As part of RTI International's Center of Forensic Science's Just Science podcast series, this is an online audio of an interview with Dr. Marc Smith of the Georgia Institute of Technology regarding his NIJ-funded research that connected computational fluid dynamics with empirical studies that improve understanding of blood spatter onto solid, slanted surfaces.
The interview first focuses on Smith's background in the study of fluid dynamics and how he became involved in forensic research on the dynamics of the fluid of blood deposited on various types of surfaces. Smith's explanation of research methodology addresses the simulant used for blood and the device used to dispense the simulant at various speeds. The surfaces upon which the blood simulant was deposited were glass, bathroom tile, and paper. The variables identified as determinant of blood spatter patterns included the viscosity of the blood, the speed at which it hit the surface, and the surface's roughness. The contributions of the research thus far are discussed, along with suggested objectives and methodology for future research that will lead to higher percentages of accuracy in testimony on what the analysis of blood spatter reveals about a crime.