Integrated software solution for the 3-dimensional capture and analysis of footwear evidence

鞋印在包括收集刑事情报在内的一系列刑事调查中提供了证据来源。一个潜在的嫌疑人会在前往犯罪现场的途中，在现场和离开犯罪现场时留下脚印或鞋印。这不仅可以确定事件的顺序，而且还可以将嫌疑人与现场联系起来，如果他们的鞋子是独特的，例如由于损坏或磨损的结果。室内犯罪现场人员主要处理二维痕迹；脚印，泥土，血液或其他体液留下的痕迹。三维足迹，即众所周知的花坛足迹，在户外场景中很常见。收集三维痕迹的传统方法包括摄影和铸造，由二维模式识别支持，可以将鞋底键入特定的鞋履品牌或型号。三维成像现在可以作为一种替代或补充选择，特别是随着近年来数字摄影测量算法的显著改进，使得操作部署变得容易。不需要昂贵的三维扫描仪，只需要犯罪现场摄影师花几分钟收集额外的斜向照片的鞋印。因此，鞋类印痕的三维分析现在已经可以在日常操作水平上进行，但仍然是例外，而不是常态。作为以前NERC授予NE/H004246/1进入古代足迹的一部分，我们开发了一系列方法和免费软件，以促进足迹的三维捕获和分析。作为“影响计划”的一部分，与警方接触表明了这些方法在加强三维痕迹证据分析方面的兴趣和潜力，特别是通过允许对痕迹和/或鞋类之间的差异进行统计分析。目前比较主要是通过目视检查，而不是通过数量和统计比较。与我们的项目合作伙伴合作，我们建议聘请一名软件工程师利用这项研究、实践和现有代码来创建一个单一的集成软件应用程序，用于捕获、分析和展示三维鞋类证据，这将允许英国和海外的警察和法医机构进行日常操作部署。这将改变与收集这类证据相关的基本成本效益比，从而使三维成像成为常态，而不是例外。这类软件需要在不妨碍费用的情况下提供给参与法医学的所有各方- -辩方和控方。因此，我们提出的软件将作为免费软件提供，而不是商业化，这也将有助于用户采用。这种知识翻译有可能有助于刑事调查和社会保障。

Footwear impressions provide a source of evidence within a range of criminal investigations including gathering of criminal intelligence. A potential suspect will leave foot or footwear impressions en route to, at and while exiting, a crime scene. This not only allows a sequence of events to be determined but may also link a suspect to a scene if their footwear is distinctive, for example as a consequence of damage or wear. Indoors crime scene officers deal mainly with two-dimensional traces; impressions left by a foot tracking mud, blood or other bodily fluids. Three-dimensional tracks, the proverbial footprint in the flower bed, are common at outdoor scenes. Traditional methods for the collection of three-dimensional traces consist of photography and casting, supported by two-dimensional pattern recognition that can type a footwear sole to a particular make or model of shoe. Three-dimensional imaging is now available as an alternative or complementary option, particularly as algorithms for digital photogrammetry have improved dramatically in recent years allowing easy operational deployment. No expensive three-dimensional scanners are required, only that a crime scene photographer take a few moments to collect additional oblique photographs of footwear impression. Consequently, three-dimensional analyses of footwear impressions are now already possible at a routine operational level, but remain the exception rather than the norm.As part of previous NERC grant NE/H004246/1 into ancient footprints we developed a range of methods and freeware to facilitate the three-dimensional capture and analysis of footprints. Engaging with police as part of the Impact Plan demonstrated the interest and potential of such methods to enhance the analysis of three-dimensional trace evidence especially by allowing statistical analysis of differences between tracks and/or footwear. Currently comparison is done primarily via visual inspection rather than by quantitative and statistical comparison. Working with our Project Partners we propose to employ a software engineer to draw on this research, practice and existing code to create a single integrated software application for the capture, analysis and presentation of three-dimensional footwear evidence which will allow routine operational deployment by police and forensic agencies both in the UK and overseas. This will change the fundamental cost-benefit ratio associated with the collection of this type of evidence, such that three-dimensional imaging can become the norm rather than the exception. Software of this sort needs to be available to all parties involved in forensic jurisprudence - the defence as well as the prosecution - without handicap of cost. As such our proposed software will be made available as freeware rather than commercialised, which will also assist with user adoption. This knowledge translation has the potential to contribute to criminal investigations and in the safeguarding of society.