The field of Forensics is constantly growing and incorporating new technologies to produce the most accurate results possible. Television shows like CSI portray results of Forensic testing but never actually explain how they came to their conclusions. Although the shows depict it there are a number of machines not shown that make modern Forensic testing possible. Here are 5 unique machines and uses that make solving crime a whole lot easier.
1) Video Spectral Comparator 2000 - Have you ever seen those scenes on CSI or NCIS where they analyze writing on paper documents that have gone through a fire, suffered water damage or have even been blacked out and somehow they are able to put it back together? This technology really does exist and its called the Video Spectral Comparator 2000. This machine can take documents that are illegible to the human eye and piece them back together so Forensic analysts can read them or partially read them again. The Video Spectral Comparator 2000 uses wavelengths of light to pick up underlying patterns on a document. Light only reacts 5 different ways when introduced to an object, light can be absorbed appearing black, light can be reflected appearing white, light can be absorbed and reflected producing the colors we see visible on the color spectrum, light can be transmitted through the object, or light can be absorbed and reemitted at a longer wavelengths causing a luminous effect on the object. These light reactions allow the Video Spectral Comparator 2000 to strike surfaces of an illegible document at various wavelengths of light and reproduce a digital image of what previously was or wasn't visible on the document. This technology can be used by forensic scientists to reproduce illegible documents, identify hidden unknown writing or imaging on a document and identify counterfeit documents.
2) DNA Sequencer - DNA is the new big thing! We see it being talked about everywhere these days with 23andMe and Ancestry. Crime shows use DNA constantly to tie suspects back to the scene of the crime, but how does this work? In 1990 the FBI launched their Combined DNA Index System and shortly after CODIS was born. CODIS is a DNA database used to record DNA records of known criminals, law enforcement and others who have turned over DNA samples. Anyone who knows about sequencing DNA would say it takes too long and it is not effective to sequence each persons DNA entirely. This is why the FBI has identified 20 key loci or segments of DNA that differ among every individual. Although some of these segments will match among individuals the probability of all of them matching is next to zero. A DNA sequencer will be used by Forensic scientists to sequence the DNA of suspects and attempt to match it to know DNA records. This has lead to many criminal convictions and even exonerated some people who were wrongly convicted of past crimes.
3) Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) - LA-ICP-MS is a form of mass spectrometry used to analyze particles on a molecular level to determine charge and weight. Performed on a mass spectrometer, LA-ICP-MS can be used to examine small particles collected at the scene of a crime to small particles collected off a suspects clothing. These particles can then be analyzed to determine if they are from the same source and identify that the suspect was at the scene of the crime. In forensics LA-ICP-MS would be used to analyze broken glass shards in ballistics to identify the trajectory of a bullet, most broken or destroyed household items made of metal, ceramic, wood against suspect clothing or personal belongings to get a match from the crime scene, and can also be used to determine if documents, gems and precious metals are real or faked. LA-ICP-MS is very useful tool for crime scene analysts and forensic scientists for painting an accurate picture of what happened at the scene of a crime.
4) Digital Surveillance for Xbox Kit (XFT Device) - When most people think of forensics gaming consoles and gamers are not what they have in mind, but there is an increasing need for tools that can analyze data off of Xbox's and other gaming consoles. With the increasing complexity of the Xbox from it quick speeds to massive storage capabilities, criminals have discovered an opportunity to pass and store data via Xbox hard drives. The thought is when law enforcement are collecting evidence they are unlikely to view a gaming console as usable evidence, but now that law enforcement has realized the gaming consoles potential they are becoming a good source of evidence. The XFT Device allows cyber forensics teams to retrieve hidden data off a gaming console hard drive that might have previously gone unnoticed. Hardware and software can be analyzed with this amazing tool and it opening a whole new door to cyber forensics that investigation teams are excited to take advantage of.
5) Alternative Light Photography - Ever seen the CSI team pull out the blue or purple light and start shining them around a room to look for hidden evidence such as bodily fluids and hidden ink? This actually does work, but is being used in a new method to help collect evidence from victims of physical abuse. Forensic nurses use alternative light photography to take images of physical abuse victims to see bruises, bite marks and other trauma before it becomes visible on the surface of the skin. Infrared light is used to enhance these marks on the body before they even become visible on the skin. Not only can alternative light photography be used to enhance marks on the skin, it can be used to take a deeper look and the physical trauma a patient has endured and begin diagnosis and proper treatment of the patients.
Forensics is constantly changing end evolving allowing scientists to explore more and more possibilities in crime scene investigation. As tools get more complex more accurate convictions can be made using multiple sources of evidence produced by these machines and more not list. Eye witness accounts are still the best evidence that investigators and prosecutors have in making an accurate conviction, but when they are not available evidence collected at the scene of the crime is the next best solution.