Segmentation of Forensic Latent Fingerprint Images Lifted Contact-Less from Planar Surfaces with Optical Coherence Tomography

Sub-surface characterisation of latest-generation identification documents using optical coherence tomography

“…Our review of the literature has identified some application of OCT to target forensic science problems we feel these are inconsiderable when compared against the great, yet underutilised potential of the interferometric imaging technique of OCT in a range of forensic applications. Taking into consideration some of the published reports on latent fingermark detection with OCT imaging [24][25][26][27], we conjecture it should be possible to virtually "lift" fingerprints that may have been left behind in the laminates of forged documents, without physically destroying the evidence in question.…”

“…We also note reports of OCT in the field of banknote authentication [10,20], automotive paint characterisation [21,22] and art fraud -with even the potential for creating authenticity databases [23]. Moreover, owing to its non-destructive nature, considerable interest has been devoted to the use of OCT imaging in detection of latent fingermarks in translucid substrates [24][25][26][27]; given the near real-time aspect of this imaging technique, there have also been reports on using OCT imaging as a reliable antispoof fingerprint authentication method [28,29]. These examples and more would, we feel, benefit the forensic science community as a whole and, in particular, the field of document authentication.…”