Contrast enhancement techniques that use forensic light sources with spectral band pass filter, off-axis illumination (for finger prints and shoe prints) and fluorescence imaging (for bio-fluids) are powerful tools already in use by the forensic community; however, the majority of current instruments and procedures are labor-intensive, require a darkened environment, and pose significant logistical challenges in field applications. The current project is developing a stand-off multi-spectral camera combined with a compact strobed and gated illuminator, which will result in increased speed of crime-scene investigation, reduced crime-scene contamination, and a reduction in labor-intensive image processing. The current phase of this project achieved hardware upgrades that maximize performance and portability while providing a versatile, easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI). The hardware is now fully functional, and the GUIs for image acquisition and analysis are fully functional. This report details the hardware and GUI design, fabrication, and functionality of the camera; examples of its use are provided. Future efforts will include market analysis for an integrated crime-scene survey camera and for a high-transmission, high-speed tunable filter that can be used as an accessory for cameras, light source, or microscopy. 4 tables, 31 figures, and 33 references
Brass Board Forensic Crime Scene Survey Camera
NCJ Number
248961
Date Published
January 2015
Length
39 pages
Annotation
This project's goal was to develop and test an improved, compact, brass-board crime-scene-imaging camera that builds upon a previous successful proof-of-concept breadboard-level demonstration (NIJ grant 2010-DN-BX-K144).
Abstract
Date Published: January 1, 2015