On the Conclusiveness of Skull Identification Via the Video Superimposition Technique

Helmer, R; Schimmler, J; Rieger, J

doi:10.1080/00085030.1989.10757432

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The anatomical comparison of skulls and faces using photographs, otherwise known as craniofacial superimposition, has been a popular tool for excluding individuals in difficult‐to‐solve cases of questioned skeletal identity . Sometimes the method has been used as an adjunct to other lines of biological evidence , but more controversially (see e.g., ), it has also been used as the main line of evidence for identification when other comparative techniques such as DNA or radiographic comparison are not possible .…”

Section: Previously Reported Subject‐to‐camera Distances (Floor Valuementioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the Skull‐to‐Camera Distance from Facial Photographs for Craniofacial Superimposition

Stephan

2017

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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The overlay of a skull and a face image for identification purposes requires similar subject-to-camera distances (SCD) to be used at both photographic sessions so that differences in perspective do not compromise the anatomical comparisons. As the facial photograph is the reference standard, it is crucial to determine its SCD first and apply this value to photography of the skull. So far, such a method for estimating the SCD has been elusive (some say impossible), compromising the technical validity of the superimposition procedure. This paper tests the feasibility of using the palpebral fissure length and a well-established photographic algorithm to accurately estimate the SCD from the facial photograph. Recordings at known SCD across a 1-10 m range (repeated under two test conditions) demonstrate that the newly formulated method works: a mean SCD estimation error of 7% that translates into <1% perspective distortion error between estimated and actual conditions.

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Section: Previously Reported Subject‐to‐camera Distances (Floor Valuementioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the Skull‐to‐Camera Distance from Facial Photographs for Craniofacial Superimposition

Stephan

2017

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…The technique of superimposition as a means of identification has a long history (Grüner et al, 1959;Grüner, 1993). photographic and video superimposition has proven to be very successful in the identification of unknown individuals and the courts have accepted identifications made by this technique as reliable (Chandra Sekharan, 1971;Colonna et al, 1980;Cai and Lan, 1982;Dorion,1983;Robert, 1983;Bassian et al, 1986;Iten, 1987;Cai et al, 1989;Helmer, 1989;Cai and Lan, 1993;Seta and Yoshino, 1993;Maples et al, 1994;Shahrom, 1996;Taylor and Brown, 1998;Jayaprakash et al, 2001). With the availability of current technology the process takes about one hour and can effectively demonstrate consistencies and inconsistencies between a skull and photograph used for comparison.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A RARE CASE OF IDENTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION OF HUMAN REMAINS. 240 Un raro caso de identificación y preservación de restos humanos

Solla

İşcan

McCabe

2016

Rev Arg de Anat Clin

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Los estudios de casos son ideales para probar la validez de técnicas antropológicas y los estudios antropológico-forenses de casos suelen funcionar como campo de pruebas en varios tópicos de la Antropología Física. El creciente rol que ha jugado los antropólogos en las ciencias forenses ha ayudado a las disciplinas médico-legales en varios aspectos. Por ejemplo, la identificación restos óseos es ahora más segura que nunca. El propósito de éste artículo es mostrar un raro caso de preservación de tejidos blandos de los restos de una niña color que se han conservado transformándose en un molde compacto y describir las técnicas antropológicas usadas para identificar los restos. Los estudios antropológicos forenses indicaban que se trataba de los restos de una niña de color entre 10 y 12 años de edad al momento de la muerte y de 150 cms de estatura. Basados en esos datos preliminares y en la sospecha de que los restos podrían ser los de Jane Doe, víctima de una violación y posterior asesinato. Una superposición digital fue realizada usando una fotografía de la supuesta víctima y el cráneo desconocido. Los estu-dios indicaron que el cráneo hallado se correspondía de manera consistente con el individuo de la fotografía. Estos resultados fueron luego ratificados por un análisis de ADN. Por lo tanto, la Antropología Forense y sus técnicas pueden ser utilizadas en investigaciones médico-legales concretas de manera muy satisfactoria. Case studies are ideal to test the validity of anthropological techniques and forensic anthropology cases function as a testing ground for this aspect of physical anthropology. The increasing role that anthropologists have played in forensic sciences has aided the medico legal disciplines in a number of ways. For example, identification of skeletal remains is now more accurate than ever before. The purpose of this paper is to show a peculiar case of rare preservation of soft tissue of a black child that formed an unique soft tissue casting and to describe anthropological techniques used to identify the remains. The anthropological analysis indicated that she was black racial affinity, between 10-12-year old and was about150 cmof stature. Based on preliminary evidence that the victim might be Jane Doe, a victim of possible rape and murder, a digital superimposition was made using one victim's photograph and the unknown skull. This examination revealed that the skull corresponded consistently with the individual in the photograph. Results were supported by a DNA analysis. Therefore, forensic anthropology techniques can be successfully used in medico-legal investigations.

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“…Die gewonnenen Daten wurden im Rechenzentrum der Christian-Albrechts-Universit~it Kiel statistisch bearbeitet (Details s. Helmer, Schimmler, Rieger 1989). Bei der Auswertung der Ergebnisse wurde yon der Annahme ausgegangen, dab die individuelle Morphologie eines Sch~idels bereits durch die Position einiger weniger ausgew~ihlter Punkte charakterisiert werden kann.…”

Section: Materials Und Methodenunclassified

Zum Beweiswert der Sch�delidentifizierung mit Hilfe der Video-Bildmischtechnik unter Ber�cksichtigung der kraniometrischen Individualit�t menschlicher Sch�del

1989

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The possibility of using the video superimposition technique for the identification of a skull by comparing it with photographs of missing persons is based on the fact that the human skull, unlike any other part of the human skeleton, shows unmistakable individual characteristics. In order to obtain a quantification, the individuality of human skulls is defined in terms of craniometric data and their probability distribution. First calculations based on the coordinates of some important encephalometric points of 52 European skulls suggest that there are individual aspects comparable to those of fingerprints. Under certain conditions, the video superimposition technique can establish very strong evidence for the identity of an unknown skull, provided that it is applied correctly and carefully.

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On the Conclusiveness of Skull Identification Via the Video Superimposition Technique

Cited by 18 publications

References 2 publications

Estimating the Skull‐to‐Camera Distance from Facial Photographs for Craniofacial Superimposition

Estimating the Skull‐to‐Camera Distance from Facial Photographs for Craniofacial Superimposition

A RARE CASE OF IDENTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION OF HUMAN REMAINS. 240 Un raro caso de identificación y preservación de restos humanos

Zum Beweiswert der Sch�delidentifizierung mit Hilfe der Video-Bildmischtechnik unter Ber�cksichtigung der kraniometrischen Individualit�t menschlicher Sch�del

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