, Walther

2018-01-01

Forensic genetics developed from protein-based techniques a quarter of a century ago and became famous as "DNA fingerprinting," this being based on restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of high-molecular-weight DNA. The amplification of much smaller short tandem repeat (STR) sequences using the polymerase chain reaction soon replaced RFLP analysis and advanced to become the gold standard in genetic identification. Meanwhile, STR multiplexes have been developed and made commercially available which simultaneously amplify up to 30 STR loci from as little as 15 cells or fewer. The enormous information content that comes with the large variety of observed STR genotypes allows for genetic individualisation (with the exception of identical twins). Carefully selected core STR loci form the basis of intelligence-led DNA databases that provide investigative leads by linking unsolved crime scenes and criminals through their matched STR profiles. Nevertheless, the success of modern DNA fingerprinting depends on the availability of reference material from suspects. In order to provide new investigative leads in cases where such reference samples are absent, forensic scientists started to explore the prediction of phenotypic traits from the DNA of the evidentiary sample. This paradigm change now uses DNA and epigenetic markers to forecast characteristics that are useful to triage further investigative work. So far, the best investigated externally visible characteristics are eye, hair and skin colour, as well as geographic ancestry and age. Information on the chronological age of a stain donor (or any sample donor) is elemental for forensic investigations in a number of aspects and has, therefore, been explored by researchers in some detail. Among different methodological approaches tested to date, the methylation-sensitive analysis of carefully selected DNA markers (CpG sites) has brought the most promising results by providing prediction accuracies of ±3-4 years, which can be comparable to, or even surpass those from, eyewitness reports. This mini-review puts recent developments in age estimation via (epi)genetic methods in the context of the requirements and goals of forensic genetics and highlights paths to follow in the future of forensic genomics. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The use of dental putty in the assessment of hard surfaces within paved urban areas that may leave defined or patterned marks on bodies.

PubMed

Johnson, Oliver Ross; Lyall, Matt; Johnson, Christopher Paul

2015-04-01

The identification of a patterned skin or scalp mark at autopsy can provide key forensic evidence in identifying an injury that may have been left by an assailant's footwear. It is also important to consider whether such a mark could alternatively have been left by the deceased coming into forceful contact with a hard surface at the scene of an incident, for example by falling. This study was designed to demonstrate how variable surfaces are within paved urban areas, including those which might leave marks resembling footwear patterns, and to evaluate whether dental putty impression lifting is a practical and effective adjunct to photography in assessing patterned surfaces. Eighteen 'scenes' of approximately 50 m² were assessed for different hard surfaces by photography and by the production of dental putty impression lifts. The number of hard surfaces varied between 4 and 12 per scene, with 90% (122/135) of all hard surfaces deemed likely to leave distinct marking on skin with forceful contact and 46% (62/135) a defined/regular mark potentially similar to a footwear injury (mean = 3.4 per scene). Dental putty proved to be an excellent tool in characterising hard surfaces, producing firm but slightly flexible lifts that can be used in combination with a commercially available inkless footwear impression kit to generate transparencies that help facilitate detailed comparison work. Whenever a potential footwear mark is identified at autopsy, a systematic examination of all hard surfaces at the scene is mandatory, and this process will be significantly strengthened by the use of dental putty. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Exploring Direct 3D Interaction for Full Horizontal Parallax Light Field Displays Using Leap Motion Controller

PubMed Central

Adhikarla, Vamsi Kiran; Sodnik, Jaka; Szolgay, Peter; Jakus, Grega

2015-01-01

This paper reports on the design and evaluation of direct 3D gesture interaction with a full horizontal parallax light field display. A light field display defines a visual scene using directional light beams emitted from multiple light sources as if they are emitted from scene points. Each scene point is rendered individually resulting in more realistic and accurate 3D visualization compared to other 3D displaying technologies. We propose an interaction setup combining the visualization of objects within the Field Of View (FOV) of a light field display and their selection through freehand gesture tracked by the Leap Motion Controller. The accuracy and usefulness of the proposed interaction setup was also evaluated in a user study with test subjects. The results of the study revealed high user preference for free hand interaction with light field display as well as relatively low cognitive demand of this technique. Further, our results also revealed some limitations and adjustments of the proposed setup to be addressed in future work. PMID:25875189

Object tracking mask-based NLUT on GPUs for real-time generation of holographic videos of three-dimensional scenes.

PubMed

Kwon, M-W; Kim, S-C; Yoon, S-E; Ho, Y-S; Kim, E-S

2015-02-09

A new object tracking mask-based novel-look-up-table (OTM-NLUT) method is proposed and implemented on graphics-processing-units (GPUs) for real-time generation of holographic videos of three-dimensional (3-D) scenes. Since the proposed method is designed to be matched with software and memory structures of the GPU, the number of compute-unified-device-architecture (CUDA) kernel function calls and the computer-generated hologram (CGH) buffer size of the proposed method have been significantly reduced. It therefore results in a great increase of the computational speed of the proposed method and enables real-time generation of CGH patterns of 3-D scenes. Experimental results show that the proposed method can generate 31.1 frames of Fresnel CGH patterns with 1,920 × 1,080 pixels per second, on average, for three test 3-D video scenarios with 12,666 object points on three GPU boards of NVIDIA GTX TITAN, and confirm the feasibility of the proposed method in the practical application of electro-holographic 3-D displays.

Three-directional motion-compensation mask-based novel look-up table on graphics processing units for video-rate generation of digital holographic videos of three-dimensional scenes.

PubMed

Kwon, Min-Woo; Kim, Seung-Cheol; Kim, Eun-Soo

2016-01-20

A three-directional motion-compensation mask-based novel look-up table method is proposed and implemented on graphics processing units (GPUs) for video-rate generation of digital holographic videos of three-dimensional (3D) scenes. Since the proposed method is designed to be well matched with the software and memory structures of GPUs, the number of compute-unified-device-architecture kernel function calls can be significantly reduced. This results in a great increase of the computational speed of the proposed method, allowing video-rate generation of the computer-generated hologram (CGH) patterns of 3D scenes. Experimental results reveal that the proposed method can generate 39.8 frames of Fresnel CGH patterns with 1920×1080 pixels per second for the test 3D video scenario with 12,088 object points on dual GPU boards of NVIDIA GTX TITANs, and they confirm the feasibility of the proposed method in the practical application fields of electroholographic 3D displays.

Sexual dimorphism and population variation in the adult mandible : Forensic applications of geometric morphometrics.

PubMed

Franklin, Daniel; O'Higgins, Paul; Oxnard, Charles E; Dadour, Ian

2007-03-01

This article forms part of an ongoing series of investigations designed to apply three-dimensional (3D) technology to problems in forensic anthropology. We report here on new morphometric data examining sexual dimorphism and population variation in the adult human mandible. The material is sourced from dissection hall subjects of South African and American origin consequently the sex and a statement of age are known for each individual. Thirty-eight bilateral 3D landmarks were designed and acquired using a Microscribe G2X portable digitizer. The shape analysis software morphologika (www.york.ac.uk/res/fme) is used to analyze the 3D coordinates of the landmarks. A selection of multivariate statistics is applied to visualize the pattern, and assess the significance of, shape variation between the sexes and populations. The determination of sex and identification of population affinity are two important aspects of forensic investigation. Our results indicate that the adult mandible can be used to identify both sex and population affinity with increased sensitivity and objectivity compared to standard analytical techniques.

Video coding for next-generation surveillance systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klasen, Lena M.; Fahlander, Olov

1997-02-01

Video is used as recording media in surveillance system and also more frequently by the Swedish Police Force. Methods for analyzing video using an image processing system have recently been introduced at the Swedish National Laboratory of Forensic Science, and new methods are in focus in a research project at Linkoping University, Image Coding Group. The accuracy of the result of those forensic investigations often depends on the quality of the video recordings, and one of the major problems when analyzing videos from crime scenes is the poor quality of the recordings. Enhancing poor image quality might add manipulative or subjective effects and does not seem to be the right way of getting reliable analysis results. The surveillance system in use today is mainly based on video techniques, VHS or S-VHS, and the weakest link is the video cassette recorder, (VCR). Multiplexers for selecting one of many camera outputs for recording is another problem as it often filters the video signal, and recording is limited to only one of the available cameras connected to the VCR. A way to get around the problem of poor recording is to simultaneously record all camera outputs digitally. It is also very important to build such a system bearing in mind that image processing analysis methods becomes more important as a complement to the human eye. Using one or more cameras gives a large amount of data, and the need for data compression is more than obvious. Crime scenes often involve persons or moving objects, and the available coding techniques are more or less useful. Our goal is to propose a possible system, being the best compromise with respect to what needs to be recorded, movements in the recorded scene, loss of information and resolution etc., to secure the efficient recording of the crime and enable forensic analysis. The preventative effective of having a well functioning surveillance system and well established image analysis methods is not to be neglected. Aspects of this next generation of digital surveillance systems are discussed in this paper.

An Assessment of How Facial Mimicry Can Change Facial Morphology: Implications for Identification.

PubMed

Gibelli, Daniele; De Angelis, Danilo; Poppa, Pasquale; Sforza, Chiarella; Cattaneo, Cristina

2017-03-01

The assessment of facial mimicry is important in forensic anthropology; in addition, the application of modern 3D image acquisition systems may help for the analysis of facial surfaces. This study aimed at exposing a novel method for comparing 3D profiles in different facial expressions. Ten male adults, aged between 30 and 40 years, underwent acquisitions by stereophotogrammetry (VECTRA-3D ® ) with different expressions (neutral, happy, sad, angry, surprised). The acquisition of each individual was then superimposed on the neutral one according to nine landmarks, and the root mean square (RMS) value between the two expressions was calculated. The highest difference in comparison with the neutral standard was shown by the happy expression (RMS 4.11 mm), followed by the surprised (RMS 2.74 mm), sad (RMS 1.3 mm), and angry ones (RMS 1.21 mm). This pilot study shows that the 3D-3D superimposition may provide reliable results concerning facial alteration due to mimicry. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The Use of Soil in Criminal Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Lorna; Fitzpatrick, Robert

2013-04-01

Forensic soil science, as a newly developed discipline of soil science, has matured to the extent that well-defined questions and successful crime scene investigations are being addressed in increasingly refined ways to assist law enforcement agencies. Soils, rocks, regolith, minerals and man-made mineral particles such as bricks (i.e. referred to "human-made" soil materials) are being used in specialised forensic investigations to associate/disassociate a sample taken from an item, such as shoes, clothing, shovel or vehicle, with a specific location. The majority of forensic cases involving soil materials are usually overwhelmingly complex, and the challenges of associating relevant information from one source with another, often requires the use and development of sophisticated field and laboratory methods. Through examples from case studies, this presentation will demonstrate how advanced field and laboratory approaches have been critical in developing coherent, predictive, soil models, from landscape to microscopic scales, to help contribute to soil-based criminal investigations in both Australia and Scotland. To demonstrate the critical importance of soil materials in forensic investigations, the following 2 case studies, which tackle difficult problems at a range of scales involving highly complex issues, will be presented: •The use of soil evidence to help solve a double murder case. This investigation used morphological, chemical, physical and mineralogical properties to identify similarities between soil-regolith found on a shovel taken from the suspect's vehicle and wetland soil-regolith subsequently located in the bottom of a quarry (Fitzpatrick and Raven, 2012). •The use of soil and related material to help search and to provide evidence in a murder case. This investigation used soil mineralogical and organic properties to identify similarities between sand found on a shovel and sand subsequently located at a beach. Results illustrate the benefit of using a complementary approach and consideration of the two way transfer of materials (Dawson and Hillier, 2010). References Fitzpatrick R.W. and Raven M.D. (2012) How Pedology and mineralogy helped solve a double murder case: Using forensics to inspire future generations of soil scientists. Soil Horizons. 53 (5) doi:10.2136/sh12-05-0016. Dawson, L.A. Hillier, S. (2010) Measurement of soil characteristics for forensic applications. Surface and Interface Analysis, 42, 363-377.

Utility of the clue - From assessing the investigative contribution of forensic science to supporting the decision to use traces.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja; Albertini, Nicola; Lock, Eric; Ribaux, Olivier; Delémont, Olivier

2015-12-01

In an attempt to grasp the effectiveness of forensic science in the criminal justice process, a number of studies introduced some form of performance indicator. However, most of these indicators suffer from different weaknesses, from the definition of forensic science itself to problems of reliability and validity. We suggest the introduction of the concept of utility of the clue as an internal evaluation indicator of forensic science in the investigation. Utility of the clue is defined as added value of information, gained by the use of traces. This concept could be used to assess the contribution of the trace in the context of the case. By extension, a second application of this concept is suggested. By formalising and considering, a priori, the perceived utility of using traces, we introduce the notion of expected utility that could be used as decision factor when choosing which traces to use, once they have been collected at the crime scene or from an object in the laboratory. In a case-based approach, utility can be assessed in the light of the available information to evaluate the investigative contribution of forensic science. In the decision-making process, the projection or estimation of the utility of the clue is proposed to be a factor to take into account when triaging the set of traces. Copyright © 2015 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The future of forensic DNA analysis for criminal justice].

PubMed

Laurent, François-Xavier; Vibrac, Geoffrey; Rubio, Aurélien; Thévenot, Marie-Thérèse; Pène, Laurent

2017-11-01

In the criminal framework, the analysis of approximately 20 DNA microsatellites enables the establishment of a genetic profile with a high statistical power of discrimination. This technique gives us the possibility to establish or exclude a match between a biological trace detected at a crime scene and a suspect whose DNA was collected via an oral swab. However, conventional techniques do tend to complexify the interpretation of complex DNA samples, such as degraded DNA and mixture DNA. The aim of this review is to highlight the powerness of new forensic DNA methods (including high-throughput sequencing or single-cell sequencing) to facilitate the interpretation of the expert with full compliance with existing french legislation. © 2017 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

Full-color digitized holography for large-scale holographic 3D imaging of physical and nonphysical objects.

PubMed

Matsushima, Kyoji; Sonobe, Noriaki

2018-01-01

Digitized holography techniques are used to reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) images of physical objects using large-scale computer-generated holograms (CGHs). The object field is captured at three wavelengths over a wide area at high densities. Synthetic aperture techniques using single sensors are used for image capture in phase-shifting digital holography. The captured object field is incorporated into a virtual 3D scene that includes nonphysical objects, e.g., polygon-meshed CG models. The synthetic object field is optically reconstructed as a large-scale full-color CGH using red-green-blue color filters. The CGH has a wide full-parallax viewing zone and reconstructs a deep 3D scene with natural motion parallax.

Morphometric analysis of sex differences in contemporary Japanese pelves using multidetector computed tomography.

PubMed

Torimitsu, Suguru; Makino, Yohsuke; Saitoh, Hisako; Sakuma, Ayaka; Ishii, Namiko; Yajima, Daisuke; Inokuchi, Go; Motomura, Ayumi; Chiba, Fumiko; Yamaguchi, Rutsuko; Hashimoto, Mari; Hoshioka, Yumi; Iwase, Hirotaro

2015-12-01

Sex estimation of decomposed or skeletal remains is clearly important in forensic contexts. Recently, contemporary population-specific data has been obtained using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scanning. The main purpose of this study was to investigate skeletal pelvic dimorphism in a contemporary Japanese forensic sample and to quantify the accuracy of sex estimation using various pelvic measurements obtained from three-dimensional (3D) CT images. This study used a total of 208 cadavers (104 males, 104 females) of which postmortem CT scanning and subsequent forensic autopsy were conducted between December 2011 and August 2014. Eleven measurements of each pelvis were obtained from 3D CT reconstructed images that extracted only bone data. The measurements were analyzed using descriptive statistics and discriminant function analyses. All except one measurement were dimorphic in terms of sex differences. Univariate discriminant function analyses using these measurements provided sex classification accuracy rates of 62.0-98.1%. The subpubic angle was found to contribute most significantly to accurate sex estimation. Multivariate discriminant functions yielded sex prediction accuracy rates of 63.9-98.1%. In conclusion, the pelvic measurements obtained from 3D CT images of a contemporary Japanese population successfully demonstrated sexual dimorphism and may be useful for the estimation of skeletal sex in the field of forensic anthropology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The potential use of cuticular hydrocarbons and multivariate analysis to age empty puparial cases of Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata.

PubMed

Moore, Hannah E; Pechal, Jennifer L; Benbow, M Eric; Drijfhout, Falko P

2017-05-16

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) have been successfully used in the field of forensic entomology for identifying and ageing forensically important blowfly species, primarily in the larval stages. However in older scenes where all other entomological evidence is no longer present, Calliphoridae puparial cases can often be all that remains and therefore being able to establish the age could give an indication of the PMI. This paper examined the CHCs present in the lipid wax layer of insects, to determine the age of the cases over a period of nine months. The two forensically important species examined were Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata. The hydrocarbons were chemically extracted and analysed using Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry. Statistical analysis was then applied in the form of non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS), permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) and random forest models. This study was successful in determining age differences within the empty cases, which to date, has not been establish by any other technique.

Accuracy and usefulness of the AVOXimeter 4000 as routine analysis of carboxyhemoglobin.

PubMed

Fujihara, Junko; Kinoshita, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Naoko; Yasuda, Toshihiro; Takeshita, Haruo

2013-07-01

The measurement of blood carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) is important to determine the cause of death. The AVOXimeter 4000 (AVOX), a portable CO-oximeter, has the advantages of a low purchase price and operating cost, ease of operation, and rapid results. Little information is available on the usefulness of AVOX in the forensic sample, and the previous study investigated only six samples. Therefore, in this study, we confirmed the usefulness of the AVOX through a comparison of its results with data previously obtained using the double wavelength spectrophotometric method in autopsies. Regression analysis was performed between CO-Hb levels measured by the AVOX and those measured by the conventional double wavelength spectrophotometric method in postmortem blood samples: a significant correlation was observed. This study suggests the usefulness of the AVOX to analyze postmortem blood, and the AVOX is suitable for routine forensic analysis and can be applied at the crime scene. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

3D visualization of numeric planetary data using JMARS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickenshied, S.; Christensen, P. R.; Anwar, S.; Carter, S.; Hagee, W.; Noss, D.

2013-12-01

JMARS (Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing) is a free geospatial application developed by the Mars Space Flight Facility at Arizona State University. Originally written as a mission planning tool for the THEMIS instrument on board the MARS Odyssey Spacecraft, it was released as an analysis tool to the general public in 2003. Since then it has expanded to be used for mission planning and scientific data analysis by additional NASA missions to Mars, the Moon, and Vesta, and it has come to be used by scientists, researchers and students of all ages from more than 40 countries around the world. The public version of JMARS now also includes remote sensing data for Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, and a number of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Additional datasets for asteroids and other smaller bodies are being added as they becomes available and time permits. In addition to visualizing multiple datasets in context with one another, significant effort has been put into on-the-fly projection of georegistered data over surface topography. This functionality allows a user to easily create and modify 3D visualizations of any regional scene where elevation data is available in JMARS. This can be accomplished through the use of global topographic maps or regional numeric data such as HiRISE or HRSC DTMs. Users can also upload their own regional or global topographic dataset and use it as an elevation source for 3D rendering of their scene. The 3D Layer in JMARS allows the user to exaggerate the z-scale of any elevation source to emphasize the vertical variance throughout a scene. In addition, the user can rotate, tilt, and zoom the scene to any desired angle and then illuminate it with an artificial light source. This scene can be easily overlain with additional JMARS datasets such as maps, images, shapefiles, contour lines, or scale bars, and the scene can be easily saved as a graphic image for use in presentations or publications.

Forensic Uncertainty Quantification of Explosive Dispersal of Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Kyle; Park, Chanyoung; Haftka, Raphael; Kim, Nam-Ho

2017-06-01

In addition to the numerical challenges of simulating the explosive dispersal of particles, validation of the simulation is often plagued with poor knowledge of the experimental conditions. The level of experimental detail required for validation is beyond what is usually included in the literature. This presentation proposes the use of forensic uncertainty quantification (UQ) to investigate validation-quality experiments to discover possible sources of uncertainty that may have been missed in initial design of experiments or under-reported. The current experience of the authors has found that by making an analogy to crime scene investigation when looking at validation experiments, valuable insights may be gained. One examines all the data and documentation provided by the validation experimentalists, corroborates evidence, and quantifies large sources of uncertainty a posteriori with empirical measurements. In addition, it is proposed that forensic UQ may benefit from an independent investigator to help remove possible implicit biases and increases the likelihood of discovering unrecognized uncertainty. Forensic UQ concepts will be discussed and then applied to a set of validation experiments performed at Eglin Air Force Base. This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Advanced Simulation and Computing Program.

The forensic value of X-linked markers in mixed-male DNA analysis.

PubMed

He, HaiJun; Zha, Lagabaiyila; Cai, JinHong; Huang, Jian

2018-05-04

Autosomal genetic markers and Y chromosome markers have been widely applied in analysis of mixed stains at crime scenes by forensic scientists. However, true genotype combinations are often difficult to distinguish using autosomal markers when similar amounts of DNA are contributed by multiple donors. In addition, specific individuals cannot be determined by Y chromosomal markers because male relatives share the same Y chromosome. X-linked markers, possessing characteristics somewhere intermediate between autosomes and the Y chromosome, are less universally applied in criminal casework. In this paper, X markers are proposed to apply to male mixtures because their true genes can be more easily and accurately recognized than the decision of the genotypes of AS markers. In this study, an actual two-man mixed stain from a forensic case file and simulated male-mixed DNA were examined simultaneously with the X markers and autosomal markers. Finally, the actual mixture was separated successfully by the X markers, although it was unresolved by AS-STRs, and the separation ratio of the simulated mixture was much higher using Chr X tools than with AS methods. We believe X-linked markers provide significant advantages in individual discrimination of male mixtures that should be further applied to forensic work.

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid endogenous production and post-mortem behaviour - the importance of different biological matrices, cut-off reference values, sample collection and storage conditions.

PubMed

Castro, André L; Dias, Mário; Reis, Flávio; Teixeira, Helena M

2014-10-01

Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB) is an endogenous compound with a story of clinical use, since the 1960's. However, due to its secondary effects, it has become a controlled substance, entering the illicit market for recreational and "dance club scene" use, muscle enhancement purposes and drug-facilitated sexual assaults. Its endogenous context can bring some difficulties when interpreting, in a forensic context, the analytical values achieved in biological samples. This manuscript reviewed several crucial aspects related to GHB forensic toxicology evaluation, such as its post-mortem behaviour in biological samples; endogenous production values, whether in in vivo and in post-mortem samples; sampling and storage conditions (including stability tests); and cut-off reference values evaluation for different biological samples, such as whole blood, plasma, serum, urine, saliva, bile, vitreous humour and hair. This revision highlights the need of specific sampling care, storage conditions, and cut-off reference values interpretation in different biological samples, essential for proper practical application in forensic toxicology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Opportunities for Fluid Dynamics Research in the Forensic Discipline of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Attinger, Daniel; Moore, Craig; Donaldson, Adam; Jafari, Arian; Stone, Howard

2013-11-01

This review [Forensic Science International, vol. 231, pp. 375-396, 2013] highlights research opportunities for fluid dynamics (FD) studies related to the forensic discipline of bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA). The need for better integrating FD and BPA is mentioned in a 2009 report by the US National Research Council, entitled ``Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward''. BPA aims for practical answers to specific questions of the kind: ``How did a bloodletting incident happen?'' FD, on the other hand, aims to quantitatively describe the transport of fluids and the related causes, with general equations. BPA typically solves the indirect problem of inspecting stains in a crime scene to infer the most probable bloodletting incident that produced these patterns. FD typically defines the initial and boundary conditions of a fluid system and from there describe how the system evolves in time and space, most often in a deterministic manner. We review four topics in BPA with strong connections to FD: the generation of drops, their flight, their impact and the formation of stains. Future research on these topics would deliver new quantitative tools and methods for BPA, and present new multiphase flow problems for FD.

Methodological approach to crime scene investigation: the dangers of technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, Peter D.

1997-02-01

The visitor to any modern forensic science laboratory is confronted with equipment and processes that did not exist even 10 years ago: thermocyclers to allow genetic typing of nanogram amounts of DNA isolated from a few spermatozoa; scanning electron microscopes that can nearly automatically detect submicrometer sized particles of molten lead, barium and antimony produced by the discharge of a firearm and deposited on the hands of the shooter; and computers that can compare an image of a latent fingerprint with millions of fingerprints stored in the computer memory. Analysis of populations of physical evidence has permitted statistically minded forensic scientists to use Bayesian inference to draw conclusions based on a priori assumptions which are often poorly understood, irrelevant, or misleading. National commissions who are studying quality control in DNA analysis propose that people with barely relevant graduate degrees and little forensic science experience be placed in charge of forensic DNA laboratories. It is undeniable that high- tech has reversed some miscarriages of justice by establishing the innocence of a number of people who were imprisoned for years for crimes that they did not commit. However, this papers deals with the dangers of technology in criminal investigations.

3D reconstruction based on light field images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Dong; Wu, Chunhong; Liu, Yunluo; Fu, Dongmei

2018-04-01

This paper proposed a method of reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) scene from two light field images capture by Lytro illium. The work was carried out by first extracting the sub-aperture images from light field images and using the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) for feature registration on the selected sub-aperture images. Structure from motion (SFM) algorithm is further used on the registration completed sub-aperture images to reconstruct the three-dimensional scene. 3D sparse point cloud was obtained in the end. The method shows that the 3D reconstruction can be implemented by only two light field camera captures, rather than at least a dozen times captures by traditional cameras. This can effectively solve the time-consuming, laborious issues for 3D reconstruction based on traditional digital cameras, to achieve a more rapid, convenient and accurate reconstruction.

Plenoptic layer-based modeling for image based rendering.

PubMed

Pearson, James; Brookes, Mike; Dragotti, Pier Luigi

2013-09-01

Image based rendering is an attractive alternative to model based rendering for generating novel views because of its lower complexity and potential for photo-realistic results. To reduce the number of images necessary for alias-free rendering, some geometric information for the 3D scene is normally necessary. In this paper, we present a fast automatic layer-based method for synthesizing an arbitrary new view of a scene from a set of existing views. Our algorithm takes advantage of the knowledge of the typical structure of multiview data to perform occlusion-aware layer extraction. In addition, the number of depth layers used to approximate the geometry of the scene is chosen based on plenoptic sampling theory with the layers placed non-uniformly to account for the scene distribution. The rendering is achieved using a probabilistic interpolation approach and by extracting the depth layer information on a small number of key images. Numerical results demonstrate that the algorithm is fast and yet is only 0.25 dB away from the ideal performance achieved with the ground-truth knowledge of the 3D geometry of the scene of interest. This indicates that there are measurable benefits from following the predictions of plenoptic theory and that they remain true when translated into a practical system for real world data.

DspaceOgre 3D Graphics Visualization Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jain, Abhinandan; Myin, Steven; Pomerantz, Marc I.

2011-01-01

This general-purpose 3D graphics visualization C++ tool is designed for visualization of simulation and analysis data for articulated mechanisms. Examples of such systems are vehicles, robotic arms, biomechanics models, and biomolecular structures. DspaceOgre builds upon the open-source Ogre3D graphics visualization library. It provides additional classes to support the management of complex scenes involving multiple viewpoints and different scene groups, and can be used as a remote graphics server. This software provides improved support for adding programs at the graphics processing unit (GPU) level for improved performance. It also improves upon the messaging interface it exposes for use as a visualization server.

Integrating UAV Flight outputs in Esri's CityEngine for semi-urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anca, Paula; Vasile, Alexandru; Sandric, Ionut

2016-04-01

One of the most pervasive technologies of recent years, which has crossed over into consumer products due to its lowering prince, is the UAV, commonly known as drones. Besides its ever-more accessible prices and growing functionality, what is truly impressive is the drastic reduction in processing time, from days to ours: from the initial flight preparation to the final output. This paper presents such a workflow and goes further by integrating the outputs into another growing technology: 3D. The software used for this purpose is Esri's CityEngine, which was developed for modeling 3D urban environments using existing 2D GIS data and computer generated architecture (CGA) rules, instead of modeling each feature individually. A semi-urban areas was selected for this study and captured using the E-Bee from Parrot. The output point cloud elevation from the E-Bee flight was transformed into a raster in order to be used as an elevation surface in CityEngine, and the mosaic raster dataset was draped over this surface. In order to model the buildings in this area CGA rules were written using the building footprints, as inputs, in the form of Feature Classes. The extrusion heights for the buildings were also extracted from the point cloud, and realistic textures were draped over the 3D building models. Finally the scene was shared as a 3D web-scene which can be accessed by anyone through a link, without any software besides an internet browser. This can serve as input for Smart City development through further analysis for urban ecology Keywords: 3D, drone, CityEngine, E-Bee, Esri, scene, web-scene

LivePhantom: Retrieving Virtual World Light Data to Real Environments.

PubMed

Kolivand, Hoshang; Billinghurst, Mark; Sunar, Mohd Shahrizal

2016-01-01

To achieve realistic Augmented Reality (AR), shadows play an important role in creating a 3D impression of a scene. Casting virtual shadows on real and virtual objects is one of the topics of research being conducted in this area. In this paper, we propose a new method for creating complex AR indoor scenes using real time depth detection to exert virtual shadows on virtual and real environments. A Kinect camera was used to produce a depth map for the physical scene mixing into a single real-time transparent tacit surface. Once this is created, the camera's position can be tracked from the reconstructed 3D scene. Real objects are represented by virtual object phantoms in the AR scene enabling users holding a webcam and a standard Kinect camera to capture and reconstruct environments simultaneously. The tracking capability of the algorithm is shown and the findings are assessed drawing upon qualitative and quantitative methods making comparisons with previous AR phantom generation applications. The results demonstrate the robustness of the technique for realistic indoor rendering in AR systems.

LivePhantom: Retrieving Virtual World Light Data to Real Environments

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

To achieve realistic Augmented Reality (AR), shadows play an important role in creating a 3D impression of a scene. Casting virtual shadows on real and virtual objects is one of the topics of research being conducted in this area. In this paper, we propose a new method for creating complex AR indoor scenes using real time depth detection to exert virtual shadows on virtual and real environments. A Kinect camera was used to produce a depth map for the physical scene mixing into a single real-time transparent tacit surface. Once this is created, the camera’s position can be tracked from the reconstructed 3D scene. Real objects are represented by virtual object phantoms in the AR scene enabling users holding a webcam and a standard Kinect camera to capture and reconstruct environments simultaneously. The tracking capability of the algorithm is shown and the findings are assessed drawing upon qualitative and quantitative methods making comparisons with previous AR phantom generation applications. The results demonstrate the robustness of the technique for realistic indoor rendering in AR systems. PMID:27930663

Guest Editor's introduction: Special issue on distributed virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lea, Rodger

1998-09-01

Distributed virtual environments (DVEs) combine technology from 3D graphics, virtual reality and distributed systems to provide an interactive 3D scene that supports multiple participants. Each participant has a representation in the scene, often known as an avatar, and is free to navigate through the scene and interact with both the scene and other viewers of the scene. Changes to the scene, for example, position changes of one avatar as the associated viewer navigates through the scene, or changes to objects in the scene via manipulation, are propagated in real time to all viewers. This ensures that all viewers of a shared scene `see' the same representation of it, allowing sensible reasoning about the scene. Early work on such environments was restricted to their use in simulation, in particular in military simulation. However, over recent years a number of interesting and potentially far-reaching attempts have been made to exploit the technology for a range of other uses, including: Social spaces. Such spaces can be seen as logical extensions of the familiar text chat space. In 3D social spaces avatars, representing participants, can meet in shared 3D scenes and in addition to text chat can use visual cues and even in some cases spatial audio. Collaborative working. A number of recent projects have attempted to explore the use of DVEs to facilitate computer-supported collaborative working (CSCW), where the 3D space provides a context and work space for collaboration. Gaming. The shared 3D space is already familiar, albeit in a constrained manner, to the gaming community. DVEs are a logical superset of existing 3D games and can provide a rich framework for advanced gaming applications. e-commerce. The ability to navigate through a virtual shopping mall and to look at, and even interact with, 3D representations of articles has appealed to the e-commerce community as it searches for the best method of presenting merchandise to electronic consumers. The technology needed to support these systems crosses a number of disciplines in computer science. These include, but are certainly not limited to, real-time graphics for the accurate and realistic representation of scenes, group communications for the efficient update of shared consistent scene data, user interface modelling to exploit the use of the 3D representation and multimedia systems technology for the delivery of streamed graphics and audio-visual data into the shared scene. It is this intersection of technologies and the overriding need to provide visual realism that places such high demands on the underlying distributed systems infrastructure and makes DVEs such fertile ground for distributed systems research. Two examples serve to show how DVE developers have exploited the unique aspects of their domain. Communications. The usual tension between latency and throughput is particularly noticeable within DVEs. To ensure the timely update of multiple viewers of a particular scene requires that such updates be propagated quickly. However, the sheer volume of changes to any one scene calls for techniques that minimize the number of distinct updates that are sent to the network. Several techniques have been used to address this tension; these include the use of multicast communications, and in particular multicast in wide-area networks to reduce actual message traffic. Multicast has been combined with general group communications to partition updates to related objects or users of a scene. A less traditional approach has been the use of dead reckoning whereby a client application that visualizes the scene calculates position updates by extrapolating movement based on previous information. This allows the system to reduce the number of communications needed to update objects that move in a stable manner within the scene. Scaling. DVEs, especially those used for social spaces, are required to support large numbers of simultaneous users in potentially large shared scenes. The desire for scalability has driven different architectural designs, for example, the use of fully distributed architectures which scale well but often suffer performance costs versus centralized and hierarchical architectures in which the inverse is true. However, DVEs have also exploited the spatial nature of their domain to address scalability and have pioneered techniques that exploit the semantics of the shared space to reduce data updates and so allow greater scalability. Several of the systems reported in this special issue apply a notion of area of interest to partition the scene and so reduce the participants in any data updates. The specification of area of interest differs between systems. One approach has been to exploit a geographical notion, i.e. a regular portion of a scene, or a semantic unit, such as a room or building. Another approach has been to define the area of interest as a spatial area associated with an avatar in the scene. The five papers in this special issue have been chosen to highlight the distributed systems aspects of the DVE domain. The first paper, on the DIVE system, described by Emmanuel Frécon and Mårten Stenius explores the use of multicast and group communication in a fully peer-to-peer architecture. The developers of DIVE have focused on its use as the basis for collaborative work environments and have explored the issues associated with maintaining and updating large complicated scenes. The second paper, by Hiroaki Harada et al, describes the AGORA system, a DVE concentrating on social spaces and employing a novel communication technique that incorporates position update and vector information to support dead reckoning. The paper by Simon Powers et al explores the application of DVEs to the gaming domain. They propose a novel architecture that separates out higher-level game semantics - the conceptual model - from the lower-level scene attributes - the dynamic model, both running on servers, from the actual visual representation - the visual model - running on the client. They claim a number of benefits from this approach, including better predictability and consistency. Wolfgang Broll discusses the SmallView system which is an attempt to provide a toolkit for DVEs. One of the key features of SmallView is a sophisticated application level protocol, DWTP, that provides support for a variety of communication models. The final paper, by Chris Greenhalgh, discusses the MASSIVE system which has been used to explore the notion of awareness in the 3D space via the concept of `auras'. These auras define an area of interest for users and support a mapping between what a user is aware of, and what data update rate the communications infrastructure can support. We hope that this selection of papers will serve to provide a clear introduction to the distributed system issues faced by the DVE community and the approaches they have taken in solving them. Finally, we wish to thank Hubert Le Van Gong for his tireless efforts in pulling together all these papers and both the referees and the authors of the papers for the time and effort in ensuring that their contributions teased out the interesting distributed systems issues for this special issue. † E-mail address: rodger@arch.sel.sony.com

Investigator® HDplex (Qiagen) reference population database for forensic use in Argentina.

PubMed

Martínez, Gustavo; Borosky, Alicia; Corach, Daniel; Llull, Cintia; Locarno, Laura; Lojo, Mercedes; Marino, Miguel; Miozzo, María Cecilia; Modesti, Nidia; Pacharoni, Carla; Pilili, Juan Pablo; Ramella, María Isabel; Sala, Andrea; Schaller, Cecilia; Vullo, Carlos; Toscanini, Ulises

2017-01-01

Currently, autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) markers represent the method of election in forensic human identification. Commercial kits of most common use nowadays -e.g. PowerPlex ® Fusion, Promega Corp.; AmpFlSTR GlobalFiler, Thermofisher scientific; Investigator 24Plex QS,Qiagen-, allow the co-amplification of 23 highly polymorphic STR loci providing a high discrimination power in human identity testing. However, in complex kinship analysis and familial database searches involving distant relationships, additional DNA typing is often required in order to achieve well-founded conclusions. The recently developed kit Investigator ® HDplex (Qiagen) co-amplify twelve autosomal STRs markers (D7S1517, D3S1744, D12S391, D2S1360, D6S474, D4S2366, D8S1132, D5S2500, D18S51, D21S2055, D10S2325, SE33), nine of which are not present in the above mentioned kits, providing a set of efficient supplementary markers for human identification purposes. In this study we genotyped a sample of 980 individuals from urban areas of ten Argentinean provinces using the Investigator ® HDplex kit, aiming to provide forensic estimates for use in forensic casework and parentage testing in Argentina. We report reference allelic frequency databases for each of the provinces studied as well as for the combined samples. No deviation of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed. A reasonable discrimination capacity and power of exclusion was estimated which allowed predicting an acceptable forensic behavior of this kit, either to be used as the main STR panel for simple cases or as an auxiliary tool in complex cases. Additionally, population comparison tests showed that the studied samples are relatively homogeneous across the country for these STR set. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

a Quadtree Organization Construction and Scheduling Method for Urban 3d Model Based on Weight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, C.; Peng, G.; Song, Y.; Duan, M.

2017-09-01

The increasement of Urban 3D model precision and data quantity puts forward higher requirements for real-time rendering of digital city model. Improving the organization, management and scheduling of 3D model data in 3D digital city can improve the rendering effect and efficiency. This paper takes the complexity of urban models into account, proposes a Quadtree construction and scheduling rendering method for Urban 3D model based on weight. Divide Urban 3D model into different rendering weights according to certain rules, perform Quadtree construction and schedule rendering according to different rendering weights. Also proposed an algorithm for extracting bounding box extraction based on model drawing primitives to generate LOD model automatically. Using the algorithm proposed in this paper, developed a 3D urban planning&management software, the practice has showed the algorithm is efficient and feasible, the render frame rate of big scene and small scene are both stable at around 25 frames.

Analyzing crime scene videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, Cindy C.; Peloquin, Tracy D.

1999-02-01

Since late 1996 the Forensic Identification Services Section of the Ontario Provincial Police has been actively involved in state-of-the-art image capture and the processing of video images extracted from crime scene videos. The benefits and problems of this technology for video analysis are discussed. All analysis is being conducted on SUN Microsystems UNIX computers, networked to a digital disk recorder that is used for video capture. The primary advantage of this system over traditional frame grabber technology is reviewed. Examples from actual cases are presented and the successes and limitations of this approach are explored. Suggestions to companies implementing security technology plans for various organizations (banks, stores, restaurants, etc.) will be made. Future directions for this work and new technologies are also discussed.

Reconstruction of measurable three-dimensional point cloud model based on large-scene archaeological excavation sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chun-Sen; Zhang, Meng-Meng; Zhang, Wei-Xing

2017-01-01

This paper outlines a low-cost, user-friendly photogrammetric technique with nonmetric cameras to obtain excavation site digital sequence images, based on photogrammetry and computer vision. Digital camera calibration, automatic aerial triangulation, image feature extraction, image sequence matching, and dense digital differential rectification are used, combined with a certain number of global control points of the excavation site, to reconstruct the high precision of measured three-dimensional (3-D) models. Using the acrobatic figurines in the Qin Shi Huang mausoleum excavation as an example, our method solves the problems of little base-to-height ratio, high inclination, unstable altitudes, and significant ground elevation changes affecting image matching. Compared to 3-D laser scanning, the 3-D color point cloud obtained by this method can maintain the same visual result and has advantages of low project cost, simple data processing, and high accuracy. Structure-from-motion (SfM) is often used to reconstruct 3-D models of large scenes and has lower accuracy if it is a reconstructed 3-D model of a small scene at close range. Results indicate that this method quickly achieves 3-D reconstruction of large archaeological sites and produces heritage site distribution of orthophotos providing a scientific basis for accurate location of cultural relics, archaeological excavations, investigation, and site protection planning. This proposed method has a comprehensive application value.

Fast nuclear staining of head hair roots as a screening method for successful STR analysis in forensics.

PubMed

Lepez, Trees; Vandewoestyne, Mado; Van Hoofstat, David; Deforce, Dieter

2014-11-01

The success rate of STR profiling of hairs found at a crime scene is quite low and negative results of hair analysis are frequently reported. To increase the success rate of DNA analysis of hairs in forensics, nuclei in hair roots can be counted after staining the hair root with DAPI. Two staining methods were tested: a longer method with two 1h incubations in respectively a DAPI- and a wash-solution, and a fast, direct staining of the hair root on microscope slides. The two staining methods were not significantly different. The results of the STR analysis for both procedures showed that 20 nuclei are necessary to obtain at least partial STR profiles. When more than 50 nuclei were counted, full STR profiles were always obtained. In 96% of the cases where no nuclei were detected, no STR profile could be obtained. However, 4% of the DAPI-negative hair roots resulted in at least partial STR profiles. Therefore, each forensic case has to be evaluated separately in function of the importance of the evidential value of the found hair. The fast staining method was applied in 36 forensic cases on 279 hairs in total. A fast screening method using DAPI can be used to increase the success rate of hair analysis in forensics. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Can deja vu result from similarity to a prior experience? Support for the similarity hypothesis of deja vu.

PubMed

Cleary, Anne M; Ryals, Anthony J; Nomi, Jason S

2009-12-01

The strange feeling of having been somewhere or done something before--even though there is evidence to the contrary--is called déjà vu. Although déjà vu is beginning to receive attention among scientists (Brown, 2003, 2004), few studies have empirically investigated the phenomenon. We investigated the hypothesis that déjà vu is related to feelings of familiarity and that it can result from similarity between a novel scene and that of a scene experienced in one's past. We used a variation of the recognition-without-recall method of studying familiarity (Cleary, 2004) to examine instances in which participants failed to recall a studied scene in response to a configurally similar novel test scene. In such instances, resemblance to a previously viewed scene increased both feelings of familiarity and of déjà vu. Furthermore, in the absence of recall, resemblance of a novel scene to a previously viewed scene increased the probability of a reported déjà vu state for the novel scene, and feelings of familiarity with a novel scene were directly related to feelings of being in a déjà vu state.

Application of 3D Laser Scanner to Forensic Engineering.

PubMed

Park, Chan-Seong; Jeon, Hong-Pil; Choi, Kwang-Soo; Kim, Jin-Pyo; Park, Nam-Kyu

2018-05-01

In the case of building collapses and overturned structures, a three-dimensional (3D) collapse or overturn model is required to reconstruct the accident. As construction sites become increasingly complex and large, 3D laser scanning is sometimes the best tool to accurately document and store the site conditions. This case report presents one case of a structure collapse and one case of an overturned crane reconstructed by a 3D laser scanner. In the case of structural collapse of a prefabricated shoring system, a 3D model reconstructed all the members successfully, a task that is nearly impossible using a scale such as a tape measure. The reconstructed prefabricated shoring system was verified through a structural analysis through comparison with the construction drawings to investigate faults in construction. In the case of the overturned crane, the jib angle and other major dimensions were successfully acquired through 3D laser scanning and used to estimate the working radius. As a result, the propriety of the working radius with the given lifting load was successfully determined. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

3D Data Mapping and Real-Time Experiment Control and Visualization in Brain Slices.

PubMed

Navarro, Marco A; Hibbard, Jaime V K; Miller, Michael E; Nivin, Tyler W; Milescu, Lorin S

2015-10-20

Here, we propose two basic concepts that can streamline electrophysiology and imaging experiments in brain slices and enhance data collection and analysis. The first idea is to interface the experiment with a software environment that provides a 3D scene viewer in which the experimental rig, the brain slice, and the recorded data are represented to scale. Within the 3D scene viewer, the user can visualize a live image of the sample and 3D renderings of the recording electrodes with real-time position feedback. Furthermore, the user can control the instruments and visualize their status in real time. The second idea is to integrate multiple types of experimental data into a spatial and temporal map of the brain slice. These data may include low-magnification maps of the entire brain slice, for spatial context, or any other type of high-resolution structural and functional image, together with time-resolved electrical and optical signals. The entire data collection can be visualized within the 3D scene viewer. These concepts can be applied to any other type of experiment in which high-resolution data are recorded within a larger sample at different spatial and temporal coordinates. Copyright © 2015 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automatic detection of artifacts in converted S3D video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bokov, Alexander; Vatolin, Dmitriy; Zachesov, Anton; Belous, Alexander; Erofeev, Mikhail

2014-03-01

In this paper we present algorithms for automatically detecting issues specific to converted S3D content. When a depth-image-based rendering approach produces a stereoscopic image, the quality of the result depends on both the depth maps and the warping algorithms. The most common problem with converted S3D video is edge-sharpness mismatch. This artifact may appear owing to depth-map blurriness at semitransparent edges: after warping, the object boundary becomes sharper in one view and blurrier in the other, yielding binocular rivalry. To detect this problem we estimate the disparity map, extract boundaries with noticeable differences, and analyze edge-sharpness correspondence between views. We pay additional attention to cases involving a complex background and large occlusions. Another problem is detection of scenes that lack depth volume: we present algorithms for detecting at scenes and scenes with at foreground objects. To identify these problems we analyze the features of the RGB image as well as uniform areas in the depth map. Testing of our algorithms involved examining 10 Blu-ray 3D releases with converted S3D content, including Clash of the Titans, The Avengers, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The algorithms we present enable improved automatic quality assessment during the production stage.

Modeling and analysis of LWIR signature variability associated with 3D and BRDF effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adler-Golden, Steven; Less, David; Jin, Xuemin; Rynes, Peter

2016-05-01

Algorithms for retrieval of surface reflectance, emissivity or temperature from a spectral image almost always assume uniform illumination across the scene and horizontal surfaces with Lambertian reflectance. When these algorithms are used to process real 3-D scenes, the retrieved "apparent" values contain the strong, spatially dependent variations in illumination as well as surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) effects. This is especially problematic with horizontal or near-horizontal viewing, where many observed surfaces are vertical, and where horizontal surfaces can show strong specularity. The goals of this study are to characterize long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) signature variability in a HSI 3-D scene and develop practical methods for estimating the true surface values. We take advantage of synthetic near-horizontal imagery generated with the high-fidelity MultiService Electro-optic Signature (MuSES) model, and compare retrievals of temperature and directional-hemispherical reflectance using standard sky downwelling illumination and MuSES-based non-uniform environmental illumination.

Hdr Imaging for Feature Detection on Detailed Architectural Scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontogianni, G.; Stathopoulou, E. K.; Georgopoulos, A.; Doulamis, A.

2015-02-01

3D reconstruction relies on accurate detection, extraction, description and matching of image features. This is even truer for complex architectural scenes that pose needs for 3D models of high quality, without any loss of detail in geometry or color. Illumination conditions influence the radiometric quality of images, as standard sensors cannot depict properly a wide range of intensities in the same scene. Indeed, overexposed or underexposed pixels cause irreplaceable information loss and degrade digital representation. Images taken under extreme lighting environments may be thus prohibitive for feature detection/extraction and consequently for matching and 3D reconstruction. High Dynamic Range (HDR) images could be helpful for these operators because they broaden the limits of illumination range that Standard or Low Dynamic Range (SDR/LDR) images can capture and increase in this way the amount of details contained in the image. Experimental results of this study prove this assumption as they examine state of the art feature detectors applied both on standard dynamic range and HDR images.

Exposing Vital Forensic Artifacts of USB Devices in the Windows 10 Registry

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) Digital media devices are regularly seized pursuant to criminal investigations and...ABSTRACT Digital media devices are regularly seized pursuant to criminal investigations and Microsoft Windows is the most commonly encountered... digital footprints available on seized computers that assist in re-creating a crime scene and telling the story of the events that occurred. Part of this

[Analysis of mitochondrial SNPs in addition to conventional STR-typing in a case of aggravated theft].

PubMed

Röper, Andrea; Reichert, Walter; Mattern, Rainer

2007-01-01

In the field of forensic DNA typing, the analysis of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) can fail in cases of degraded DNA. The typing of coding region Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of the mitochondrial genome provides an approach to acquire additional information. In the examined case of aggravated theft, both suspects could be excluded of having left the analyzed hair on the crime scene by SNP typing. This conclusion was not possible subsequent to STR typing. SNP typing of the trace on the torch light left on the crime scene increased the likelihood for suspect no. 2 to be the origin of this trace. This finding was already indicated by STR analysis. Suspect no. 1 was excluded for being the origin of this trace by SNP typing which was also indicated by STR analysis. A limiting factor for the analysis of SNPs is the maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA. Individualisation is not possible. In conclusion, it can be said that in the case of traces which cause problems with conventional STR typing the supplementary analysis of coding region SNPs from the mitochondrial genome is very reasonable and greatly contributes to the refinement of analysis methods in the field of forensic genetics.

Suicide by plastic bag suffocation combined with the mixture of citric acid and baking soda in an adolescent.

PubMed

Murakami, Keishu; Kawaguchi, Takashi; Hashizume, Yumiko; Kitamura, Kengo; Okada, Misato; Okumoto, Kohei; Sakamoto, Shoich; Ishida, Yuko; Nosaka, Mizuho; Kimura, Akihiko; Takatsu, Akihiro; Kondo, Toshikazu

2018-05-22

We describe a case of suicidal asphyxiation using a plastic bag combined with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) gas. A 20-year-old male, whose head was covered with a plastic bag, was found dead in his room. In the plastic bag, there were two glass-made cups containing liquid-like substance. Through crime scene investigation by police staffs, a bottle of citric acid and a box of baking soda were also discovered in his room. The forensic autopsy revealed that there were neither lesions nor injuries in all of the organs. Moreover, any drugs and poisons could not be detected in blood samples. Based on autopsy findings and crime scene investigation, the cause of death was diagnosed as acute asphyxia due to CO 2 intoxication by the mixture of citric acid with baking soda in the plastic bag. To the best of our knowledge, there are no medical literatures describing plastic bag suffocation combined with CO 2 gas generated from citric acid and baking soda, which has been widely distributed as suicidal means through websites. This case report promotes forensic pathologists and medical coroners to emphasize that the Internet has a crucial role on a source of suicidal information or a promoter of suicide all over the world.

A New Multiplex Assay of 17 Autosomal STRs and Amelogenin for Forensic Application

PubMed Central

Zhang, Suhua; Tian, Huaizhou; Wu, Jun; Zhao, Shumin; Li, Chengtao

2013-01-01

This paper describes a newly devised autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems for 17 autosomal loci (D1S1656, D2S441, D3S1358, D3S3045, D6S477, D7S3048, D8S1132, D10S1435, D10S1248, D11S2368, D13S325, D14S608, D15S659, D17S1290, D18S535, D19S253 and D22-GATA198B05) and Amelogenin. Primers for the loci were designed and optimized so that all of the amplicons were distributed from 50 base pairs (bp) to less than 500 bp within a five-dye chemistry design with the fifth dye reserved for the sizing standard. Strategies were developed to overcome challenges that encountered in creating the final assay. The limits of the multiplex were tested, resulting in the successful amplification of genomic DNA range from 0.25–4 ng with 30 PCR cycles. A total of 681 individuals from the Chinese Han population were studied and forensic genetic data were present. No significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were observed. A total of 180 alleles were detected for the 17 autosomal STRs. The cumulative mean exclusion chance in duos (CMECD) was 0.999967, and cumulative mean exclusion chance in trios (CMECT) was 0.99999995. We conclude that the present 17plex autosomal STRs assay provides an additional powerful tool for forensic applications. PMID:23451235

Estimating 3D tilt from local image cues in natural scenes

PubMed Central

Burge, Johannes; McCann, Brian C.; Geisler, Wilson S.

2016-01-01

Estimating three-dimensional (3D) surface orientation (slant and tilt) is an important first step toward estimating 3D shape. Here, we examine how three local image cues from the same location (disparity gradient, luminance gradient, and dominant texture orientation) should be combined to estimate 3D tilt in natural scenes. We collected a database of natural stereoscopic images with precisely co-registered range images that provide the ground-truth distance at each pixel location. We then analyzed the relationship between ground-truth tilt and image cue values. Our analysis is free of assumptions about the joint probability distributions and yields the Bayes optimal estimates of tilt, given the cue values. Rich results emerge: (a) typical tilt estimates are only moderately accurate and strongly influenced by the cardinal bias in the prior probability distribution; (b) when cue values are similar, or when slant is greater than 40°, estimates are substantially more accurate; (c) when luminance and texture cues agree, they often veto the disparity cue, and when they disagree, they have little effect; and (d) simplifying assumptions common in the cue combination literature is often justified for estimating tilt in natural scenes. The fact that tilt estimates are typically not very accurate is consistent with subjective impressions from viewing small patches of natural scene. The fact that estimates are substantially more accurate for a subset of image locations is also consistent with subjective impressions and with the hypothesis that perceived surface orientation, at more global scales, is achieved by interpolation or extrapolation from estimates at key locations. PMID:27738702

Analysis of the procedures used to evaluate suicide crime scenes in Brazil: a statistical approach to interpret reports.

PubMed

Bruni, Aline Thaís; Velho, Jesus Antonio; Ferreira, Arthur Serra Lopes; Tasso, Maria Júlia; Ferrari, Raíssa Santos; Yoshida, Ricardo Luís; Dias, Marcos Salvador; Leite, Vitor Barbanti Pereira

2014-08-01

This study uses statistical techniques to evaluate reports on suicide scenes; it utilizes 80 reports from different locations in Brazil, randomly collected from both federal and state jurisdictions. We aimed to assess a heterogeneous group of cases in order to obtain an overall perspective of the problem. We evaluated variables regarding the characteristics of the crime scene, such as the detected traces (blood, instruments and clothes) that were found and we addressed the methodology employed by the experts. A qualitative approach using basic statistics revealed a wide distribution as to how the issue was addressed in the documents. We examined a quantitative approach involving an empirical equation and we used multivariate procedures to validate the quantitative methodology proposed for this empirical equation. The methodology successfully identified the main differences in the information presented in the reports, showing that there is no standardized method of analyzing evidences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Comparative fly species composition on indoor and outdoor forensic cases in Malaysia.

PubMed

Syamsa, Rizal Abdullah; Omar, Baharudin; Ahmad, Firdaus Mohd Salleh; Hidayatulfathi, Othman; Shahrom, Abd Wahid

2017-01-01

Forensic entomology refers to the science of collection and analysis of insect evidence in order to determine the minimum time period since death. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of forensically important flies on 34 human remains referred to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre over a period of three years. Entomological specimens were collected at the death scenes and/or during autopsies. Live specimens were reared into adults while preserved specimens were processed for species identification. Five families, seven genera and nine species of flies were identified from human remains. The results of the study showed Chrysomya megacephala (Calliphoridae) maggots occurred on corpses with the highest frequency (70.6%), followed by Ch. rufifacies (Calliphoridae) (44.1%), sarcophagid fly (Sarcophagidae) (38.2%), Synthesiomya nudiseta (Muscidae) (20.6%), Megaselia scalaris (Phoridae) (14.7%), Lucilia cuprina (Calliphoridae) (5.9%), Ch. nigripes (Calliphoridae) (5.9%), Eristalis spp. (Syrphidae) (5.9%) and Hydrotaea spinigera (Muscidae) (2.9%). The greatest fly diversity occurred on remains recovered indoors (eight species) compared to outdoors (three species). Whilst, single and double infestations were common for both indoor and outdoor cases, multiple infestation of up to six species was observed in one of the indoor cases. Although large numbers of fly species were found on human remains, the predominant species were still those of Chrysomya, while S. nudiseta was found only on human remains recovered from indoors. The present study provides additional knowledge in the context of Malaysian forensic entomology and the distribution of forensically important flies which is of relevance to forensic science. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Latent palmprint matching.

PubMed

Jain, Anil K; Feng, Jianjiang

2009-06-01

The evidential value of palmprints in forensic applications is clear as about 30 percent of the latents recovered from crime scenes are from palms. While biometric systems for palmprint-based personal authentication in access control type of applications have been developed, they mostly deal with low-resolution (about 100 ppi) palmprints and only perform full-to-full palmprint matching. We propose a latent-to-full palmprint matching system that is needed in forensic applications. Our system deals with palmprints captured at 500 ppi (the current standard in forensic applications) or higher resolution and uses minutiae as features to be compatible with the methodology used by latent experts. Latent palmprint matching is a challenging problem because latent prints lifted at crime scenes are of poor image quality, cover only a small area of the palm, and have a complex background. Other difficulties include a large number of minutiae in full prints (about 10 times as many as fingerprints), and the presence of many creases in latents and full prints. A robust algorithm to reliably estimate the local ridge direction and frequency in palmprints is developed. This facilitates the extraction of ridge and minutiae features even in poor quality palmprints. A fixed-length minutia descriptor, MinutiaCode, is utilized to capture distinctive information around each minutia and an alignment-based minutiae matching algorithm is used to match two palmprints. Two sets of partial palmprints (150 live-scan partial palmprints and 100 latent palmprints) are matched to a background database of 10,200 full palmprints to test the proposed system. Despite the inherent difficulty of latent-to-full palmprint matching, rank-1 recognition rates of 78.7 and 69 percent, respectively, were achieved in searching live-scan partial palmprints and latent palmprints against the background database.

Discrimination of side-window glass of Korean autos by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Lee, Sin-Woo; Ryu, Jong-Sik; Min, Ji-Sook; Choi, Man-Yong; Lee, Kwang-Sik; Shin, Woo-Jin

2016-07-15

Fragments of glass from cars are often found at crime scenes and can be crucial evidence for solving the crime. The glass fragments are important as trace evidence at crime scenes related to car accidents and burgled homes. By identifying the origin of glass fragments, it is possible to infer the identity of a suspect. Our results represent a promising approach to a thorough forensic investigation of car glass. Thirty-five samples from the side windows of cars produced and used in South Korea were collected from the official agencies of five car manufacturers and from two glassmakers. In addition, 120 samples from side mirrors were collected from the same suppliers as well as from small businesses. Their chemical compositions (including Pb isotopes) were analyzed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was performed. The percentages of major elements (Si, Ca, and Fe) in side-window glass varied within narrow ranges (30.0 ± 2.36%, 5.93 ± 0.52%, and 0.33 ± 0.05%, respectively), while the differences among Pb isotope ratios were not significant. In contrast, light rare earth elements (LREEs) were different from each glassmaker. From the LDA, the types of side-window glass were successfully discriminated according to car manufacturer, glassmaker, and even glass thickness. However, glass from side mirrors cannot be used for good forensic identifiers. Discrimination techniques for side-window glass, although not for side mirrors, using chemical compositions combined with multivariate statistical analyses provide evidence for forensic investigations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Testing photogrammetry-based techniques for three-dimensional surface documentation in forensic pathology.

PubMed

Urbanová, Petra; Hejna, Petr; Jurda, Mikoláš

2015-05-01

Three-dimensional surface technologies particularly close range photogrammetry and optical surface scanning have recently advanced into affordable, flexible and accurate techniques. Forensic postmortem investigation as performed on a daily basis, however, has not yet fully benefited from their potentials. In the present paper, we tested two approaches to 3D external body documentation - digital camera-based photogrammetry combined with commercial Agisoft PhotoScan(®) software and stereophotogrammetry-based Vectra H1(®), a portable handheld surface scanner. In order to conduct the study three human subjects were selected, a living person, a 25-year-old female, and two forensic cases admitted for postmortem examination at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic (both 63-year-old males), one dead to traumatic, self-inflicted, injuries (suicide by hanging), the other diagnosed with the heart failure. All three cases were photographed in 360° manner with a Nikon 7000 digital camera and simultaneously documented with the handheld scanner. In addition to having recorded the pre-autopsy phase of the forensic cases, both techniques were employed in various stages of autopsy. The sets of collected digital images (approximately 100 per case) were further processed to generate point clouds and 3D meshes. Final 3D models (a pair per individual) were counted for numbers of points and polygons, then assessed visually and compared quantitatively using ICP alignment algorithm and a cloud point comparison technique based on closest point to point distances. Both techniques were proven to be easy to handle and equally laborious. While collecting the images at autopsy took around 20min, the post-processing was much more time-demanding and required up to 10h of computation time. Moreover, for the full-body scanning the post-processing of the handheld scanner required rather time-consuming manual image alignment. In all instances the applied approaches produced high-resolution photorealistic, real sized or easy to calibrate 3D surface models. Both methods equally failed when the scanned body surface was covered with body hair or reflective moist areas. Still, it can be concluded that single camera close range photogrammetry and optical surface scanning using Vectra H1 scanner represent relatively low-cost solutions which were shown to be beneficial for postmortem body documentation in forensic pathology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The applicability of holography in forensic identification: a fusion of the traditional optical technique and digital technique.

PubMed

Biwasaka, Hitoshi; Saigusa, Kiyoshi; Aoki, Yasuhiro

2005-03-01

In this study, the applicability of holography in the 3-dimensional recording of forensic objects such as skulls and mandibulae, and the accuracy of the reconstructed 3-D images, were examined. The virtual holographic image, which records the 3-dimensional data of the original object, is visually observed on the other side of the holographic plate, and reproduces the 3-dimensional shape of the object well. Another type of holographic image, the real image, is focused on a frosted glass screen, and cross-sectional images of the object can be observed. When measuring the distances between anatomical reference points using an image-processing software, the average deviations in the holographic images as compared to the actual objects were less than 0.1 mm. Therefore, holography could be useful as a 3-dimensional recording method of forensic objects. Two superimposition systems using holographic images were examined. In the 2D-3D system, the transparent virtual holographic image of an object is directly superimposed onto the digitized photograph of the same object on the LCD monitor. On the other hand, in the video system, the holographic image captured by the CCD camera is superimposed onto the digitized photographic image using a personal computer. We found that the discrepancy between the outlines of the superimposed holographic and photographic dental images using the video system was smaller than that using the 2D-3D system. Holography seemed to perform comparably to the computer graphic system; however, a fusion with the digital technique would expand the utility of holography in superimposition.

NASA VERVE: Interactive 3D Visualization Within Eclipse

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Tamar; Allan, Mark B.

2014-01-01

At NASA, we develop myriad Eclipse RCP applications to provide situational awareness for remote systems. The Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA Ames Research Center has developed VERVE - a high-performance, robot user interface that provides scientists, robot operators, and mission planners with powerful, interactive 3D displays of remote environments.VERVE includes a 3D Eclipse view with an embedded Java Ardor3D scenario, including SWT and mouse controls which interact with the Ardor3D camera and objects in the scene. VERVE also includes Eclipse views for exploring and editing objects in the Ardor3D scene graph, and a HUD (Heads Up Display) framework allows Growl-style notifications and other textual information to be overlayed onto the 3D scene. We use VERVE to listen to telemetry from robots and display the robots and associated scientific data along the terrain they are exploring; VERVE can be used for any interactive 3D display of data.VERVE is now open source. VERVE derives from the prior Viz system, which was developed for Mars Polar Lander (2001) and used for the Mars Exploration Rover (2003) and the Phoenix Lander (2008). It has been used for ongoing research with IRG's K10 and KRex rovers in various locations. VERVE was used on the International Space Station during two experiments in 2013 - Surface Telerobotics, in which astronauts controlled robots on Earth from the ISS, and SPHERES, where astronauts control a free flying robot on board the ISS.We will show in detail how to code with VERVE, how to interact between SWT controls to the Ardor3D scenario, and share example code.

Mycology in palaeoecology and forensic science.

PubMed

Wiltshire, Patricia E J

2016-11-01

Palynology (including mycology) is widely used in palaeoecological and bioarchaeological studies. Lake and mire sediments, soils, and the deposits accumulating in archaeological features, invariably contain plant and fungal remains, particularly pollen and spores. These serve as proxy indicators of ancient environmental conditions and events. Forensic palynology has been successfully employed in criminal investigations for more than two decades. In recent years, it has included fungal palynomorphs in profiling samples from crime scenes, and from exhibits obtained from suspects and victims. This contribution outlines the main features of palynology, and gives examples of case studies where fungal spores, pollen, and plant spores, have enhanced the interpretation of ancient landscapes and land-use, and provided pivotal intelligence, and probative evidence, in criminal investigations. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of violent media on adolescent inkblot responses: implications for clinical and forensic assessments.

PubMed

Hess, T H; Hess, K D; Hess, A K

1999-04-01

Two experiments were conducted to assess the degree to which violent media stimulate violent fantasy as depicted on inkblot responses. In Experiment I, 41 gifted high school students were exposed to a bucolic or violent film clip and then were asked to produce inkblot responses. In Experiment II, a second sample of 43 additional students were exposed to a verbal description of the bucolic or violent scene to assess whether the "hot" or "cooler" media (McLuhan, 1964) had different effects on the inkblot responses. In both experiments, the media exposure led to increased levels of violent responses, and in both cases males produced more violent responses. There was no sex by media interaction effect. Implications for clinical and forensic assessments are presented.

An Alu-based, MGB Eclipse real-time PCR method for quantitation of human DNA in forensic samples.

PubMed

Nicklas, Janice A; Buel, Eric

2005-09-01

The forensic community needs quick, reliable methods to quantitate human DNA in crime scene samples to replace the laborious and imprecise slot blot method. A real-time PCR based method has the possibility of allowing development of a faster and more quantitative assay. Alu sequences are primate-specific and are found in many copies in the human genome, making these sequences an excellent target or marker for human DNA. This paper describes the development of a real-time Alu sequence-based assay using MGB Eclipse primers and probes. The advantages of this assay are simplicity, speed, less hands-on-time and automated quantitation, as well as a large dynamic range (128 ng/microL to 0.5 pg/microL).

Case report of a fatal bear attack documented by forensic wildlife genetics.

PubMed

Frosch, Christiane; Dutsov, Aleksandar; Georgiev, Georgi; Nowak, Carsten

2011-08-01

Fatal bear attacks on humans are extremely rare across Europe. Here we report a fatal bear attack on a man in Bulgaria. We used microsatellite analysis for bear individualization based on hair samples found near the man's corpse. The genetic profile of the killing bear was compared to that of a bear shot three days later near the killing scene. Our results show that the wrong bear has been shot. Shortly after our results were reported a second person was attacked by a bear nearby. This case documents the importance of forensic DNA analysis following severe wildlife attacks in order to improve wildlife management actions in regions were direct human-bear conflicts are likely to happen. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Multi-Resolution Approach for an Automated Fusion of Different Low-Cost 3D Sensors

PubMed Central

Dupuis, Jan; Paulus, Stefan; Behmann, Jan; Plümer, Lutz; Kuhlmann, Heiner

2014-01-01

The 3D acquisition of object structures has become a common technique in many fields of work, e.g., industrial quality management, cultural heritage or crime scene documentation. The requirements on the measuring devices are versatile, because spacious scenes have to be imaged with a high level of detail for selected objects. Thus, the used measuring systems are expensive and require an experienced operator. With the rise of low-cost 3D imaging systems, their integration into the digital documentation process is possible. However, common low-cost sensors have the limitation of a trade-off between range and accuracy, providing either a low resolution of single objects or a limited imaging field. Therefore, the use of multiple sensors is desirable. We show the combined use of two low-cost sensors, the Microsoft Kinect and the David laserscanning system, to achieve low-resolved scans of the whole scene and a high level of detail for selected objects, respectively. Afterwards, the high-resolved David objects are automatically assigned to their corresponding Kinect object by the use of surface feature histograms and SVM-classification. The corresponding objects are fitted using an ICP-implementation to produce a multi-resolution map. The applicability is shown for a fictional crime scene and the reconstruction of a ballistic trajectory. PMID:24763255

A multi-resolution approach for an automated fusion of different low-cost 3D sensors.

PubMed

Dupuis, Jan; Paulus, Stefan; Behmann, Jan; Plümer, Lutz; Kuhlmann, Heiner

2014-04-24

The 3D acquisition of object structures has become a common technique in many fields of work, e.g., industrial quality management, cultural heritage or crime scene documentation. The requirements on the measuring devices are versatile, because spacious scenes have to be imaged with a high level of detail for selected objects. Thus, the used measuring systems are expensive and require an experienced operator. With the rise of low-cost 3D imaging systems, their integration into the digital documentation process is possible. However, common low-cost sensors have the limitation of a trade-off between range and accuracy, providing either a low resolution of single objects or a limited imaging field. Therefore, the use of multiple sensors is desirable. We show the combined use of two low-cost sensors, the Microsoft Kinect and the David laserscanning system, to achieve low-resolved scans of the whole scene and a high level of detail for selected objects, respectively. Afterwards, the high-resolved David objects are automatically assigned to their corresponding Kinect object by the use of surface feature histograms and SVM-classification. The corresponding objects are fitted using an ICP-implementation to produce a multi-resolution map. The applicability is shown for a fictional crime scene and the reconstruction of a ballistic trajectory.

Forensic and population genetic analyses of eighteen non-CODIS miniSTR loci in the Korean population.

PubMed

Jin, Han Jun; Kim, Ki Cheol; Yoon, Cha Eun; Kim, Wook

2013-11-01

We analyzed the variation of eighteen miniSTR loci in 411 randomly chosen individuals from Korea to increase the probability that a degraded sample can be typed, as well as to provide an expanded and reliable population database. Six multiplex PCR systems were developed (multiplex I: D1S1677, D2S441 and D4S2364; multiplex II: D10S1248, D14S1434 and D22S1045; multiplex III: D12S391, D16S3253 and D20S161; multiplex IV: D3S4529, D8S1115 and D18S853; multiplex V: D6S1017, D11S4463 and D17S1301; multiplex VI: D5S2500, D9S1122 and D21S1437). Allele frequencies and forensic parameters were calculated to evaluate the suitability and robustness of these non-CODIS miniSTR systems. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations were observed, except for D4S2364, D5S2500 and D20S161 loci. A multidimensional scaling plot based on allele frequencies of the six miniSTR loci (D1S1677, D2S441, D4S2364, D10S1248, D14S1434 and D22S1045) showed that Koreans appeared to have most genetic affinity with Chinese and Japanese than to other Eurasian populations compared here. The combined probability of match calculated from the 18 miniSTR loci was 2.902 × 10(-17), indicating a high degree of polymorphism. Thus, the 18 miniSTR loci can be suitable for recovering useful information for analyzing degraded forensic casework samples and for adding supplementary genetic information for a variety of analyses involving closely related individuals where there is a need for additional genetic information. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

SLC24A5 and ASIP as phenotypic predictors in Brazilian population for forensic purposes.

PubMed

Lima, F A; de Araújo Lima, Felícia; Gonçalves, F T; de Toledo Gonçalves, Fernanda; Fridman, C; Fridman, Cintia

2015-07-01

Pigmentation is a variable and complex trait in humans and it is determined by the interaction of environmental factors, age, disease, hormones, exposure to ultraviolet radiation and genetic factors, including pigmentation genes. Many polymorphisms of these genes have been associated with phenotypic diversity of skin, eyes and hair color in homogeneous populations. Phenotype prediction from biological samples using genetic information has benefited forensic area in some countries, leading some criminal investigations. Herein, we evaluated the association between polymorphisms in the genes SLC24A5 (rs1426654) and ASIP (rs6058017) with skin, eyes and hair colors, in 483 healthy individuals from Brazilian population for attainable use in forensic practice. The volunteers answered a questionnaire where they self-reported their skin, eye and hair colors. The polymorphic homozygous genotype of rs1426654∗A and rs6058017∗A in SLC24A5 and ASIP respectively, showed strongest association with fairer skin (OR 47.8; CI 14.1-161.6 and OR 8.6; CI 2.5-29.8); SLC24A5 alone showed associations with blue eyes (OR 20.7; CI 1.2-346.3) and blond hair (OR 26.6; CI 1.5-460.9). Our data showed that polymorphic genotypes (AA), in both genes, are correlated with characteristics of light pigmentation, while the ancestral genotype (GG) is related to darker traits, corroborating with previous studies in European and African populations. These associations show that specific molecular information of an individual may be useful to access some phenotypic features in an attempt to help forensic investigations, not only on crime scene samples but also in cases of face reconstructions in unknown bodies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of compressive 4D-spatio-spectral snapshot imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xia; Feng, Weiyi; Lin, Lihua; Su, Wu; Xu, Guoqing

2017-10-01

In this paper, a modified 3D computational reconstruction method in the compressive 4D-spectro-volumetric snapshot imaging system is proposed for better sensing spectral information of 3D objects. In the design of the imaging system, a microlens array (MLA) is used to obtain a set of multi-view elemental images (EIs) of the 3D scenes. Then, these elemental images with one dimensional spectral information and different perspectives are captured by the coded aperture snapshot spectral imager (CASSI) which can sense the spectral data cube onto a compressive 2D measurement image. Finally, the depth images of 3D objects at arbitrary depths, like a focal stack, are computed by inversely mapping the elemental images according to geometrical optics. With the spectral estimation algorithm, the spectral information of 3D objects is also reconstructed. Using a shifted translation matrix, the contrast of the reconstruction result is further enhanced. Numerical simulation results verify the performance of the proposed method. The system can obtain both 3D spatial information and spectral data on 3D objects using only one single snapshot, which is valuable in the agricultural harvesting robots and other 3D dynamic scenes.

Modeling Images of Natural 3D Surfaces: Overview and Potential Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jalobeanu, Andre; Kuehnel, Frank; Stutz, John

2004-01-01

Generative models of natural images have long been used in computer vision. However, since they only describe the of 2D scenes, they fail to capture all the properties of the underlying 3D world. Even though such models are sufficient for many vision tasks a 3D scene model is when it comes to inferring a 3D object or its characteristics. In this paper, we present such a generative model, incorporating both a multiscale surface prior model for surface geometry and reflectance, and an image formation process model based on realistic rendering, the computation of the posterior model parameter densities, and on the critical aspects of the rendering. We also how to efficiently invert the model within a Bayesian framework. We present a few potential applications, such as asteroid modeling and Planetary topography recovery, illustrated by promising results on real images.

[Comparison of bite marks and teeth features using 2D and 3D methods].

PubMed

Lorkiewicz-Muszyńska, Dorota; Glapiński, Mariusz; Zaba, Czesław; Łabecka, Marzena

2011-01-01

The nature of bite marks is complex. They are found at the scene of crime on different materials and surfaces - not only on human body and corpse, but also on food products and material objects. Human bites on skin are sometimes difficult to interpret and to analyze because of the specific character of skin--elastic and distortable--and because different areas of human body have different surfaces and curvatures. A bite mark left at the scene of crime can be a highly helpful way to lead investigators to criminals. The study was performed to establish: 1) whether bite marks exhibit variations in the accuracy of impressions on different materials, 2) whether it is possible to use the 3D method in the process of identifying an individual based on the comparison of bite marks revealed at the scene, and 3D scans of dental casts, 3) whether application of the 3D method allows for elimination of secondary photographic distortion of bite marks. The authors carried out experiments on simulated cases. Five volunteers bit various materials with different surfaces. Experimental bite marks were collected with emphasis on differentiations of materials. Subsequently, dental impressions were taken from five volunteers in order to prepare five sets of dental casts (the maxilla and mandible. The biting edges of teeth were impressed in wax to create an imprint. The samples of dental casts, corresponding wax bite impressions and bite marks from different materials were scanned with 2D and 3D scanners and photographs were taken. All of these were examined in detail and then compared using different methods (2D and 3D). 1) Bite marks exhibit variations in accuracy of impression on different materials. The most legible reproduction of bite marks was seen on cheese. 2) In comparison of bite marks, the 3D method and 3D scans of dental casts are highly accurate. 3) The 3D method helps to eliminate secondary photographic distortion of bite marks.

Application of 3D documentation and geometric reconstruction methods in traffic accident analysis: with high resolution surface scanning, radiological MSCT/MRI scanning and real data based animation.

PubMed

Buck, Ursula; Naether, Silvio; Braun, Marcel; Bolliger, Stephan; Friederich, Hans; Jackowski, Christian; Aghayev, Emin; Christe, Andreas; Vock, Peter; Dirnhofer, Richard; Thali, Michael J

2007-07-20

The examination of traffic accidents is daily routine in forensic medicine. An important question in the analysis of the victims of traffic accidents, for example in collisions between motor vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists, is the situation of the impact. Apart from forensic medical examinations (external examination and autopsy), three-dimensional technologies and methods are gaining importance in forensic investigations. Besides the post-mortem multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the documentation and analysis of internal findings, highly precise 3D surface scanning is employed for the documentation of the external body findings and of injury-inflicting instruments. The correlation of injuries of the body to the injury-inflicting object and the accident mechanism are of great importance. The applied methods include documentation of the external and internal body and the involved vehicles and inflicting tools as well as the analysis of the acquired data. The body surface and the accident vehicles with their damages were digitized by 3D surface scanning. For the internal findings of the body, post-mortem MSCT and MRI were used. The analysis included the processing of the obtained data to 3D models, determination of the driving direction of the vehicle, correlation of injuries to the vehicle damages, geometric determination of the impact situation and evaluation of further findings of the accident. In the following article, the benefits of the 3D documentation and computer-assisted, drawn-to-scale 3D comparisons of the relevant injuries with the damages to the vehicle in the analysis of the course of accidents, especially with regard to the impact situation, are shown on two examined cases.

Eye tracking to evaluate evidence recognition in crime scene investigations.

PubMed

Watalingam, Renuka Devi; Richetelli, Nicole; Pelz, Jeff B; Speir, Jacqueline A

2017-11-01

Crime scene analysts are the core of criminal investigations; decisions made at the scene greatly affect the speed of analysis and the quality of conclusions, thereby directly impacting the successful resolution of a case. If an examiner fails to recognize the pertinence of an item on scene, the analyst's theory regarding the crime will be limited. Conversely, unselective evidence collection will most likely include irrelevant material, thus increasing a forensic laboratory's backlog and potentially sending the investigation into an unproductive and costly direction. Therefore, it is critical that analysts recognize and properly evaluate forensic evidence that can assess the relative support of differing hypotheses related to event reconstruction. With this in mind, the aim of this study was to determine if quantitative eye tracking data and qualitative reconstruction accuracy could be used to distinguish investigator expertise. In order to assess this, 32 participants were successfully recruited and categorized as experts or trained novices based on their practical experiences and educational backgrounds. Each volunteer then processed a mock crime scene while wearing a mobile eye tracker, wherein visual fixations, durations, search patterns, and reconstruction accuracy were evaluated. The eye tracking data (dwell time and task percentage on areas of interest or AOIs) were compared using Earth Mover's Distance (EMD) and the Needleman-Wunsch (N-W) algorithm, revealing significant group differences for both search duration (EMD), as well as search sequence (N-W). More specifically, experts exhibited greater dissimilarity in search duration, but greater similarity in search sequences than their novice counterparts. In addition to the quantitative visual assessment of examiner variability, each participant's reconstruction skill was assessed using a 22-point binary scoring system, in which significant group differences were detected as a function of total reconstruction accuracy. This result, coupled with the fact that the study failed to detect a significant difference between the groups when evaluating the total time needed to complete the investigation, indicates that experts are more efficient and effective. Finally, the results presented here provide a basis for continued research in the use of eye trackers to assess expertise in complex and distributed environments, including suggestions for future work, and cautions regarding the degree to which visual attention can infer cognitive understanding. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

General fusion approaches for the age determination of latent fingerprint traces: results for 2D and 3D binary pixel feature fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merkel, Ronny; Gruhn, Stefan; Dittmann, Jana; Vielhauer, Claus; Bräutigam, Anja

2012-03-01

Determining the age of latent fingerprint traces found at crime scenes is an unresolved research issue since decades. Solving this issue could provide criminal investigators with the specific time a fingerprint trace was left on a surface, and therefore would enable them to link potential suspects to the time a crime took place as well as to reconstruct the sequence of events or eliminate irrelevant fingerprints to ensure privacy constraints. Transferring imaging techniques from different application areas, such as 3D image acquisition, surface measurement and chemical analysis to the domain of lifting latent biometric fingerprint traces is an upcoming trend in forensics. Such non-destructive sensor devices might help to solve the challenge of determining the age of a latent fingerprint trace, since it provides the opportunity to create time series and process them using pattern recognition techniques and statistical methods on digitized 2D, 3D and chemical data, rather than classical, contact-based capturing techniques, which alter the fingerprint trace and therefore make continuous scans impossible. In prior work, we have suggested to use a feature called binary pixel, which is a novel approach in the working field of fingerprint age determination. The feature uses a Chromatic White Light (CWL) image sensor to continuously scan a fingerprint trace over time and retrieves a characteristic logarithmic aging tendency for 2D-intensity as well as 3D-topographic images from the sensor. In this paper, we propose to combine such two characteristic aging features with other 2D and 3D features from the domains of surface measurement, microscopy, photography and spectroscopy, to achieve an increase in accuracy and reliability of a potential future age determination scheme. Discussing the feasibility of such variety of sensor devices and possible aging features, we propose a general fusion approach, which might combine promising features to a joint age determination scheme in future. We furthermore demonstrate the feasibility of the introduced approach by exemplary fusing the binary pixel features based on 2D-intensity and 3D-topographic images of the mentioned CWL sensor. We conclude that a formula based age determination approach requires very precise image data, which cannot be achieved at the moment, whereas a machine learning based classification approach seems to be feasible, if an adequate amount of features can be provided.

Chemotaxonomic Profile and Intraspecific Variation in the Blow Fly of Forensic Interest Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

PubMed

Paula, Michele C; Antonialli-Junior, William F; Mendonça, Angélica; Michelutti, Kamylla B; Eulalio, Aylson D M M; Cardoso, Claudia A L; de Lima, Thiago; Von Zuben, Cláudio J

2017-01-01

Necrophagous insects such as blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are considered crucial in forensic entomology. Identification at species level and determination of larval stage are the basis for estimation of postmortem interval (PMI). Insect evidence can also be used in the determination of crime scenes, since body displacement is common. The aim of this study was to determine the chemotaxonomic profile and intraspecific variability of the forensically important blow fly Chrysomya megacephala (F. 1794). Adults were collected in the municipalities of Dourados-MS (Brazil) and Rio Claro-SP (Brazil), and then transferred to the laboratory for oviposition and development of the immature stages. Chemical analysis of cuticular compounds was performed by gas chromatography. Cuticular chemical profiles varied significantly between the two populations, as well as between developmental stages, supporting the use of these compounds as a complementary tool to help identify the species and its stages, along with geographical variability. This could greatly accelerate forensic investigations, eliminating the need to allow the fly larvae to develop until adult stage in order to confirm the species identity and sample origin. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Role of Law Enforcement Response and Microbial Forensics in Investigation of Bioterrorism

PubMed Central

Budowle, Bruce; Beaudry, Jodi A.; Barnaby, Neel G.; Giusti, Alan M.; Bannan, Jason D.; Keim, Paul

2007-01-01

The risk and threat of bioterrorism and biocrime have become a large concern and challenge for governments and society to enhance biosecurity. Law enforcement plays an important role in assessing and investigating activities involved in an event of bioterrorism or biocrime. Key to a successful biosecurity program is increased awareness and early detection of threats facilitated by an integrated network of responsibilities and capabilities from government, academic, private, and public assets. To support an investigation, microbial forensic sciences are employed to analyze and characterize forensic evidence with the goal of attribution or crime scene reconstruction. Two different molecular biology-based assays – real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and repetitive element PCR – are described and demonstrate how molecular biology tools may be utilized to aid in the investigative process. Technologies relied on by microbial forensic scientists need to be properly validated so that the methods used are understood and so that interpretation of results is carried out within the limitations of the assays. The three types of validation are preliminary, developmental, and internal. The first is necessary for rapid response when a threat is imminent or an attack has recently occurred. The latter two apply to implementation of routinely used procedures. PMID:17696298

A knowledge-based object recognition system for applications in the space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhawan, Atam P.

1988-01-01

A knowledge-based three-dimensional (3D) object recognition system is being developed. The system uses primitive-based hierarchical relational and structural matching for the recognition of 3D objects in the two-dimensional (2D) image for interpretation of the 3D scene. At present, the pre-processing, low-level preliminary segmentation, rule-based segmentation, and the feature extraction are completed. The data structure of the primitive viewing knowledge-base (PVKB) is also completed. Algorithms and programs based on attribute-trees matching for decomposing the segmented data into valid primitives were developed. The frame-based structural and relational descriptions of some objects were created and stored in a knowledge-base. This knowledge-base of the frame-based descriptions were developed on the MICROVAX-AI microcomputer in LISP environment. The simulated 3D scene of simple non-overlapping objects as well as real camera data of images of 3D objects of low-complexity have been successfully interpreted.

Investigating the isolation and amplification of microRNAs for forensic body fluid identification.

PubMed

Glynn, Claire L; O Leary, Kelsie R

2018-04-30

The discovery of forensic DNA typing evolved molecular biology far beyond what could have been expected in terms of its forensic application, and now there exists other developments in molecular biology which are ready for application to forensic challenges. One such challenge is the identification of the body fluid source of stains recovered from evidence items and crime scenes. Currently there are significant efforts in the research field to develop novel methods for the molecular identification of body fluids, with microRNAs (miRNAs) revealing great potential. MiRNAs have been shown to have high tissue specificity and are less susceptible to degradation as a result of their small size, which infers great advantages to their potential role for identifying forensically relevant body fluids. This study investigated the isolation and amplification of miRNAs from forensically relevant body fluids. Venous blood, menstrual blood, semen, saliva, and vaginal material samples were extracted using; miRNeasy® mini kit (Qiagen), mirVana™ miRNA isolation kit (Ambion), and a modified mirVana™ method, and the quality/quantity of isolated miRNA was determined. miRNAs previously identified to show specificity for particular forensically relevant body fluids were examined. Real Time-Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was performed targeting 5 miRNAs of interest, miR-451, miR-412, miR-891a, miR-205 and miR-124a. This study identified the miRNeasy® mini kit as the optimal method of the three methods investigated for the extraction of miRNAs from body fluids and further validates a selection of miRNAs previously suggested as potential biomarkers. This research highlights the potential of miRNAs as novel markers for the identification of forensically relevant body fluids. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Unplanned Complex Suicide-A Consideration of Multiple Methods.

PubMed

Ateriya, Navneet; Kanchan, Tanuj; Shekhawat, Raghvendra Singh; Setia, Puneet; Saraf, Ashish

2018-05-01

Detailed death investigations are mandatory to find out the exact cause and manner in non-natural deaths. In this reference, use of multiple methods in suicide poses a challenge for the investigators especially when the choice of methods to cause death is unplanned. There is an increased likelihood that doubts of homicide are raised in cases of unplanned complex suicides. A case of complex suicide is reported where the victim resorted to multiple methods to end his life, and what appeared to be an unplanned variant based on the death scene investigations. A meticulous crime scene examination, interviews of the victim's relatives and other witnesses, and a thorough autopsy are warranted to conclude on the cause and manner of death in all such cases. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Reliable Acquisition of RAM Dumps from Intel-Based Apple Mac Computers over FireWire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladyshev, Pavel; Almansoori, Afrah

RAM content acquisition is an important step in live forensic analysis of computer systems. FireWire offers an attractive way to acquire RAM content of Apple Mac computers equipped with a FireWire connection. However, the existing techniques for doing so require substantial knowledge of the target computer configuration and cannot be used reliably on a previously unknown computer in a crime scene. This paper proposes a novel method for acquiring RAM content of Apple Mac computers over FireWire, which automatically discovers necessary information about the target computer and can be used in the crime scene setting. As an application of the developed method, the techniques for recovery of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) conversation fragments from RAM dumps are also discussed in this paper.

Preparation of pyrolysis reference samples: evaluation of a standard method using a tube furnace.

PubMed

Sandercock, P Mark L

2012-05-01

A new, simple method for the reproducible creation of pyrolysis products from different materials that may be found at a fire scene is described. A temperature programmable steady-state tube furnace was used to generate pyrolysis products from different substrates, including softwoods, paper, vinyl sheet flooring, and carpet. The temperature profile of the tube furnace was characterized, and the suitability of the method to reproducibly create pyrolysates similar to those found in real fire debris was assessed. The use of this method to create proficiency tests to realistically test an examiner's ability to interpret complex gas chromatograph-mass spectrometric fire debris data, and to create a library of pyrolsates generated from materials commonly found at a fire scene, is demonstrated. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Fifteen non-CODIS autosomal short tandem repeat loci multiplex data from nine population groups living in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hwa, Hsiao-Lin; Chang, Yih-Yuan; Lee, James Chun-I; Lin, Chun-Yen; Yin, Hsiang-Yi; Tseng, Li-Hui; Su, Yi-Ning; Ko, Tsang-Ming

2012-07-01

The analysis of autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci is a powerful tool in forensic genetics. We developed a multiplex system in which 15 non-Combined DNA Index System autosomal STRs (D3S1744, D4S2366, D8S1110, D10S2325, D12S1090, D13S765, D14S608, Penta E, D17S1294, D18S536, D18S1270, D20S470, D21S1437, Penta D, and D22S683) could be amplified in one single polymerase chain reaction. DNA samples from 1,098 unrelated subjects of nine population groups living in Taiwan, including Taiwanese Han, indigenous Taiwanese of Taiwan Island, Tao, mainland Chinese, Filipinos, Thais, Vietnamese, Indonesians, and Caucasians, were collected and analyzed using this system. The distributions of the allelic frequencies and the forensic parameters of each population group were presented. The combined discrimination power and the combined power of exclusion were high in all population groups tested in this study. A multidimensional scaling plot of these nine population groups based on the Reynolds' genetic distances calculated from 15 autosomal STRs was constructed, and the genetic substructure in this area was presented. In conclusion, this 15 autosomal STR multiplex system provides highly informative STR data and appears useful in forensic casework and parentage testing in different populations.

Structure Sensor for mobile markerless augmented reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilgus, T.; Bux, R.; Franz, A. M.; Johnen, W.; Heim, E.; Fangerau, M.; Müller, M.; Yen, K.; Maier-Hein, L.

2016-03-01

3D Visualization of anatomical data is an integral part of diagnostics and treatment in many medical disciplines, such as radiology, surgery and forensic medicine. To enable intuitive interaction with the data, we recently proposed a new concept for on-patient visualization of medical data which involves rendering of subsurface structures on a mobile display that can be moved along the human body. The data fusion is achieved with a range imaging device attached to the display. The range data is used to register static 3D medical imaging data with the patient body based on a surface matching algorithm. However, our previous prototype was based on the Microsoft Kinect camera and thus required a cable connection to acquire color and depth data. The contribution of this paper is two-fold. Firstly, we replace the Kinect with the Structure Sensor - a novel cable-free range imaging device - to improve handling and user experience and show that the resulting accuracy (target registration error: 4.8+/-1.5 mm) is comparable to that achieved with the Kinect. Secondly, a new approach to visualizing complex 3D anatomy based on this device, as well as 3D printed models of anatomical surfaces, is presented. We demonstrate that our concept can be applied to in vivo data and to a 3D printed skull of a forensic case. Our new device is the next step towards clinical integration and shows that the concept cannot only be applied during autopsy but also for presentation of forensic data to laypeople in court or medical education.

The Extraction and Recovery Efficiency of Pure DNA for Different Types of Swabs.

PubMed

Bruijns, Brigitte B; Tiggelaar, Roald M; Gardeniers, Han

2018-06-11

The extraction and recovery efficiency of swabs used to collect evidence at crime scenes is relatively low (typically <50%) for bacterial spores and body fluids. Cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an interesting alternative compared to whole cells as a source for forensic analysis, but extraction and recovery from swabs has not been tested before using pure DNA. In this study cotton, foam, nylon flocked, polyester and rayon swabs are investigated in order to collect pure DNA isolated from saliva samples. The morphology and absorption capacity of swabs is studied. Extraction and recovery efficiencies are determined and compared to the maximum theoretical efficiency. The results indicate that a substantial part of DNA is not extracted from the swab and some types of swab seem to bind effectively with DNA. The efficiency of the different types of swab never exceeds 50%. The nylon flocked 4N6FLOQSwab used for buccal sampling performs the best. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Forensic Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The Potential of Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) and Gas Chromatography-IRMS Analysis of Triacetone Triperoxide in Forensic Explosives Investigations.

PubMed

Bezemer, Karlijn D B; Koeberg, Mattijs; van der Heijden, Antoine E D M; van Driel, Chris A; Blaga, Cornelia; Bruinsma, Jildert; van Asten, Arian C

2016-09-01

Studying links between triacetone triperoxide (TATP) samples from crime scenes and suspects can assist in criminal investigations. Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and gas chromatography (GC)-IRMS were used to measure the isotopic compositions of TATP and its precursors acetone and hydrogen peroxide. In total, 31 TATP samples were synthesized with different raw material combinations and reaction conditions. For carbon, a good differentiation and a linear relationship were observed for acetone-TATP combinations. The extent of negative (δ(13) C) fractionation depended on the reaction yield. Limited enrichment was observed for the hydrogen isotope (δ(2) H) values of the TATP samples probably due to a constant exchange of hydrogen atoms in aqueous solution. For oxygen (δ(18) O), the small isotopic range and excess of water in hydrogen peroxide resulted in poor differentiation. GC-IRMS and IRMS data were comparable except for one TATP sample prepared with high acid concentration demonstrating the potential of compound-specific isotope analysis. Carbon IRMS has practical use in forensic TATP investigations. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An investigation of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Eurasian badger (Meles meles) scavenging, scattering, and removal of deer remains: forensic implications and applications.

PubMed

Young, Alexandria; Márquez-Grant, Nicholas; Stillman, Richard; Smith, Martin J; Korstjens, Amanda H

2015-01-01

Within northwest Europe, especially the United Kingdom, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) are the largest wild scavengers capable of modifying a set of remains through scavenging. Knowledge of region-specific and species-typical scavenging behaviors of scavengers within the crime scene area and surroundings can aid in more efficient and accurate interpretations. The scavenging behaviors of captive and wild foxes and badgers were recorded and compared through actualistic methods and direct observation. The scavenging by wild foxes and badgers of surface-deposited baits and whole deer (Cervus nippon; Capreolus capreolus) in a woodland was observed and analyzed. Wild foxes were found to scavenge deer more frequently than badgers. The scavenging of deer remains by foxes was also compared with forensic cases. The scavenging pattern and recovery distances of deer and human remains scavenged by foxes were similar but were potentially affected by the condition and deposition of a body, and the presence of clothing. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Forensic Examination Using a Nondestructive Evaluation Method for Surface Metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, David J.; Chumbley, L. Scott

2009-03-01

The objective of this paper is to describe the use of a new technique of optical profilometry in a nondestructive, non-contact fashion for the comparison of two metallic surfaces, one hard and one soft. When brought in contact with one another, the harder material (i.e. the tool) will impress its surface roughness onto the softer. It is understood that the resulting set of impressions left from a tool tip act in a manner similar to a photographic negative, in that it leaves a reverse, or negative impression on the surface of a plate. If properly inverted and reversed, measurements from the softer material should be identical to the harder indenting object with regard to surface texture and roughness. This assumption is inherent in the area of forensics, where bullets, cartridge cases, and toolmarked surfaces from crime scenes are compared to similar marks made under controlled conditions in the forensic laboratory. This paper will examine the methodology used to compare two surfaces for similarities and dissimilarities, and comment on the applicability of this technique to other studies.

Karadžić's guilty verdict and forensic evidence from Bosnia's mass graves.

PubMed

Klinkner, Melanie

2016-12-01

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia's Karadžić verdict, eagerly awaited, was unsurprising. He was found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. One part of the judgment was concerned with the Srebrenica events in which much forensic evidence from mass graves featured. Whilst this was to be expected, forensic evidence from the horrific crime scenes continues to be important in determining aspects of the crime base. This paper discusses the evidence and examines how the Chamber came to the conclusion that systematic killing of thousands of Bosnian Muslim men occurred and attempts had been made to conceal the crimes and human remains in secondary graves thus confirming the actus reus of genocide. In particular, the number of people killed was at issue. Despite the absence of compelling counter-theories on behalf of the accused, this paper demonstrates that contestations over the number of those killed remain and predicts that this is unlikely to change for the ongoing Mladić case. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Bare footprint metric analysis methods for comparison and identification in forensic examinations: A review of literature.

PubMed

Mukhra, Richa; Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj

2018-05-09

Footprint is one of the most common types of physical evidence recovered at a crime scene. The forensic footprint evidence may play an important role in establishing the identity of a person; therefore, its examination is of prime importance. A link may be established by observing and comparing the morphological features of footprints with the perpetrator. These barefoot prints may be present as a two-dimensional print or a three-dimensional imprint depending on the substrate upon which they have been impressed upon and accordingly different methods and techniques are implemented in order to identify the questioned prints. After the execution of appropriate procedure, these prints are then compared with the exemplar prints, i.e., prints of the suspects to narrow down the process of identification. The analysis of bare footprints has been used to offer a wide range of knowledge about different print patterns. Thus, the present work extends an overview of the different methods and indices that are being used to evaluate footprints for comparison and identification purposes. The evaluation and interpretation of footprints is not only of prime importance in forensic examination but also help in clinical examinations and elucidation of various podiatric disorders. The paper also focuses on the occurrence of footprint evidence, forensic podiatric training and education, reliability and accuracy of the footprint analysis methods and associated intra-rater and inter-rater discrepancies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

The importance of scientific evaluation of biological evidence--data from eight years of case review.

PubMed

Coyle, Heather Miller

2012-12-01

In 2009, the National Research Council published a report stating that the addition of more science and technology into the field of forensic science in the United States would be of great benefit to the judicial system. As a starting point to address this NRC report, one needs to make an assessment of the system. One factor that is continuously requested is an estimate of an error rate. In any given scientific area of forensics that is difficult to quantitate except by external review and audits. After eight years of requested defense review of cases with biological and DNA evidence, most cases appear to be scientifically sound in test methods and procedures. However, there were some cases where errors in the forensic science process did occur. This article takes information compiled from those eight years of defense review and summarizes the cases where errors have been discovered and discusses the scientific implications of these errors. The scope of this article is limited to crime scene collection and forensic science laboratory testing of biological materials for body fluid identification and DNA individualization to a source. The greatest value of defense review comes from (a) providing effective balance and independent oversight to the judicial process and (b) collecting data into a format that can be useful as a guide in training programs. Copyright © 2012 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Authentication of Trace Material Evidence in Forensic Science Field with Infrared Microscopic Technique].

PubMed

Jiang, Zhi-quan; Hu, Ke-liang

2016-03-01

In the field of forensic science, conventional infrared spectral analysis technique is usually unable to meet the detection requirements, because only very a few trace material evidence with diverse shapes and complex compositions, can be extracted from the crime scene. Infrared microscopic technique is developed based on a combination of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic technique and microscopic technique. Infrared microscopic technique has a lot of advantages over conventional infrared spectroscopic technique, such as high detection sensitivity, micro-area analysisand nondestructive examination. It has effectively solved the problem of authentication of trace material evidence in the field of forensic science. Additionally, almost no external interference is introduced during measurements by infrared microscopic technique. It can satisfy the special need that the trace material evidence must be reserved for witness in court. It is illustrated in detail through real case analysis in this experimental center that, infrared microscopic technique has advantages in authentication of trace material evidence in forensic science field. In this paper, the vibration features in infrared spectra of material evidences, including paints, plastics, rubbers, fibers, drugs and toxicants, can be comparatively analyzed by means of infrared microscopic technique, in an attempt to provide powerful spectroscopic evidence for qualitative diagnosis of various criminal and traffic accident cases. The experimental results clearly suggest that infrared microscopic technique has an incomparable advantage and it has become an effective method for authentication of trace material evidence in the field of forensic science.

Complete Scene Recovery and Terrain Classification in Textured Terrain Meshes

PubMed Central

Song, Wei; Cho, Kyungeun; Um, Kyhyun; Won, Chee Sun; Sim, Sungdae

2012-01-01

Terrain classification allows a mobile robot to create an annotated map of its local environment from the three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) datasets collected by its array of sensors, including a GPS receiver, gyroscope, video camera, and range sensor. However, parts of objects that are outside the measurement range of the range sensor will not be detected. To overcome this problem, this paper describes an edge estimation method for complete scene recovery and complete terrain reconstruction. Here, the Gibbs-Markov random field is used to segment the ground from 2D videos and 3D point clouds. Further, a masking method is proposed to classify buildings and trees in a terrain mesh. PMID:23112653

Advanced Weapon System (AWS) Sensor Prediction Techniques Study. Volume II

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

models are suggested. TV. 1-1 ’ICourant Com’p’uter Sctence Report #9 December 1975 Scene Analysis: A Survey Carl Weiman Cou rant Institute of...some crucial differences. In the psycho- logical model of mechanical vision, the aim of scene analysis is to perceive and understand 2-0 images of 3-D...scenes. The meaning of this analogy can be clarified using a rudimentary informational model ; this yields a natural hierarchy from physical

Scene analysis in the natural environment

PubMed Central

Lewicki, Michael S.; Olshausen, Bruno A.; Surlykke, Annemarie; Moss, Cynthia F.

2014-01-01

The problem of scene analysis has been studied in a number of different fields over the past decades. These studies have led to important insights into problems of scene analysis, but not all of these insights are widely appreciated, and there remain critical shortcomings in current approaches that hinder further progress. Here we take the view that scene analysis is a universal problem solved by all animals, and that we can gain new insight by studying the problems that animals face in complex natural environments. In particular, the jumping spider, songbird, echolocating bat, and electric fish, all exhibit behaviors that require robust solutions to scene analysis problems encountered in the natural environment. By examining the behaviors of these seemingly disparate animals, we emerge with a framework for studying scene analysis comprising four essential properties: (1) the ability to solve ill-posed problems, (2) the ability to integrate and store information across time and modality, (3) efficient recovery and representation of 3D scene structure, and (4) the use of optimal motor actions for acquiring information to progress toward behavioral goals. PMID:24744740

A Demonstration of ‘Broken’ Visual Space

PubMed Central

Gilson, Stuart

2012-01-01

It has long been assumed that there is a distorted mapping between real and ‘perceived’ space, based on demonstrations of systematic errors in judgements of slant, curvature, direction and separation. Here, we have applied a direct test to the notion of a coherent visual space. In an immersive virtual environment, participants judged the relative distance of two squares displayed in separate intervals. On some trials, the virtual scene expanded by a factor of four between intervals although, in line with recent results, participants did not report any noticeable change in the scene. We found that there was no consistent depth ordering of objects that can explain the distance matches participants made in this environment (e.g. A>B>D yet also A

High-speed three-dimensional shape measurement for dynamic scenes using bi-frequency tripolar pulse-width-modulation fringe projection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Chao; Chen, Qian; Gu, Guohua; Feng, Shijie; Feng, Fangxiaoyu; Li, Rubin; Shen, Guochen

2013-08-01

This paper introduces a high-speed three-dimensional (3-D) shape measurement technique for dynamic scenes by using bi-frequency tripolar pulse-width-modulation (TPWM) fringe projection. Two wrapped phase maps with different wavelengths can be obtained simultaneously by our bi-frequency phase-shifting algorithm. Then the two phase maps are unwrapped using a simple look-up-table based number-theoretical approach. To guarantee the robustness of phase unwrapping as well as the high sinusoidality of projected patterns, TPWM technique is employed to generate ideal fringe patterns with slight defocus. We detailed our technique, including its principle, pattern design, and system setup. Several experiments on dynamic scenes were performed, verifying that our method can achieve a speed of 1250 frames per second for fast, dense, and accurate 3-D measurements.

Initial Verification of GEOS-4 Aerosols Using CALIPSO and MODIS: Scene Classification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welton, Ellsworth J.; Colarco, Peter R.; Hlavka, Dennis; Levy, Robert C.; Vaughan, Mark A.; daSilva, Arlindo

2007-01-01

A-train sensors such as MODIS and MISR provide column aerosol properties, and in the process a means of estimating aerosol type (e.g. smoke vs. dust). Correct classification of aerosol type is important because retrievals are often dependent upon selection of the right aerosol model. In addition, aerosol scene classification helps place the retrieved products in context for comparisons and analysis with aerosol transport models. The recent addition of CALIPSO to the A-train now provides a means of classifying aerosol distribution with altitude. CALIPSO level 1 products include profiles of attenuated backscatter at 532 and 1064 nm, and depolarization at 532 nm. Backscatter intensity, wavelength ratio, and depolarization provide information on the vertical profile of aerosol concentration, size, and shape. Thus similar estimates of aerosol type using MODIS or MISR are possible with CALIPSO, and the combination of data from all sensors provides a means of 3D aerosol scene classification. The NASA Goddard Earth Observing System general circulation model and data assimilation system (GEOS-4) provides global 3D aerosol mass for sulfate, sea salt, dust, and black and organic carbon. A GEOS-4 aerosol scene classification algorithm has been developed to provide estimates of aerosol mixtures along the flight track for NASA's Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) satellite lidar. GLAS launched in 2003 and did not have the benefit of depolarization measurements or other sensors from the A-train. Aerosol typing from GLAS data alone was not possible, and the GEOS-4 aerosol classifier has been used to identify aerosol type and improve the retrieval of GLAS products. Here we compare 3D aerosol scene classification using CALIPSO and MODIS with the GEOS-4 aerosol classifier. Dust, smoke, and pollution examples will be discussed in the context of providing an initial verification of the 3D GEOS-4 aerosol products. Prior model verification has only been attempted with surface mass comparisons and column optical depth from AERONET and MODIS.

A method of 3D object recognition and localization in a cloud of points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bielicki, Jerzy; Sitnik, Robert

2013-12-01

The proposed method given in this article is prepared for analysis of data in the form of cloud of points directly from 3D measurements. It is designed for use in the end-user applications that can directly be integrated with 3D scanning software. The method utilizes locally calculated feature vectors (FVs) in point cloud data. Recognition is based on comparison of the analyzed scene with reference object library. A global descriptor in the form of a set of spatially distributed FVs is created for each reference model. During the detection process, correlation of subsets of reference FVs with FVs calculated in the scene is computed. Features utilized in the algorithm are based on parameters, which qualitatively estimate mean and Gaussian curvatures. Replacement of differentiation with averaging in the curvatures estimation makes the algorithm more resistant to discontinuities and poor quality of the input data. Utilization of the FV subsets allows to detect partially occluded and cluttered objects in the scene, while additional spatial information maintains false positive rate at a reasonably low level.

Genetic polymorphisms in 18 autosomal STR loci in the Tibetan population living in Tibet Chamdo, Southwest China.

PubMed

Li, Zhenghui; Zhang, Jian; Zhang, Hantao; Lin, Ziqing; Ye, Jian

2018-05-01

Short tandem repeats (STRs) play a vitally important role in forensics. Population data is needed to improve the field. There is currently no large population data-based data set in Chamdo Tibetan. In our study, the allele frequencies and forensic statistical parameters of 18 autosomal STR loci (D5S818, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D2S1338, D3S1358, VWA, D8S1179, D16S539, PentaE, TPOX, TH01, D19S433, D18S51, FGA, D6S1043, D13S317, and D12S391) included in the DNATyper™19 kit were investigated in 2249 healthy, unrelated Tibetan subjects living in Tibet Chamdo, Southwest China. The combined power of discrimination and the combined probability of exclusion of all 18 loci were 0.9999999999999999999998174 and 0.99999994704, respectively. Furthermore, the genetic relationship between our Tibetan group and 33 previously published populations was also investigated. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Chamdo Tibetan population is more closely related genetically with the Lhasa Tibetan group. Our results suggest that these autosomal STR loci are highly polymorphic in the Tibetan population living in Tibet Chamdo and can be used as a powerful tool in forensics, linguistics, and population genetic analyses.

Prospective study of factors influencing conditional discharge from a forensic hospital: the DUNDRUM-3 programme completion and DUNDRUM-4 recovery structured professional judgement instruments and risk

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background We set out to examine whether structured professional judgement instruments DUNDRUM-3 programme completion (D-3) and DUNDRUM-4 recovery (D-4) scales along with measures of risk, mental state and global function could distinguish between those forensic patients detained in a secure forensic hospital (not guilty by reason of insanity or unfit to stand trial) who were subsequently discharged by a mental health review board. We also examined the interaction between these measures and risk, need for therapeutic security and eventual conditional discharge. Methods A naturalistic observational cohort study was carried out for 56 patients newly eligible for conditional discharge. Patients were rated using the D-3, D-4 and other scales including HCR-20, S-RAMM, START, SAPROF, PANSS and GAF and then observed over a period of twenty three months during which they were considered for conditional discharge by an independent Mental Health Review Board. Results The D-3 distinguished which patients were subsequently discharged by the Mental Health Review board (AUC = 0.902, p < 0.001) as did the D-4 (AUC = 0.848, p < 0.001). Item to outcome analysis showed each item of the D-3 and D-4 scales performed significantly better than random. The HCR-20 also distinguished those later discharged (AUC = 0.838, p < 0.001) as did the S-RAMM, START, SAPROF, PANSS and GAF. The D-3 and D-4 scores remained significantly lower (better) for those discharged even when corrected for the HCR-20 total score. Item to outcome analyses and logistic regression analysis showed that the strongest antecedents of discharge were the GAF and the DUNDRUM-3 programme completion scores. Conclusions Structured professional judgement instruments should improve the quality, consistency and transparency of clinical recommendations and decision making at mental health review boards. Further research is required to determine whether the DUNDRUM-3 programme completion and DUNDRUM-4 recovery instruments predict those who are or are not recalled or re-offend after conditional discharge. PMID:23837697

Information Processing Research.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

Kuroe. The 3D MOSAIC Scene Understanding System. In Alan Bundy, Editor, Proceedings of the Eighth International Joint Conference on Artificial ... Artificial Jntelligencel7(1-3):409-460, August, 1981. Given a single picture which is a projection of a three-dimensional scene onto the two...values are detected as outliers by computing the distribution of values over a sliding 80 msec window. During the third pass (based on artificial

Cognitive Load and Attentional Demands during Objects' Position Change in Real and Digital Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zacharis, Georgios K.; Mikropoulos, Tassos Anastasios; Kalyvioti, Katerina

2016-01-01

Studies showed that two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) educational content contributes to learning. Although there were many studies with 3D stereoscopic learning environments, only a few studies reported on the differences between real, 2D, and 3D scenes, as far as cognitive load and attentional demands were concerned. We used…

The Southampton-York Natural Scenes (SYNS) dataset: Statistics of surface attitude

PubMed Central

Adams, Wendy J.; Elder, James H.; Graf, Erich W.; Leyland, Julian; Lugtigheid, Arthur J.; Muryy, Alexander

2016-01-01

Recovering 3D scenes from 2D images is an under-constrained task; optimal estimation depends upon knowledge of the underlying scene statistics. Here we introduce the Southampton-York Natural Scenes dataset (SYNS: https://syns.soton.ac.uk), which provides comprehensive scene statistics useful for understanding biological vision and for improving machine vision systems. In order to capture the diversity of environments that humans encounter, scenes were surveyed at random locations within 25 indoor and outdoor categories. Each survey includes (i) spherical LiDAR range data (ii) high-dynamic range spherical imagery and (iii) a panorama of stereo image pairs. We envisage many uses for the dataset and present one example: an analysis of surface attitude statistics, conditioned on scene category and viewing elevation. Surface normals were estimated using a novel adaptive scale selection algorithm. Across categories, surface attitude below the horizon is dominated by the ground plane (0° tilt). Near the horizon, probability density is elevated at 90°/270° tilt due to vertical surfaces (trees, walls). Above the horizon, probability density is elevated near 0° slant due to overhead structure such as ceilings and leaf canopies. These structural regularities represent potentially useful prior assumptions for human and machine observers, and may predict human biases in perceived surface attitude. PMID:27782103

Forensic microradiology: micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) and analysis of patterned injuries inside of bone.

PubMed

Thali, Michael J; Taubenreuther, Ulrike; Karolczak, Marek; Braun, Marcel; Brueschweiler, Walter; Kalender, Willi A; Dirnhofer, Richard

2003-11-01

When a knife is stabbed in bone, it leaves an impression in the bone. The characteristics (shape, size, etc.) may indicate the type of tool used to produce the patterned injury in bone. Until now it has been impossible in forensic sciences to document such damage precisely and non-destructively. Micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) offers an opportunity to analyze patterned injuries of tool marks made in bone. Using high-resolution Micro-CT and computer software, detailed analysis of three-dimensional (3D) architecture has recently become feasible and allows microstructural 3D bone information to be collected. With adequate viewing software, data from 2D slice of an arbitrary plane can be extracted from 3D datasets. Using such software as a "digital virtual knife," the examiner can interactively section and analyze the 3D sample. Analysis of the bone injury revealed that Micro-CT provides an opportunity to correlate a bone injury to an injury-causing instrument. Even broken knife tips can be graphically and non-destructively assigned to a suspect weapon.

Binocular fusion and invariant category learning due to predictive remapping during scanning of a depthful scene with eye movements

PubMed Central

Grossberg, Stephen; Srinivasan, Karthik; Yazdanbakhsh, Arash

2015-01-01

How does the brain maintain stable fusion of 3D scenes when the eyes move? Every eye movement causes each retinal position to process a different set of scenic features, and thus the brain needs to binocularly fuse new combinations of features at each position after an eye movement. Despite these breaks in retinotopic fusion due to each movement, previously fused representations of a scene in depth often appear stable. The 3D ARTSCAN neural model proposes how the brain does this by unifying concepts about how multiple cortical areas in the What and Where cortical streams interact to coordinate processes of 3D boundary and surface perception, spatial attention, invariant object category learning, predictive remapping, eye movement control, and learned coordinate transformations. The model explains data from single neuron and psychophysical studies of covert visual attention shifts prior to eye movements. The model further clarifies how perceptual, attentional, and cognitive interactions among multiple brain regions (LGN, V1, V2, V3A, V4, MT, MST, PPC, LIP, ITp, ITa, SC) may accomplish predictive remapping as part of the process whereby view-invariant object categories are learned. These results build upon earlier neural models of 3D vision and figure-ground separation and the learning of invariant object categories as the eyes freely scan a scene. A key process concerns how an object's surface representation generates a form-fitting distribution of spatial attention, or attentional shroud, in parietal cortex that helps maintain the stability of multiple perceptual and cognitive processes. Predictive eye movement signals maintain the stability of the shroud, as well as of binocularly fused perceptual boundaries and surface representations. PMID:25642198

Binocular fusion and invariant category learning due to predictive remapping during scanning of a depthful scene with eye movements.

PubMed

Grossberg, Stephen; Srinivasan, Karthik; Yazdanbakhsh, Arash

2014-01-01

How does the brain maintain stable fusion of 3D scenes when the eyes move? Every eye movement causes each retinal position to process a different set of scenic features, and thus the brain needs to binocularly fuse new combinations of features at each position after an eye movement. Despite these breaks in retinotopic fusion due to each movement, previously fused representations of a scene in depth often appear stable. The 3D ARTSCAN neural model proposes how the brain does this by unifying concepts about how multiple cortical areas in the What and Where cortical streams interact to coordinate processes of 3D boundary and surface perception, spatial attention, invariant object category learning, predictive remapping, eye movement control, and learned coordinate transformations. The model explains data from single neuron and psychophysical studies of covert visual attention shifts prior to eye movements. The model further clarifies how perceptual, attentional, and cognitive interactions among multiple brain regions (LGN, V1, V2, V3A, V4, MT, MST, PPC, LIP, ITp, ITa, SC) may accomplish predictive remapping as part of the process whereby view-invariant object categories are learned. These results build upon earlier neural models of 3D vision and figure-ground separation and the learning of invariant object categories as the eyes freely scan a scene. A key process concerns how an object's surface representation generates a form-fitting distribution of spatial attention, or attentional shroud, in parietal cortex that helps maintain the stability of multiple perceptual and cognitive processes. Predictive eye movement signals maintain the stability of the shroud, as well as of binocularly fused perceptual boundaries and surface representations.

A forensic entomology case from the Amazon rain forest of Brazil.

PubMed

Pujol-Luz, José R; Marques, Helder; Ururahy-Rodrigues, Alexandre; Rafael, José Albertino; Santana, Fernando H A; Arantes, Luciano C; Constantino, Reginaldo

2006-09-01

The first case of application of forensic entomology in the Brazilian Amazonia is described. The corpses of 26 men were found in the rainforest in Rondonia State, Brazil. Fly larvae collected on the bodies during autopsy were identified as Paralucilia fulvinota (Diptera, Calliphoridae). No data or specimens were collected at the crime scene. At the laboratory, the larvae developed into pupae in 58 h and into adults in 110.5 h. The total development time for P. fulvinota was measured in field experiments inside the forest. The age of the larvae when collected from the bodies was estimated as the difference between the time required for them to become adults and the total development time for this species. The estimated age of the maggots and the minimum postmortem interval was 5.7 days.

Homemade Firearm Suicide With Dumbbell Pipe Triggering by an Air-Compressed Gun: Case Report and Review of Literature.

PubMed

Le Garff, Erwan; Delannoy, Yann; Mesli, Vadim; Berthezene, Jean Marie; Morbidelli, Philippe; Hédouin, Valéry

2015-12-01

Firearm suicides are frequent and well described in the forensic literature, particularly in Europe and the United States. However, the use of homemade and improvised firearms is less well described. The present case reports a suicide with an original improvised gun created using an air-compressed pellet gun and a dumbbell pipe. The aims of this study were to describe the scene, the external examination of the corpse, the body scan, and the autopsy; to understand the mechanism of death; and to compare the results with a review of the forensic literature to highlight the epidemiology of homemade firearm use, the tools used for homemade and improvised firearms in suicides versus homicides, and the manners in which homemade firearms are used (homicide or suicide, particularly in complex suicide cases).

Polarization-based and specular-reflection-based noncontact latent fingerprint imaging and lifting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Shih-Schön; Yemelyanov, Konstantin M.; Pugh, Edward N., Jr.; Engheta, Nader

2006-09-01

In forensic science the finger marks left unintentionally by people at a crime scene are referred to as latent fingerprints. Most existing techniques to detect and lift latent fingerprints require application of a certain material directly onto the exhibit. The chemical and physical processing applied to the fingerprint potentially degrades or prevents further forensic testing on the same evidence sample. Many existing methods also have deleterious side effects. We introduce a method to detect and extract latent fingerprint images without applying any powder or chemicals on the object. Our method is based on the optical phenomena of polarization and specular reflection together with the physiology of fingerprint formation. The recovered image quality is comparable to existing methods. In some cases, such as the sticky side of tape, our method shows unique advantages.

The choking game: A deadly game. Analysis of two cases of "self-strangulation" in young boys and review of the literature.

PubMed

Re, Laura; Birkhoff, Jutta M; Sozzi, Marta; Andrello, Luisa; Osculati, Antonio M M

2015-02-01

The choking game is defined as a self-strangulation or strangulation by another person with the hands or a noose to achieve a brief euphoric state caused by cerebral hypoxia. Death may occur, but forensic pathologists often classify them as suicides or accidental deaths, without focusing on the possibility that they may result from a deliberate self-temporary-asphyxiation, turned into a deadly game. Presenting two fatal cases of self-strangulation involving an 11-year-old boy and a teenager of 15 years, the authors identify victims' characteristics and death scene's evidence, which may help to distinguish if a death is from an asphyxial suicide or an asphyxial game. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

GOVERNING GENETIC DATABASES: COLLECTION, STORAGE AND USE

PubMed Central

Gibbons, Susan M.C.; Kaye, Jane

2008-01-01

This paper provides an introduction to a collection of five papers, published as a special symposium journal issue, under the title: “Governing Genetic Databases: Collection, Storage and Use”. It begins by setting the scene, to provide a backdrop and context for the papers. It describes the evolving scientific landscape around genetic databases and genomic research, particularly within the biomedical and criminal forensic investigation fields. It notes the lack of any clear, coherent or coordinated legal governance regime, either at the national or international level. It then identifies and reflects on key cross-cutting issues and themes that emerge from the five papers, in particular: terminology and definitions; consent; special concerns around population genetic databases (biobanks) and forensic databases; international harmonisation; data protection; data access; boundary-setting; governance; and issues around balancing individual interests against public good values. PMID:18841252

Intelligent image capture of cartridge cases for firearms examiners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Brett C.; Guerci, Joseph R.

1997-02-01

The FBI's DRUGFIRETM system is a nationwide computerized networked image database of ballistic forensic evidence. This evidence includes images of cartridge cases and bullets obtained from both crime scenes and controlled test firings of seized weapons. Currently, the system is installed in over 80 forensic labs across the country and has enjoyed a high degree of success. In this paper, we discuss some of the issues and methods associated with providing a front-end semi-automated image capture system that simultaneously satisfies the often conflicting criteria of the many human examiners visual perception versus the criteria associated with optimizing autonomous digital image correlation. Specifically, we detail the proposed processing chain of an intelligent image capture system (IICS), involving a real- time capture 'assistant,' which assesses the quality of the image under test utilizing a custom designed neural network.

Raman spectroscopic signature of vaginal fluid and its potential application in forensic body fluid identification.

PubMed

Sikirzhytskaya, Aliaksandra; Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Lednev, Igor K

2012-03-10

Traces of human body fluids, such as blood, saliva, sweat, semen and vaginal fluid, play an increasingly important role in forensic investigations. However, a nondestructive, easy and rapid identification of body fluid traces at the scene of a crime has not yet been developed. The obstacles have recently been addressed in our studies, which demonstrated the considerable potential of Raman spectroscopy. In this study, we continued to build a full library of body fluid spectroscopic signatures. The problems concerning vaginal fluid stain identification were addressed using Raman spectroscopy coupled with advanced statistical analysis. Calculated characteristic Raman and fluorescent spectral components were used to build a multidimensional spectroscopic signature of vaginal fluid, which demonstrated good specificity and was able to handle heterogeneous samples from different donors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bite mark documentation and analysis: the forensic 3D/CAD supported photogrammetry approach.

PubMed

Thali, M J; Braun, M; Markwalder, Th H; Brueschweiler, W; Zollinger, U; Malik, Naseem J; Yen, K; Dirnhofer, R

2003-08-12

Bite mark identification is based on the individuality of a dentition, which is used to match a bite mark to a suspected perpetrator. This matching is based on a tooth-by-tooth and arch-to-arch comparison utilising parameters of size, shape and alignment. The most common method used to analyse bite mark are carried out in 2D space. That means that the 3D information is preserved only two dimensionally with distortions. This paper presents a new 3D documentation, analysis and visualisation approach based on forensic 3D/CAD supported photogrammetry (FPHG) and the use of a 3D surface scanner. Our photogrammetric approach and the used visualisation method is, to the best to our knowledge, the first 3D approach for bite mark analysis in an actual case. The documentation has no distortion artifacts as can be found with standard photography. All the data are documented with a metric 3D measurement, orientation and subsequent analysis in 3D space. Beside the metrical analysis between bite mark and cast, it is possible using our method to utilise the topographical 3D feature of each individual tooth. This means that the 3D features of the biting surfaces and edges of each teeth are respected which is--as shown in our case--very important especially in the front teeth which have the first contact to the skin. Based upon the 3D detailed representation of the cast with the 3D topographic characteristics of the teeth, the interaction with the 3D documented skin can be visualised and analysed on the computer screen.

Relationships of diet-related blood parameters and blood lead levels with psychopathology and aggression in forensic psychiatric inpatients.

PubMed

Zaalberg, Ap; Wielders, Jos; Bulten, Erik; van der Staak, Cees; Wouters, Anouk; Nijman, Henk

2016-07-01

Earlier studies have suggested associations between diet-related blood parameters and both aggression and psychopathological symptoms, but little is known about this in forensic psychiatric inpatients. This article aims to explore the levels of diet-related blood parameters and their relationship to aggressive behaviour and/or psychopathology among Dutch forensic psychiatric inpatients. Minerals, vitamins, lead and fatty acid levels were measured in blood samples from 51 inpatients, well enough to consent and participate in the study, from a possible total of 99. Levels of aggression and psychopathology were assessed using questionnaires, observation instruments and clinical data. Associations between blood parameters and behavioural measures were calculated. Low average levels of vitamin D3 and omega (ω)-3 fatty acids were found, with nearly two-thirds of the patients having below recommended levels of D3 , while vitamin B6 levels were high. Magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and lead were overall within reference values, but copper/zinc ratios were high. Several significant associations between levels of fatty acid measures and both aggression and psychopathology were observed. In our sample of forensic psychiatric inpatients, fatty acids - but not mineral or vitamin levels - were associated with aggression and psychopathology. A potentially causal link between fatty acids and aggression could be tested in a randomised, placebo-controlled trial of fish oil supplements. General health of such patients might be improved by better vitamin D status (increased sun exposure and/or supplement use) and better ω-3 fatty acid status (oily fish or fish oil consumption), but discouraging unnecessary self-prescription of B vitamins where necessary. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Allele frequencies of 23 autosomal short tandem repeat loci in the Philippine population.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Jae Joseph Russell Beltran; Salvador, Jazelyn M; Calacal, Gayvelline C; Laude, Rita P; De Ungria, Maria Corazon A

2015-07-01

We characterized diversity and forensic descriptive parameters of 23 autosomal STR loci (CSF1PO, D13S317, D16S539, D5S818, D7S820, TPOX, D18S51, D21S11, D3S1358, D8S1179, FGA, TH01, vWA, D1S1656, D10S1248, D12S391, D2S441, D22S1045, D19S433, D2S1338, D6S1043, Penta D and Penta E) among 167 unrelated Filipinos. The most variable autosomal STR loci observed is Penta E (observed heterozygosity: 0.9222, match probability: 0.0167). Results reveal matching probability of 8.21×10(-28) for 23 autosomal STR loci. This dataset for the Philippine population may now be used in evaluating the weight of DNA evidence for forensic applications such as in human identification, parentage/kinship testing, and interpretation of DNA mixtures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

3D modeling of satellite spectral images, radiation budget and energy budget of urban landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gastellu-Etchegorry, J. P.

2008-12-01

DART EB is a model that is being developed for simulating the 3D (3 dimensional) energy budget of urban and natural scenes, possibly with topography and atmosphere. It simulates all non radiative energy mechanisms (heat conduction, turbulent momentum and heat fluxes, water reservoir evolution, etc.). It uses DART model (Discrete Anisotropic Radiative Transfer) for simulating radiative mechanisms: 3D radiative budget of 3D scenes and their remote sensing images expressed in terms of reflectance or brightness temperature values, for any atmosphere, wavelength, sun/view direction, altitude and spatial resolution. It uses an innovative multispectral approach (ray tracing, exact kernel, discrete ordinate techniques) over the whole optical domain. This paper presents two major and recent improvements of DART for adapting it to urban canopies. (1) Simulation of the geometry and optical characteristics of urban elements (houses, etc.). (2) Modeling of thermal infrared emission by vegetation and urban elements. The new DART version was used in the context of the CAPITOUL project. For that, districts of the Toulouse urban data base (Autocad format) were translated into DART scenes. This allowed us to simulate visible, near infrared and thermal infrared satellite images of Toulouse districts. Moreover, the 3D radiation budget was used by DARTEB for simulating the time evolution of a number of geophysical quantities of various surface elements (roads, walls, roofs). Results were successfully compared with ground measurements of the CAPITOUL project.

Interactive 3d Landscapes on Line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanini, B.; Calori, L.; Ferdani, D.; Pescarin, S.

2011-09-01

The paper describes challenges identified while developing browser embedded 3D landscape rendering applications, our current approach and work-flow and how recent development in browser technologies could affect. All the data, even if processed by optimization and decimation tools, result in very huge databases that require paging, streaming and Level-of-Detail techniques to be implemented to allow remote web based real time fruition. Our approach has been to select an open source scene-graph based visual simulation library with sufficient performance and flexibility and adapt it to the web by providing a browser plug-in. Within the current Montegrotto VR Project, content produced with new pipelines has been integrated. The whole Montegrotto Town has been generated procedurally by CityEngine. We used this procedural approach, based on algorithms and procedures because it is particularly functional to create extensive and credible urban reconstructions. To create the archaeological sites we used optimized mesh acquired with laser scanning and photogrammetry techniques whereas to realize the 3D reconstructions of the main historical buildings we adopted computer-graphic software like blender and 3ds Max. At the final stage, semi-automatic tools have been developed and used up to prepare and clusterise 3D models and scene graph routes for web publishing. Vegetation generators have also been used with the goal of populating the virtual scene to enhance the user perceived realism during the navigation experience. After the description of 3D modelling and optimization techniques, the paper will focus and discuss its results and expectations.

Real-time capture and reconstruction system with multiple GPUs for a 3D live scene by a generation from 4K IP images to 8K holograms.

PubMed

Ichihashi, Yasuyuki; Oi, Ryutaro; Senoh, Takanori; Yamamoto, Kenji; Kurita, Taiichiro

2012-09-10

We developed a real-time capture and reconstruction system for three-dimensional (3D) live scenes. In previous research, we used integral photography (IP) to capture 3D images and then generated holograms from the IP images to implement a real-time reconstruction system. In this paper, we use a 4K (3,840 × 2,160) camera to capture IP images and 8K (7,680 × 4,320) liquid crystal display (LCD) panels for the reconstruction of holograms. We investigate two methods for enlarging the 4K images that were captured by integral photography to 8K images. One of the methods increases the number of pixels of each elemental image. The other increases the number of elemental images. In addition, we developed a personal computer (PC) cluster system with graphics processing units (GPUs) for the enlargement of IP images and the generation of holograms from the IP images using fast Fourier transform (FFT). We used the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) as the development environment for the GPUs. The Fast Fourier transform is performed using the CUFFT (CUDA FFT) library. As a result, we developed an integrated system for performing all processing from the capture to the reconstruction of 3D images by using these components and successfully used this system to reconstruct a 3D live scene at 12 frames per second.

Volume Attenuation and High Frequency Loss as Auditory Depth Cues in Stereoscopic 3D Cinema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manolas, Christos; Pauletto, Sandra

2014-09-01

Assisted by the technological advances of the past decades, stereoscopic 3D (S3D) cinema is currently in the process of being established as a mainstream form of entertainment. The main focus of this collaborative effort is placed on the creation of immersive S3D visuals. However, with few exceptions, little attention has been given so far to the potential effect of the soundtrack on such environments. The potential of sound both as a means to enhance the impact of the S3D visual information and to expand the S3D cinematic world beyond the boundaries of the visuals is large. This article reports on our research into the possibilities of using auditory depth cues within the soundtrack as a means of affecting the perception of depth within cinematic S3D scenes. We study two main distance-related auditory cues: high-end frequency loss and overall volume attenuation. A series of experiments explored the effectiveness of these auditory cues. Results, although not conclusive, indicate that the studied auditory cues can influence the audience judgement of depth in cinematic 3D scenes, sometimes in unexpected ways. We conclude that 3D filmmaking can benefit from further studies on the effectiveness of specific sound design techniques to enhance S3D cinema.

Soil characterisation by bacterial community analysis for forensic applications: A quantitative comparison of environmental technologies.

PubMed

Habtom, Habteab; Demanèche, Sandrine; Dawson, Lorna; Azulay, Chen; Matan, Ofra; Robe, Patrick; Gafny, Ron; Simonet, Pascal; Jurkevitch, Edouard; Pasternak, Zohar

2017-01-01

The ubiquity and transferability of soil makes it a resource for the forensic investigator, as it can provide a link between agents and scenes. However, the information contained in soils, such as chemical compounds, physical particles or biological entities, is seldom used in forensic investigations; due mainly to the associated costs, lack of available expertise, and the lack of soil databases. The microbial DNA in soil is relatively easy to access and analyse, having thus the potential to provide a powerful means for discriminating soil samples or linking them to a common origin. We compared the effectiveness and reliability of multiple methods and genes for bacterial characterisation in the differentiation of soil samples: ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (RISA), terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) of the rpoB gene, and five methods using the 16S rRNA gene: phylogenetic microarrays, TRFLP, and high throughput sequencing with Roche 454, Illumina MiSeq and IonTorrent PGM platforms. All these methods were also compared to long-chain hydrocarbons (n-alkanes) and fatty alcohol profiling of the same soil samples. RISA, 16S TRFLP and MiSeq performed best, reliably and significantly discriminating between adjacent, similar soil types. As TRFLP employs the same capillary electrophoresis equipment and procedures used to analyse human DNA, it is readily available for use in most forensic laboratories. TRFLP was optimized for forensic usage in five parameters: choice of primer pair, fluorescent tagging, concentrating DNA after digestion, number of PCR amplifications per sample and number of capillary electrophoresis runs per PCR amplification. This study shows that molecular microbial ecology methodologies are robust in discriminating between soil samples, illustrating their potential usage as an evaluative forensic tool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The characteristics of computer simulation of traffic accidents].

PubMed

Zou, Dong-Hua; Liu, Ning-Guo; Chen, Jian-Guo; Jin, Xian-Long; Zhang, Xiao-Yun; Zhang, Jian-Hua; Chen, Yi-Jiu

2008-12-01

To reconstruct the collision process of traffic accident and the injury mode of the victim by computer simulation technology in forensic assessment of traffic accident. Forty actual accidents were reconstructed by stimulation software and high performance computer based on analysis of the trace evidences at the scene, damage of the vehicles and injury of the victims, with 2 cases discussed in details. The reconstruction correlated very well in 28 cases, well in 9 cases, and suboptimal in 3 cases with the above parameters. Accurate reconstruction of the accident would be helpful for assessment of the injury mechanism of the victims. Reconstruction of the collision process of traffic accident and the injury mechanism of the victim by computer simulation is useful in traffic accident assessment.

Applications of Quantum Cascade Laser Scanners for Remote Detection of Chemical and Biological Threats and Weapons of Mass Destruction

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-09

Rivera. Highly Sensitive Filter Paper Substrate for SERS Trace Explosives Detection , International Journal of Spectroscopy, (09 2012): 0. doi: 10.1155...Highly Sensitive Filter Paper Substrate for SERS Field Detection of Trace Threat Chemicals”, PITTCON-2013: Forensic Analysis in the Lab and Crime Scene...the surface. In addition, built-in algorithms were used for nearly real-time sample detection . Trace and bulk concentrations of the other substances

Advancing crime scene computer forensics techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosmer, Chet; Feldman, John; Giordano, Joe

1999-02-01

Computers and network technology have become inexpensive and powerful tools that can be applied to a wide range of criminal activity. Computers have changed the world's view of evidence because computers are used more and more as tools in committing `traditional crimes' such as embezzlements, thefts, extortion and murder. This paper will focus on reviewing the current state-of-the-art of the data recovery and evidence construction tools used in both the field and laboratory for prosection purposes.

Rank preserving sparse learning for Kinect based scene classification.

PubMed

Tao, Dapeng; Jin, Lianwen; Yang, Zhao; Li, Xuelong

2013-10-01

With the rapid development of the RGB-D sensors and the promptly growing population of the low-cost Microsoft Kinect sensor, scene classification, which is a hard, yet important, problem in computer vision, has gained a resurgence of interest recently. That is because the depth of information provided by the Kinect sensor opens an effective and innovative way for scene classification. In this paper, we propose a new scheme for scene classification, which applies locality-constrained linear coding (LLC) to local SIFT features for representing the RGB-D samples and classifies scenes through the cooperation between a new rank preserving sparse learning (RPSL) based dimension reduction and a simple classification method. RPSL considers four aspects: 1) it preserves the rank order information of the within-class samples in a local patch; 2) it maximizes the margin between the between-class samples on the local patch; 3) the L1-norm penalty is introduced to obtain the parsimony property; and 4) it models the classification error minimization by utilizing the least-squares error minimization. Experiments are conducted on the NYU Depth V1 dataset and demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of RPSL for scene classification.

Wide-angle vision for road views

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, F.; Fehrs, K.-K.; Hartmann, G.; Klette, R.

2013-03-01

The field-of-view of a wide-angle image is greater than (say) 90 degrees, and so contains more information than available in a standard image. A wide field-of-view is more advantageous than standard input for understanding the geometry of 3D scenes, and for estimating the poses of panoramic sensors within such scenes. Thus, wide-angle imaging sensors and methodologies are commonly used in various road-safety, street surveillance, street virtual touring, or street 3D modelling applications. The paper reviews related wide-angle vision technologies by focusing on mathematical issues rather than on hardware.

Interactive 2D to 3D stereoscopic image synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldman, Mark H.; Lipton, Lenny

2005-03-01

Advances in stereoscopic display technologies, graphic card devices, and digital imaging algorithms have opened up new possibilities in synthesizing stereoscopic images. The power of today"s DirectX/OpenGL optimized graphics cards together with adapting new and creative imaging tools found in software products such as Adobe Photoshop, provide a powerful environment for converting planar drawings and photographs into stereoscopic images. The basis for such a creative process is the focus of this paper. This article presents a novel technique, which uses advanced imaging features and custom Windows-based software that utilizes the Direct X 9 API to provide the user with an interactive stereo image synthesizer. By creating an accurate and interactive world scene with moveable and flexible depth map altered textured surfaces, perspective stereoscopic cameras with both visible frustums and zero parallax planes, a user can precisely model a virtual three-dimensional representation of a real-world scene. Current versions of Adobe Photoshop provide a creative user with a rich assortment of tools needed to highlight elements of a 2D image, simulate hidden areas, and creatively shape them for a 3D scene representation. The technique described has been implemented as a Photoshop plug-in and thus allows for a seamless transition of these 2D image elements into 3D surfaces, which are subsequently rendered to create stereoscopic views.

Weapon identification using antemortem computed tomography with virtual 3D and rapid prototype modeling--a report in a case of blunt force head injury.

PubMed

Woźniak, Krzysztof; Rzepecka-Woźniak, Ewa; Moskała, Artur; Pohl, Jerzy; Latacz, Katarzyna; Dybała, Bogdan

2012-10-10

A frequent request of a prosecutor referring to forensic autopsy is to determine the mechanism of an injury and to identify the weapons used to cause those injuries. This task could be problematic in many ways, including changes in the primary injury caused by medical intervention and the process of healing. To accomplish this task, the forensic pathologist has to gather all possible information during the post-mortem examination. The more data is collected, the easier it is to obtain an accurate answer to the prosecutor's question. The authors present a case of head injuries that the victim sustained under unknown circumstances. The patient underwent neurosurgical treatment which resulted in alteration of the bone fracture pattern. The only way to evaluate this injury was to analyze antemortem clinical data, especially CT scans, with virtual 3D reconstruction of the fractured skull. A physical model of a part of the broken skull was created with the use of 3D printing. These advanced techniques, applied for the first time in Poland for forensic purposes, allowed investigators to extract enough data to develop a hypothesis about the mechanism of injury and the weapon most likely used. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Imaging and virtual autopsy: looking back and forward

PubMed Central

Bolliger, Stephan A.; Thali, Michael J.

2015-01-01

In order to create a three-dimensional (3D) documentation of findings which can be reassessed if necessary by other experts, the research project ‘Virtopsy®’ was launched in the late 1990s. This project combined autopsy results with forensic imaging in the form of computed tomography, magnetic resonance tomography and 3D surface scanning. The success of this project eventually succeeded in convincing the courts in Switzerland to accept these novel methods as evidence. As opposition towards autopsies has grown over the last decades, Virtopsy also strives to find and elaborate additional methods which can answer the main forensic questions without autopsy. These methods comprise post-mortem angiography for illustration of the vascular bed and image-guided tissue and fluid sampling for histological, toxicological and microbiological examinations. Based on the promising results, post-mortem imaging, especially with 3D surface scanning, has meanwhile also been applied to living victims of assault, who have suffered patterned injuries due to bites, blows with objects, etc. In our opinion, forensic imaging is an objective method which offers the possibility for a reassessment of the findings by other experts, even after burial or cremation of the corpse, or healing of the injuries in living victims, thus leading to a greater security in court. PMID:26101279

Skeletal camera network embedded structure-from-motion for 3D scene reconstruction from UAV images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhihua; Wu, Lixin; Gerke, Markus; Wang, Ran; Yang, Huachao

2016-11-01

Structure-from-Motion (SfM) techniques have been widely used for 3D scene reconstruction from multi-view images. However, due to the large computational costs of SfM methods there is a major challenge in processing highly overlapping images, e.g. images from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). This paper embeds a novel skeletal camera network (SCN) into SfM to enable efficient 3D scene reconstruction from a large set of UAV images. First, the flight control data are used within a weighted graph to construct a topologically connected camera network (TCN) to determine the spatial connections between UAV images. Second, the TCN is refined using a novel hierarchical degree bounded maximum spanning tree to generate a SCN, which contains a subset of edges from the TCN and ensures that each image is involved in at least a 3-view configuration. Third, the SCN is embedded into the SfM to produce a novel SCN-SfM method, which allows performing tie-point matching only for the actually connected image pairs. The proposed method was applied in three experiments with images from two fixed-wing UAVs and an octocopter UAV, respectively. In addition, the SCN-SfM method was compared to three other methods for image connectivity determination. The comparison shows a significant reduction in the number of matched images if our method is used, which leads to less computational costs. At the same time the achieved scene completeness and geometric accuracy are comparable.

Introducing the depth transfer curve for 3D capture system characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goma, Sergio R.; Atanassov, Kalin; Ramachandra, Vikas

2011-03-01

3D technology has recently made a transition from movie theaters to consumer electronic devices such as 3D cameras and camcorders. In addition to what 2D imaging conveys, 3D content also contains information regarding the scene depth. Scene depth is simulated through the strongest brain depth cue, namely retinal disparity. This can be achieved by capturing an image by horizontally separated cameras. Objects at different depths will be projected with different horizontal displacement on the left and right camera images. These images, when fed separately to either eye, leads to retinal disparity. Since the perception of depth is the single most important 3D imaging capability, an evaluation procedure is needed to quantify the depth capture characteristics. Evaluating depth capture characteristics subjectively is a very difficult task since the intended and/or unintended side effects from 3D image fusion (depth interpretation) by the brain are not immediately perceived by the observer, nor do such effects lend themselves easily to objective quantification. Objective evaluation of 3D camera depth characteristics is an important tool that can be used for "black box" characterization of 3D cameras. In this paper we propose a methodology to evaluate the 3D cameras' depth capture capabilities.

Color appearance and color rendering of HDR scenes: an experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parraman, Carinna; Rizzi, Alessandro; McCann, John J.

2009-01-01

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the appearance of coloured objects in a three-dimensional scene, the research introduces a multidisciplinary experimental approach. The experiment employed two identical 3-D Mondrians, which were viewed and compared side by side. Each scene was subjected to different lighting conditions. First, we used an illumination cube to diffuse the light and illuminate all the objects from each direction. This produced a low-dynamicrange (LDR) image of the 3-D Mondrian scene. Second, in order to make a high-dynamic range (HDR) image of the same objects, we used a directional 150W spotlight and an array of WLEDs assembled in a flashlight. The scenes were significant as each contained exactly the same three-dimensional painted colour blocks that were arranged in the same position in the still life. The blocks comprised 6 hue colours and 5 tones from white to black. Participants from the CREATE project were asked to consider the change in the appearance of a selection of colours according to lightness, hue, and chroma, and to rate how the change in illumination affected appearance. We measured the light coming to the eye from still-life surfaces with a colorimeter (Yxy). We captured the scene radiance using multiple exposures with a number of different cameras. We have begun a programme of digital image processing of these scene capture methods. This multi-disciplinary programme continues until 2010, so this paper is an interim report on the initial phases and a description of the ongoing project.

Towards the automatic scanning of indoors with robots.

PubMed

Adán, Antonio; Quintana, Blanca; Vázquez, Andres S; Olivares, Alberto; Parra, Eduardo; Prieto, Samuel

2015-05-19

This paper is framed in both 3D digitization and 3D data intelligent processing research fields. Our objective is focused on developing a set of techniques for the automatic creation of simple three-dimensional indoor models with mobile robots. The document presents the principal steps of the process, the experimental setup and the results achieved. We distinguish between the stages concerning intelligent data acquisition and 3D data processing. This paper is focused on the first stage. We show how the mobile robot, which carries a 3D scanner, is able to, on the one hand, make decisions about the next best scanner position and, on the other hand, navigate autonomously in the scene with the help of the data collected from earlier scans. After this stage, millions of 3D data are converted into a simplified 3D indoor model. The robot imposes a stopping criterion when the whole point cloud covers the essential parts of the scene. This system has been tested under real conditions indoors with promising results. The future is addressed to extend the method in much more complex and larger scenarios.

Towards the Automatic Scanning of Indoors with Robots

PubMed Central

Adán, Antonio; Quintana, Blanca; Vázquez, Andres S.; Olivares, Alberto; Parra, Eduardo; Prieto, Samuel

2015-01-01

This paper is framed in both 3D digitization and 3D data intelligent processing research fields. Our objective is focused on developing a set of techniques for the automatic creation of simple three-dimensional indoor models with mobile robots. The document presents the principal steps of the process, the experimental setup and the results achieved. We distinguish between the stages concerning intelligent data acquisition and 3D data processing. This paper is focused on the first stage. We show how the mobile robot, which carries a 3D scanner, is able to, on the one hand, make decisions about the next best scanner position and, on the other hand, navigate autonomously in the scene with the help of the data collected from earlier scans. After this stage, millions of 3D data are converted into a simplified 3D indoor model. The robot imposes a stopping criterion when the whole point cloud covers the essential parts of the scene. This system has been tested under real conditions indoors with promising results. The future is addressed to extend the method in much more complex and larger scenarios. PMID:25996513

Integrating Depth and Image Sequences for Planetary Rover Mapping Using Rgb-D Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, M.; Wan, W.; Xing, Y.; Wang, Y.; Liu, Z.; Di, K.; Zhao, Q.; Teng, B.; Mao, X.

2018-04-01

RGB-D camera allows the capture of depth and color information at high data rates, and this makes it possible and beneficial integrate depth and image sequences for planetary rover mapping. The proposed mapping method consists of three steps. First, the strict projection relationship among 3D space, depth data and visual texture data is established based on the imaging principle of RGB-D camera, then, an extended bundle adjustment (BA) based SLAM method with integrated 2D and 3D measurements is applied to the image network for high-precision pose estimation. Next, as the interior and exterior elements of RGB images sequence are available, dense matching is completed with the CMPMVS tool. Finally, according to the registration parameters after ICP, the 3D scene from RGB images can be registered to the 3D scene from depth images well, and the fused point cloud can be obtained. Experiment was performed in an outdoor field to simulate the lunar surface. The experimental results demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method.

Ubiquitous Creation of Bas-Relief Surfaces with Depth-of-Field Effects Using Smartphones.

PubMed

Sohn, Bong-Soo

2017-03-11

This paper describes a new method to automatically generate digital bas-reliefs with depth-of-field effects from general scenes. Most previous methods for bas-relief generation take input in the form of 3D models. However, obtaining 3D models of real scenes or objects is often difficult, inaccurate, and time-consuming. From this motivation, we developed a method that takes as input a set of photographs that can be quickly and ubiquitously captured by ordinary smartphone cameras. A depth map is computed from the input photographs. The value range of the depth map is compressed and used as a base map representing the overall shape of the bas-relief. However, the resulting base map contains little information on details of the scene. Thus, we construct a detail map using pixel values of the input image to express the details. The base and detail maps are blended to generate a new depth map that reflects both overall depth and scene detail information. This map is selectively blurred to simulate the depth-of-field effects. The final depth map is converted to a bas-relief surface mesh. Experimental results show that our method generates a realistic bas-relief surface of general scenes with no expensive manual processing.

Ubiquitous Creation of Bas-Relief Surfaces with Depth-of-Field Effects Using Smartphones

PubMed Central

Sohn, Bong-Soo

2017-01-01

This paper describes a new method to automatically generate digital bas-reliefs with depth-of-field effects from general scenes. Most previous methods for bas-relief generation take input in the form of 3D models. However, obtaining 3D models of real scenes or objects is often difficult, inaccurate, and time-consuming. From this motivation, we developed a method that takes as input a set of photographs that can be quickly and ubiquitously captured by ordinary smartphone cameras. A depth map is computed from the input photographs. The value range of the depth map is compressed and used as a base map representing the overall shape of the bas-relief. However, the resulting base map contains little information on details of the scene. Thus, we construct a detail map using pixel values of the input image to express the details. The base and detail maps are blended to generate a new depth map that reflects both overall depth and scene detail information. This map is selectively blurred to simulate the depth-of-field effects. The final depth map is converted to a bas-relief surface mesh. Experimental results show that our method generates a realistic bas-relief surface of general scenes with no expensive manual processing. PMID:28287487

Modeling repetitive motions using structured light.

PubMed

Xu, Yi; Aliaga, Daniel G

2010-01-01

Obtaining models of dynamic 3D objects is an important part of content generation for computer graphics. Numerous methods have been extended from static scenarios to model dynamic scenes. If the states or poses of the dynamic object repeat often during a sequence (but not necessarily periodically), we call such a repetitive motion. There are many objects, such as toys, machines, and humans, undergoing repetitive motions. Our key observation is that when a motion-state repeats, we can sample the scene under the same motion state again but using a different set of parameters; thus, providing more information of each motion state. This enables robustly acquiring dense 3D information difficult for objects with repetitive motions using only simple hardware. After the motion sequence, we group temporally disjoint observations of the same motion state together and produce a smooth space-time reconstruction of the scene. Effectively, the dynamic scene modeling problem is converted to a series of static scene reconstructions, which are easier to tackle. The varying sampling parameters can be, for example, structured-light patterns, illumination directions, and viewpoints resulting in different modeling techniques. Based on this observation, we present an image-based motion-state framework and demonstrate our paradigm using either a synchronized or an unsynchronized structured-light acquisition method.

Augmented reality 3D display based on integral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Huan; Zhang, Han-Le; He, Min-Yang; Wang, Qiong-Hua

2017-02-01

Integral imaging (II) is a good candidate for augmented reality (AR) display, since it provides various physiological depth cues so that viewers can freely change the accommodation and convergence between the virtual three-dimensional (3D) images and the real-world scene without feeling any visual discomfort. We propose two AR 3D display systems based on the theory of II. In the first AR system, a micro II display unit reconstructs a micro 3D image, and the mciro-3D image is magnified by a convex lens. The lateral and depth distortions of the magnified 3D image are analyzed and resolved by the pitch scaling and depth scaling. The magnified 3D image and real 3D scene are overlapped by using a half-mirror to realize AR 3D display. The second AR system uses a micro-lens array holographic optical element (HOE) as an image combiner. The HOE is a volume holographic grating which functions as a micro-lens array for the Bragg-matched light, and as a transparent glass for Bragg mismatched light. A reference beam can reproduce a virtual 3D image from one side and a reference beam with conjugated phase can reproduce the second 3D image from other side of the micro-lens array HOE, which presents double-sided 3D display feature.

Development of a massively parallel sequencing assay for investigating sequence polymorphisms of 15 short tandem repeats in a Chinese Northern Han population.

PubMed

Zhang, Qing-Xia; Yang, Meng; Pan, Ya-Jiao; Zhao, Jing; Qu, Bao-Wang; Cheng, Feng; Yang, Ya-Ran; Jiao, Zhang-Ping; Liu, Li; Yan, Jiang-Wei

2018-05-17

Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) has been used in forensic genetics in recent years owing to several advantages, e.g. MPS can provide precise descriptions of the repeat allele structure and variation in the repeat-flanking regions, increasing the discriminating power among loci and individuals. However, it cannot be fully utilized unless sufficient population data are available for all loci. Thus, there is a pressing need to perform population studies providing a basis for the introduction of MPS into forensic practice. Here, we constructed a multiplex PCR system with fusion primers for one-directional PCR for MPS of 15 commonly used forensic autosomal STRs and amelogenin. Samples from 554 unrelated Chinese Northern Han individuals were typed using this MPS assay. In total, 313 alleles obtained by MPS for all 15 STRs were observed, and the corresponding allele frequencies ranged between 0.0009 and 0.5162. Of all 15 loci, the number of alleles identified for 12 loci increased compared to capillary electrophoresis approaches, and for the following six loci more than double the number of alleles was found: D2S1338, D5S818, D21S11, D13S317, vWA, and D3S1358. Forensic parameters were calculated based on length and sequence-based alleles. D21S11 showed the highest heterozygosity (0.8791), discrimination power (0.9865), and paternity exclusion probability in trios (0.7529). The cumulative match probability for MPS was approximately 2.3157 × 10 -20 . © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Stereo 3-D Vision in Teaching Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zabunov, Svetoslav

2012-01-01

Stereo 3-D vision is a technology used to present images on a flat surface (screen, paper, etc.) and at the same time to create the notion of three-dimensional spatial perception of the viewed scene. A great number of physical processes are much better understood when viewed in stereo 3-D vision compared to standard flat 2-D presentation. The…

[The efficiency of the application of the modern computed technologies in the clinical practice and the prospects for the further use of the biomechanical 3D-models in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Makarov, I Yu; Svetlakov, A V; Sotin, A V; Shigeev, S V; Gusarov, A A; Smirenin, S A; Emelin, V V; Stragis, V B; Fetisov, V A

2018-01-01

To-day, the computer-assisted 3D-technologies for the mathematical simulation of the engineering facilities are extensively used for the purpose of technical calculations in all branches of industry and building. The positive experience gained with the application of the 3D-models finds wide application in the joined investigations on the topical problems of the prosthetic and surgical treatment of bones, teeth, joints, cardiac valves, blood vessels, etc. The objective of the present study was the analysis of the positive experience with the involvement of the specialists in the design and practical application of 3D-models for the solution of problems facing the medical prosthetics and the management of various pathological conditions. Another objective was to discuss the possible prospects for the interdisciplinary collaboration in these fields with a view to improving the quality of expert conclusions in the framework of forensic medical and criminalistics examinations. The data readily available from the official domestic and foreign Internet resources were used for the purpose of the study. The analysis of the published data has demonstrated the obvious advantages of the application of the mathematical 3D-models and the biomechanical studies for the solution of the concrete medico-biological problems. The currently available positive experience gained due to the participation of domestic specialists in biomechanics in the solution of the specific clinical problems gives hope that their collaboration between themselves and with the forensic medical experts will open up the promising prospects for the further investigations of the issues of common interest.

Effects of distribution density and cell dimension of 3D vegetation model on canopy NDVI simulation base on DART

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Zhu; Shi, Runhe; Zeng, Yuyan; Gao, Wei

2017-09-01

The 3D model is an important part of simulated remote sensing for earth observation. Regarding the small-scale spatial extent of DART software, both the details of the model itself and the number of models of the distribution have an important impact on the scene canopy Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI).Taking the phragmitesaustralis in the Yangtze Estuary as an example, this paper studied the effect of the P.australias model on the canopy NDVI, based on the previous studies of the model precision, mainly from the cell dimension of the DART software and the density distribution of the P.australias model in the scene, As well as the choice of the density of the P.australiass model under the cost of computer running time in the actual simulation. The DART Cell dimensions and the density of the scene model were set by using the optimal precision model from the existing research results. The simulation results of NDVI with different model densities under different cell dimensions were analyzed by error analysis. By studying the relationship between relative error, absolute error and time costs, we have mastered the density selection method of P.australias model in the simulation of small-scale spatial scale scene. Experiments showed that the number of P.australias in the simulated scene need not be the same as those in the real environment due to the difference between the 3D model and the real scenarios. The best simulation results could be obtained by keeping the density ratio of about 40 trees per square meter, simultaneously, of the visual effects.

Automatic temperature computation for realistic IR simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Goff, Alain; Kersaudy, Philippe; Latger, Jean; Cathala, Thierry; Stolte, Nilo; Barillot, Philippe

2000-07-01

Polygon temperature computation in 3D virtual scenes is fundamental for IR image simulation. This article describes in detail the temperature calculation software and its current extensions, briefly presented in [1]. This software, called MURET, is used by the simulation workshop CHORALE of the French DGA. MURET is a one-dimensional thermal software, which accurately takes into account the material thermal attributes of three-dimensional scene and the variation of the environment characteristics (atmosphere) as a function of the time. Concerning the environment, absorbed incident fluxes are computed wavelength by wavelength, for each half an hour, druing 24 hours before the time of the simulation. For each polygon, incident fluxes are compsed of: direct solar fluxes, sky illumination (including diffuse solar fluxes). Concerning the materials, classical thermal attributes are associated to several layers, such as conductivity, absorption, spectral emissivity, density, specific heat, thickness and convection coefficients are taken into account. In the future, MURET will be able to simulate permeable natural materials (water influence) and vegetation natural materials (woods). This model of thermal attributes induces a very accurate polygon temperature computation for the complex 3D databases often found in CHORALE simulations. The kernel of MUET consists of an efficient ray tracer allowing to compute the history (over 24 hours) of the shadowed parts of the 3D scene and a library, responsible for the thermal computations. The great originality concerns the way the heating fluxes are computed. Using ray tracing, the flux received in each 3D point of the scene accurately takes into account the masking (hidden surfaces) between objects. By the way, this library supplies other thermal modules such as a thermal shows computation tool.

The capture and recreation of 3D auditory scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhiyun

The main goal of this research is to develop the theory and implement practical tools (in both software and hardware) for the capture and recreation of 3D auditory scenes. Our research is expected to have applications in virtual reality, telepresence, film, music, video games, auditory user interfaces, and sound-based surveillance. The first part of our research is concerned with sound capture via a spherical microphone array. The advantage of this array is that it can be steered into any 3D directions digitally with the same beampattern. We develop design methodologies to achieve flexible microphone layouts, optimal beampattern approximation and robustness constraint. We also design novel hemispherical and circular microphone array layouts for more spatially constrained auditory scenes. Using the captured audio, we then propose a unified and simple approach for recreating them by exploring the reciprocity principle that is satisfied between the two processes. Our approach makes the system easy to build, and practical. Using this approach, we can capture the 3D sound field by a spherical microphone array and recreate it using a spherical loudspeaker array, and ensure that the recreated sound field matches the recorded field up to a high order of spherical harmonics. For some regular or semi-regular microphone layouts, we design an efficient parallel implementation of the multi-directional spherical beamformer by using the rotational symmetries of the beampattern and of the spherical microphone array. This can be implemented in either software or hardware and easily adapted for other regular or semi-regular layouts of microphones. In addition, we extend this approach for headphone-based system. Design examples and simulation results are presented to verify our algorithms. Prototypes are built and tested in real-world auditory scenes.

6 CFR 37.15 - Physical security features for the driver's license or identification card.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... (3) Level 3. Inspection by forensic specialists. (d) Document security and integrity. States must... independent laboratory experienced with adversarial analysis of identification documents concerning one or...

6 CFR 37.15 - Physical security features for the driver's license or identification card.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... (3) Level 3. Inspection by forensic specialists. (d) Document security and integrity. States must... independent laboratory experienced with adversarial analysis of identification documents concerning one or...

6 CFR 37.15 - Physical security features for the driver's license or identification card.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.... (3) Level 3. Inspection by forensic specialists. (d) Document security and integrity. States must... independent laboratory experienced with adversarial analysis of identification documents concerning one or...

6 CFR 37.15 - Physical security features for the driver's license or identification card.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

.... (3) Level 3. Inspection by forensic specialists. (d) Document security and integrity. States must... independent laboratory experienced with adversarial analysis of identification documents concerning one or...

Developmental validation of the IrisPlex system: determination of blue and brown iris colour for forensic intelligence.

PubMed

Walsh, Susan; Lindenbergh, Alexander; Zuniga, Sofia B; Sijen, Titia; de Knijff, Peter; Kayser, Manfred; Ballantyne, Kaye N

2011-11-01

The IrisPlex system consists of a highly sensitive multiplex genotyping assay together with a statistical prediction model, providing users with the ability to predict blue and brown human eye colour from DNA samples with over 90% precision. This 'DNA intelligence' system is expected to aid police investigations by providing phenotypic information on unknown individuals when conventional DNA profiling is not informative. Falling within the new area of forensic DNA phenotyping, this paper describes the developmental validation of the IrisPlex assay following the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) guidelines for the application of DNA-based eye colour prediction to forensic casework. The IrisPlex assay produces complete SNP genotypes with only 31pg of DNA, approximately six human diploid cell equivalents, and is therefore more sensitive than commercial STR kits currently used in forensics. Species testing revealed human and primate specificity for a complete SNP profile. The assay is capable of producing accurate results from simulated casework samples such as blood, semen, saliva, hair, and trace DNA samples, including extremely low quantity samples. Due to its design, it can also produce full profiles with highly degraded samples often found in forensic casework. Concordance testing between three independent laboratories displayed reproducible results of consistent levels on varying types of simulated casework samples. With such high levels of sensitivity, specificity, consistency and reliability, this genotyping assay, as a core part of the IrisPlex system, operates in accordance with SWGDAM guidelines. Furthermore, as we demonstrated previously, the IrisPlex eye colour prediction system provides reliable results without the need for knowledge on the bio-geographic ancestry of the sample donor. Hence, the IrisPlex system, with its model-based prediction probability estimation of blue and brown human eye colour, represents a useful tool for immediate application in accredited forensic laboratories, to be used for forensic intelligence in tracing unknown individuals from crime scene samples. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A researcher's review of adherence to forensic examination principles in homicide cases in Poland.

PubMed

Juszka, K; Juszka, K

The purpose of this paper is to verify adherence to forensic examination principles in homicide cases by analyzing the results of the author's own study of 90 court and prosecution cases from the period 2000-2010. The analyzed cases were sampled using the so-called multi-stage cluster sampling method, commonly used in social sciences in Poland. The cases were held in 17 organizational judiciary and prosecution units reporting to the Court of Appeal in Krakow and Appellate Prosecutor's Office in Krakow, respectively. The research tool was a questionnaire containing 40 relevant guidelines, covering both qualitative and quantitative features. In the 90 analyzed cases, a total of 251 forensic examination reports were prepared, including 110 site examination reports, 20 separate corpse examination reports, 29 personal examination reports and 92 object examination reports. The research aspects of forensic examinations will be analyzed from the perspective of adherence to the principles of conducting the same. As regards postulates de lege ferenda with respect to the implementation of forensic examination principles one should emphasize the need for using the appropriate form of description of corpse examination; the need for a more responsible attitude towards sealing off crime scenes and for recording information on sealing-off procedures in the examination report; the need for clear distinction of examination stages in drafting the examination report; the need for a detailed analysis of the examination carried out at its final stage at all times; the need for using professional vocabulary in all descriptions of examination activities in each case and the need for regular monitoring (by the person in charge of examination) also with regard to the tactical requirement to sign each sheet of the examination report. The tactical and procedural development of forensic examination principles, taking into account also the postulates de lege ferenda presented herein, will contribute to further development of forensic examination studies and will thus make examination a more common practice in criminal procedures.

Fourier power, subjective distance, and object categories all provide plausible models of BOLD responses in scene-selective visual areas

PubMed Central

Lescroart, Mark D.; Stansbury, Dustin E.; Gallant, Jack L.

2015-01-01

Perception of natural visual scenes activates several functional areas in the human brain, including the Parahippocampal Place Area (PPA), Retrosplenial Complex (RSC), and the Occipital Place Area (OPA). It is currently unclear what specific scene-related features are represented in these areas. Previous studies have suggested that PPA, RSC, and/or OPA might represent at least three qualitatively different classes of features: (1) 2D features related to Fourier power; (2) 3D spatial features such as the distance to objects in a scene; or (3) abstract features such as the categories of objects in a scene. To determine which of these hypotheses best describes the visual representation in scene-selective areas, we applied voxel-wise modeling (VM) to BOLD fMRI responses elicited by a set of 1386 images of natural scenes. VM provides an efficient method for testing competing hypotheses by comparing predictions of brain activity based on encoding models that instantiate each hypothesis. Here we evaluated three different encoding models that instantiate each of the three hypotheses listed above. We used linear regression to fit each encoding model to the fMRI data recorded from each voxel, and we evaluated each fit model by estimating the amount of variance it predicted in a withheld portion of the data set. We found that voxel-wise models based on Fourier power or the subjective distance to objects in each scene predicted much of the variance predicted by a model based on object categories. Furthermore, the response variance explained by these three models is largely shared, and the individual models explain little unique variance in responses. Based on an evaluation of previous studies and the data we present here, we conclude that there is currently no good basis to favor any one of the three alternative hypotheses about visual representation in scene-selective areas. We offer suggestions for further studies that may help resolve this issue. PMID:26594164

How to recognize the traces left on a crime scene by a 3D-printed Liberator?: Part 1. Discharge, exterior ballistic and wounding potential.

PubMed

Honsberger, Hanna; Rhumorbarbe, Damien; Werner, Denis; Riva, Fabiano; Glardon, Matthieu; Gallusser, Alain; Delémont, Olivier

2018-05-01

The Liberator is a firearm that can be manufactured from its blueprints, using a 3D-printer. This weapon made of nineteen pieces - eighteen in printed plastic and one metallic nail - raises questions such as its ability to fire a round, its wounding potential and the traces produced by its discharge. In particular, knowledge must be gained to infer that a 3D-printed handgun was used, reconstruct the shooting event involving such handgun, and gather information related to the type of 3D-printed handgun used. This study focused on the traces that could orientate forensic investigations when the use of a 3D-printed Liberator is suspected. In a first step, the Liberator was investigated to study its behaviour during the discharge and characterize traces produced by the discharge. To fulfil this goal, some Liberators were printed and assembled. Six Liberators fired a round. The discharge of the weapons was done under specific conditions allowing to collect ballistics data and traces produced by the shooting. The results showed that the barrel tended to break between the ignition of the primer and the moment the projectile exited the muzzle. The speed of the projectiles reached 140m/s when the barrel broke, while it was about 170m/s when barrel remained intact. The trajectory of the projectiles was sometimes disrupted, and the projectile tumbled on itself. It was thus very difficult to characterize the trajectory. The cavity wound caused by the fastest bullet was typical of a handgun wound firing a FMJ projectile (penetration of 21cm in ballistics soap). On the other hand, the cavity caused by the slowest bullet was more representative of a splinter wound (penetration of 14cm in ballistics soap). The study of gunshot residues collected on adhesive targets showed the presence of unburnt particles and small perforations caused by polymer pieces that concentrated around the entry holes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sliced-up Craters 3-D

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-03-24

During its very close flyby of Enceladus on March 9, 2005, NASA Cassini spacecraft took images of parts of the icy moon. This scene is an icy landscape that has been scored by tectonic forces. 3D glasses are necessary to view this image.

Sharp and blunt force trauma concealment by thermal alteration in homicides: An in-vitro experiment for methodology and protocol development in forensic anthropological analysis of burnt bones.

PubMed

Macoveciuc, Ioana; Márquez-Grant, Nicholas; Horsfall, Ian; Zioupos, Peter

2017-06-01

Burning of human remains is one method used by perpetrators to conceal fatal trauma and expert opinions regarding the degree of skeletal evidence concealment are often disparate. This experiment aimed to reduce this incongruence in forensic anthropological interpretation of burned human remains and implicitly contribute to the development of research methodologies sufficiently robust to withstand forensic scrutiny in the courtroom. We have tested the influence of thermal alteration on pre-existing sharp and blunt trauma on twenty juvenile sheep radii in the laboratory using an automated impact testing system and an electric furnace. The testing conditions simulated a worst-case scenario where remains with pre-existing sharp or blunt trauma were exposed to burning with an intentional vehicular fire scenario in mind. All impact parameters as well as the burning conditions were based on those most commonly encountered in forensic cases and maintained constant throughout the experiment. The results have shown that signatures associated with sharp and blunt force trauma were not masked by heat exposure and highlights the potential for future standardization of fracture analysis in burned bone. Our results further emphasize the recommendation given by other experts on handling, processing and recording burned remains at the crime scene and mortuary. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nondrowning Asphyxia in Veterinary Forensic Pathology: Suffocation, Strangulation, and Mechanical Asphyxia.

PubMed

McEwen, B J

2016-09-01

Asphyxia in a forensic context refers to death by rapid cerebral anoxia or hypoxia due to accidental or nonaccidental injury. Death due to nondrowning asphyxia can occur with strangulation, suffocation, and mechanical asphyxia, each of which is categorized based on the mechanism of injury. Individuals dying due to various types of asphyxia may or may not have lesions, and even those lesions that are present may be due to other causes. The interpretation or opinion that death was due to asphyxia requires definitive and compelling evidence from the postmortem examination, death scene, and/or history. Beyond the postmortem examination, pathologists may be faced with questions of forensic importance that revolve around the behavioral and physiological responses in animals subjected to strangulation, suffocation, or mechanical asphyxia to determine if the animal suffered. While there is no prescriptive answer to these questions, it is apparent that, because of physiological and anatomical differences between humans and animals, for some mechanisms of asphyxia, consciousness is maintained for longer periods and the onset of death is later in animals than that described for people. Veterinary pathologists must be cognizant that direct extrapolation from the medical forensic literature to animals may be incorrect. This article reviews the terminology, classification, mechanisms, and lesions associated with asphyxial deaths in companion animals and highlights significant comparative differences of the response to various types of asphyxia in animals and people. © The Author(s) 2016.

Dental Evidence in Forensic Identification - An Overview, Methodology and Present Status.

PubMed

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Garg, Arun K

2015-01-01

Forensic odontology is primarily concerned with the use of teeth and oral structures for identification in a legal context. Various forensic odontology techniques help in the identification of the human remains in incidents such as terrorists' attacks, airplane, train and road accidents, fires, mass murders, and natural disasters such as tsunamis, earth quakes and floods, etc. (Disaster Victim Identification-DVI). Dental structures are the hardest and well protected structures in the body. These structures resist decomposition and high temperatures and are among the last ones to disintegrate after death. The principal basis of the dental identification lies in the fact that no two oral cavities are alike and the teeth are unique to an individual. The dental evidence of the deceased recovered from the scene of crime/occurrence is compared with the ante-mortem records for identification. Dental features such as tooth morphology, variations in shape and size, restorations, pathologies, missing tooth, wear patterns, crowding of the teeth, colour and position of the tooth, rotations and other peculiar dental anomalies give every individual a unique identity. In absence of ante-mortem dental records for comparison, the teeth can help in the determination of age, sex, race/ethnicity, habits, occupations, etc. which can give further clues regarding the identity of the individuals. This piece of writing gives an overview of dental evidence, its use in forensic identification and its limitations.

Dental Evidence in Forensic Identification – An Overview, Methodology and Present Status

PubMed Central

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Garg, Arun K

2015-01-01

Forensic odontology is primarily concerned with the use of teeth and oral structures for identification in a legal context. Various forensic odontology techniques help in the identification of the human remains in incidents such as terrorists’ attacks, airplane, train and road accidents, fires, mass murders, and natural disasters such as tsunamis, earth quakes and floods, etc. (Disaster Victim Identification-DVI). Dental structures are the hardest and well protected structures in the body. These structures resist decomposition and high temperatures and are among the last ones to disintegrate after death. The principal basis of the dental identification lies in the fact that no two oral cavities are alike and the teeth are unique to an individual. The dental evidence of the deceased recovered from the scene of crime/occurrence is compared with the ante-mortem records for identification. Dental features such as tooth morphology, variations in shape and size, restorations, pathologies, missing tooth, wear patterns, crowding of the teeth, colour and position of the tooth, rotations and other peculiar dental anomalies give every individual a unique identity. In absence of ante-mortem dental records for comparison, the teeth can help in the determination of age, sex, race/ethnicity, habits, occupations, etc. which can give further clues regarding the identity of the individuals. This piece of writing gives an overview of dental evidence, its use in forensic identification and its limitations. PMID:26312096

Determining Gender by Raman Spectroscopy of a Bloodstain.

PubMed

Sikirzhytskaya, Aliaksandra; Sikirzhytski, Vitali; Lednev, Igor K

2017-02-07

The development of novel methods for forensic science is a constantly growing area of modern analytical chemistry. Raman spectroscopy is one of a few analytical techniques capable of nondestructive and nearly instantaneous analysis of a wide variety of forensic evidence, including body fluid stains, at the scene of a crime. In this proof-of-concept study, Raman microspectroscopy was utilized for gender identification based on dry bloodstains. Raman spectra were acquired in mapping mode from multiple spots on a bloodstain to account for intrinsic sample heterogeneity. The obtained Raman spectroscopic data showed highly similar spectroscopic features for female and male blood samples. Nevertheless, support vector machines (SVM) and artificial neuron network (ANN) statistical methods applied to the spectroscopic data allowed for differentiating between male and female bloodstains with high confidence. More specifically, the statistical approach based on a genetic algorithm (GA) coupled with an ANN classification showed approximately 98% gender differentiation accuracy for individual bloodstains. These results demonstrate the great potential of the developed method for forensic applications, although more work is needed for method validation. When this method is fully developed, a portable Raman instrument could be used for the infield identification of traces of body fluids and to obtain phenotypic information about the donor, including gender and race, as well as for the analysis of a variety of other types of forensic evidence.

On non-invasive 2D and 3D Chromatic White Light image sensors for age determination of latent fingerprints.

PubMed

Merkel, Ronny; Gruhn, Stefan; Dittmann, Jana; Vielhauer, Claus; Bräutigam, Anja

2012-10-10

The feasibility of 2D-intensity and 3D-topography images from a non-invasive Chromatic White Light (CWL) sensor for the age determination of latent fingerprints is investigated. The proposed method might provide the means to solve the so far unresolved issue of determining a fingerprints age in forensics. Conducting numerous experiments for an indoor crime scene using selected surfaces, different influences on the aging of fingerprints are investigated and the resulting aging variability is determined in terms of inter-person, intra-person, inter-finger and intra-finger variation. Main influence factors are shown to be the sweat composition, temperature, humidity, wind, UV-radiation, surface type, contamination of the finger with water-containing substances, resolution and measured area size, whereas contact time, contact pressure and smearing of the print seem to be of minor importance. Such influences lead to a certain experimental variability in inter-person and intra-person variation, which is higher than the inter-finger and intra-finger variation. Comparing the aging behavior of 17 different features using 1490 time series with a total of 41,520 fingerprint images, the great potential of the CWL technique in combination with the binary pixel feature from prior work is shown. Performing three different experiments for the classification of fingerprints into the two time classes [0, 5 h] and [5, 24 h], a maximum classification performance of 79.29% (kappa=0.46) is achieved for a general case, which is further improved for special cases. The statistical significance of the two best-performing features (both binary pixel versions based on 2D-intensity images) is manually shown and a feature fusion is performed, highlighting the strong dependency of the features on each other. It is concluded that such method might be combined with additional capturing devices, such as microscopes or spectroscopes, to a very promising age estimation scheme. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forensic answers to the 14th of July 2016 terrorist attack in Nice.

PubMed

Quatrehomme, Gérald; Toupenay, Steve; Delabarde, Tania; Padovani, Bernard; Alunni, Véronique

2018-04-17

The terrorist attack of July 14, 2016 in Nice (France) was a devastating event. A man voluntarily drove a truck into a crowd gathered for the fireworks display on the seaside "Promenade des Anglais," plowing pedestrians down over more than 2 km before being shot dead. At the time of this report, a total of 86 casualties and more than 1200 formal complaints for physical and psychological injuries have been recorded. The aim of this work is to describe the forensic management of this event and its immediate aftermath. This paper reaffirms the basic tenets of disaster management: a single place of work, teamwork in times of crisis, a single communication channel with families and the media, and the validation of the identifications by a multidisciplinary commission. This paper highlights other essential aspects of the organization of the forensic effort put in place after the Nice attack: the contribution of the police at the crime scene, the cooperation between the disaster victim identification (DVI) team, and the forensic pathologists at the morgue, applying the identification (ID) process to unconscious victims in the intensive care unit, the input of volunteers, and the logistics associated with the management of the aftermath of the event. All of the victims were positively identified within 4 and a half days. For the first time in such a paper, the central role of medical students in the immediate aftermath of the disaster is outlined. The need to address the possible psychological trauma of the non-medical and even the medical staff taking part in the forensic effort is also reaffirmed.

ORNL`s war on crime, technically speaking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xiques, P.

This paper describes research being carried out by the Center for Applied Science and Technology for Law Enforcement (CASTLE), at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This program works on projects which are solvable, affordable, and outside the scope of the private sector. Examples are presented of work related to: the lifetime of childrens fingerprints compared to adults; the development of ways of providing cooler body armor; digital enhancement technology applied to security-camera images from crime scenes; victim identification by skeletal reconstruction for use by forensic anthropologists.

D Reconstruction of Cultural Tourism Attractions from Indoor to Outdoor Based on Portable Four-Camera Stereo Vision System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Z.; Li, C.; Zhong, S.; Liu, B.; Jiang, H.; Wen, X.

2015-05-01

Building the fine 3D model from outdoor to indoor is becoming a necessity for protecting the cultural tourism resources. However, the existing 3D modelling technologies mainly focus on outdoor areas. Actually, a 3D model should contain detailed descriptions of both its appearance and its internal structure, including architectural components. In this paper, a portable four-camera stereo photographic measurement system is developed, which can provide a professional solution for fast 3D data acquisition, processing, integration, reconstruction and visualization. Given a specific scene or object, it can directly collect physical geometric information such as positions, sizes and shapes of an object or a scene, as well as physical property information such as the materials and textures. On the basis of the information, 3D model can be automatically constructed. The system has been applied to the indooroutdoor seamless modelling of distinctive architecture existing in two typical cultural tourism zones, that is, Tibetan and Qiang ethnic minority villages in Sichuan Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area and Tujia ethnic minority villages in Hubei Shennongjia Nature Reserve, providing a new method and platform for protection of minority cultural characteristics, 3D reconstruction and cultural tourism.

The Effects of Forensics Training on Verbal Aggression and Argumentativeness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colbert, Kent R.; Dorff, Todd

A study focused on the effects of forensic participation on two specific traits--argumentativeness and verbal aggression. Two hundred eighty-one high school forensic students participating at a large western forensic tournament in the beginning of the 1990 academic year completed D. A. Infante's Argumentative and Verbal Aggression Scales. Results…

Preprocessing of region of interest localization based on local surface curvature analysis for three-dimensional reconstruction with multiresolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wanjing; Schütze, Rainer; Böhler, Martin; Boochs, Frank; Marzani, Franck S.; Voisin, Yvon

2009-06-01

We present an approach to integrate a preprocessing step of the region of interest (ROI) localization into 3-D scanners (laser or stereoscopic). The definite objective is to make the 3-D scanner intelligent enough to localize rapidly in the scene, during the preprocessing phase, the regions with high surface curvature, so that precise scanning will be done only in these regions instead of in the whole scene. In this way, the scanning time can be largely reduced, and the results contain only pertinent data. To test its feasibility and efficiency, we simulated the preprocessing process under an active stereoscopic system composed of two cameras and a video projector. The ROI localization is done in an iterative way. First, the video projector projects a regular point pattern in the scene, and then the pattern is modified iteratively according to the local surface curvature of each reconstructed 3-D point. Finally, the last pattern is used to determine the ROI. Our experiments showed that with this approach, the system is capable to localize all types of objects, including small objects with small depth.