Photogrammetric 3D skull/photo superimposition: A pilot study

The identification of bodies through the examination of skeletal remains holds a prominent place in the field of forensic investigations. Technological advancements in 3D facial acquisition techniques have led to the proposal of a new body identification technique that involves a combination of craniofacial superimposition and photogrammetry. The aim of this study was to test the method by superimposing various computerized 3D images of skulls onto various photographs of missing people taken while they were still alive in cases when there was a suspicion that the skulls in question belonged to them. The technique is divided into four phases: preparatory phase, 3d acquisition phase, superimposition phase, and metric image analysis 3d. The actual superimposition of the images was carried out in the fourth step. and was done so by comparing the skull images with the selected photos. Using a specific software, the two images (i.e. the 3D avatar and the photo of the missing person) were superimposed. Cross-comparisons of 5 skulls discovered in a mass grave, and of 2 skulls retrieved in the crawlspace of a house were performed. The morphologyc phase reveals a full overlap between skulls and photos of disappeared persons. Metric phase reveals that correlation coefficients of this values, higher than 0.998â\u80\u930,997 allow to confirm identification hypothesis

Analisi e ricostruzione delle lesività scheletriche mediante indagini radiologiche

Il ricorso in ambito forense a tecniche di imaging per l’analisi e ricostruzione delle lesività scheletriche, è oggetto di crescente interesse, in ragione delle indiscutibili prerogative offerte dalla “virtopsy”. L’Istituto di Medicina Legale di Bari, in collaborazione con la Radiologia di Bari, già da diversi anni riconosce l’efficacia delle tecniche eidologiche nell’ambito della localizzazione di proiettili e frammenti ritenuti in ambito balistico, nonché nella valutazione dei complessi lesivi derivanti da grandi traumatismi o nei cadaveri “preziosi”. Dopo la disamina delle possibilità applicative individuate in letteratura medico-legale, gli Autori discutono i limiti e le prospettive della virtopsy, con particolare riferimento alle esperienze maturate su casistica rilevante

Robber's Personal Identification by Morphometric Comparison Between Recorded Images and 3D Avatar of the Suspect

Personal identification based on 3D digital photogrammetry presents a natural evolution of a previous research in this field by "parameterized superimposition" (PS). The authors' experience was based on 2D/2D comparison between video frames taken from the surveillance camera system during the robbery and frames of the suspect brought back in the same place where the robbery was perpetrated. This technique involves four steps: The PREPARATORY PHASE, in which the recorded images of the robber are studied and improved. Frames with better view of robber's face landmarks are then chosen. The 3D ACQUISITION PHASE, during which a 3D photogrammetric avatar of the suspect face is created; this phase only requires 4 photos made simultaneously with a calibrated camera. The SUPERIMPOSITION PHASE is preparatory for the final step and involves a meticulous spatial orientation of the 3D avatar in the same position taken by the offender in the selected frames. A snapshot of the 3D avatar is now taken. During the METRIC IMAGE ANALYSIS a quantitative comparison between the image of the robber's face and the snapshot obtained is used. To perform this step it is necessary to clearly recognize at least five landmarks on the robber's face using a suitable software