Edinburgh Unit for Forensic Anthropology
RESEARCH GROUP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
3D VIRTUAL METHODS AND FORENSIC APPLICATIONS
Virtual Anthropology is a new science that combines elements from fields as diverse as anthropology, medicine, statistics, computing, scientific visualization, and industrial design.Virtual forensic anthropology is a rapidly growing field in forensics that allows a thorough examination of human remains without manipulation and a digital archive of all forensic evidence for future reference. A few of our virtual projects are presented here:
Morphological and histological Analysis of Sharp Force Trauma Patterns Using High Resolution Casts
Figure 1. Homicides in Scotland from 2001 to October 2013. Source: Crime and Justice statistics, The Scottish Goverment.
Sharp force trauma is the most common means of homicide in Scotland (Figure 1) and very often injuries are present in the skull. Surprisingly there is a large gap in the literature on the methodologies used to link weapons with skeletal injuries. This project is an experimental pilot study that is using different weapons to provoke stabbing effects on fully fleshed, freshly cut pig heads. The heads are macerated and high resolution casts will be obtained from the area of the stabbing and the stabbing instrument. The morphological features of the injuries and the weapons are documented visually and metrically. Further the casts are examined microscopically using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Finally the casts and the weapons are scanned with a medical CT scanner or a laser scanner and it is attempted to match 3D reconstructed objects of skeletal injuries with the corresponding weapon.
Fig.1 : 3D reconstruction of the body labyrinth (in green) housed in the petrous bone (in red).
Sex estimation of the bony labyrinth: an age independant method
This project was developped with the aim to meet the urgent need of forensic anthropologists for reliable sex estimation methods for immature individuals and highly fragmented remains. This study proposes a sex estimation technique from discriminant function analysis of the bony labyrinth; the skeletal element that contains the organs of hearing and balance during life, and matures before puberty.
3D segmentations of the left and right labyrinths of 94 individuals from a Cretan collection were generated and measured. Mean measurements of height, width, size, and shape indices were analyzed using SPSS for sexual dimorphism, bilateral asymmetry, and measurement error. Significant sexual dimorphism was detected for several measurements.
Two multivariate functions increased accuracy to 84 %. While these equations are less accurate than equations for complete long bones and crania, they appear to be as accurate as or better than other techniques for sexing immature individuals and temporal bones.
Related links:
Osipov B, Harvati K, Nathena D, Spanakis K, Karantanas A and Kranioti EF, AJPA, 2013
Fig.2: 3D printed model of the labyrinth in real size (white) and magnified by 10 (blue).
3D reconstruction of skull, mandible, frontal sinus and inner ears.
Word of mouth
The Word of Mouth exhibition has been a truly collaborative effort between The University of Edinburgh, Surgeons’ Hall Museum, Craigmillar Community Arts and Forensic artist Gillian Taylor.The idea for this exhibition was inspired by a skull found in Edinburgh College of Art’s teaching collection. At the start of the project, nothing was known about the identity of this skull. To make the study of the skull relevant to a wide audience, the investigation took two forms – scientific analysis and a processes of open public engagement.
The public engagement started with an interactive installation by The University of Edinburgh. The installation was part of The ASA 2014 conference, where attendees and members of the public were asked to build displays around the skull. A number of stills were produced during the conference and work began to turn the information into a public exhibition and wider engagement project.
As part of Surgeons’ Hall Museums outreach programme, a 3D print of the skull was taken to Craigmillar Community Arts during the Craigmillar Arts Festival. Here, members of the community interpreted their own cultural and personal significance of the skull. Their interpretation created a narrative and brought a deeper understanding to how people relate to human remains.
More information can be found here
