Periodic Reporting for period 2 - RISEN (Real-tIme on-site forenSic tracE qualificatioN)
Période du rapport: 2021-07-01 au 2023-03-31
The RISEN project aims at providing fast and accurate responses in the initial phase of investigations and directly on-site (classic forensic scenarios and disaster sites), to allow directing the subsequent police activities towards the specific necessary tasks for capturing the responsible of a crime and preventing further offences.
The objectives of the RISEN project will be obtained by:
• Developing and demonstrating sensors, some of which contactless and automated for proximal measurements, to identify, select and label trace materials, with a consequent reduction of the time and resources in the laboratory;
• Processing and sending rapidly acquired in-situ data to a 3D Augmented Crime Scene Investigation (3DA-CSI) system to produce an interactive realistic 3D model of the crime scene, augmented with the position and labelling of traces and evidence resulting from on-site analyses, and allowing a fast exchange of information among LEAs.
The recreated 3D model of the crime scene will present sensor data, collected traces and identified points of interest in order to deliver a realistic and immersive visual environment for investigators, allowing them to conduct highly detailed investigations, and to have the acquired information available at any time for several purposes in the criminal justice system.
The identified traces will be digitally marked and inventoried, and a digitalised Chain of Custody will be established, implementing mechanisms that assure data integrity over its lifecycle.
The fusion of complementary and orthogonal analytical information in a system of systems will provide a better discriminating power of a wide set of chemical and biological materials of forensic interest and it will allow for the gathering of more informative profiles of the investigated traces.
The RISEN project will address the social demand for:
• transparent and effective forensic investigation at a scene that may be linked with crime, disaster, conflicts, terrorism;
• search and discovery of evidence of disposal of human remains in high profile forensic caseworks;
• respect in different religious and cultural sensitivities/death rites;
• cross-cutting field of physical and digital technologies that promote the legitimacy of the court-proof evidence;
• integration and collaboration of on-site and remote operations that ensure safety of forensic personnel and civilians, and security and recording (physical and digital marking) of traces.
The objectives of the RISEN project will be obtained by:
• Developing and demonstrating sensors, some of which contactless and automated for proximal measurements, to identify, select and label trace materials, with a consequent reduction of the time and resources in the laboratory;
• Processing and sending rapidly acquired in-situ data to a 3D Augmented Crime Scene Investigation (3DA-CSI) system to produce an interactive realistic 3D model of the crime scene, augmented with the position and labelling of traces and evidence resulting from on-site analyses, and allowing a fast exchange of information among LEAs.
The recreated 3D model of the crime scene will present sensor data, collected traces and identified points of interest in order to deliver a realistic and immersive visual environment for investigators, allowing them to conduct highly detailed investigations, and to have the acquired information available at any time for several purposes in the criminal justice system.
The identified traces will be digitally marked and inventoried, and a digitalised Chain of Custody will be established, implementing mechanisms that assure data integrity over its lifecycle.
The fusion of complementary and orthogonal analytical information in a system of systems will provide a better discriminating power of a wide set of chemical and biological materials of forensic interest and it will allow for the gathering of more informative profiles of the investigated traces.
The RISEN project will address the social demand for:
• transparent and effective forensic investigation at a scene that may be linked with crime, disaster, conflicts, terrorism;
• search and discovery of evidence of disposal of human remains in high profile forensic caseworks;
• respect in different religious and cultural sensitivities/death rites;
• cross-cutting field of physical and digital technologies that promote the legitimacy of the court-proof evidence;
• integration and collaboration of on-site and remote operations that ensure safety of forensic personnel and civilians, and security and recording (physical and digital marking) of traces.
Most of the work performed in RISEN until the end of Period 2 (M1-M33) can be summarised in:
• Review the state-of-the-art of forensic trace qualification, requirements and gaps, and identification of the Use Requirements (UR).
• Definition of the RISEN system architecture specification to allow the start of the development of the first prototypes of the RISEN tools.
• The UR and SR were analysed and converted to high-level technical specifications of the RISEN system and low-level specifications for the RISEN system components to guide the implementation phase.
• First prototypes of the sensors (GC-QEPAS, BARDet, CLI, LS-LIF/Raman, LIBS, IMS) for the detection and identification of different classes of traces prioritised by LEAs in have been developed and the deployment strategies identified with the support of LEAs.
• The RISEN Sensor API was implemented enabling RISEN sensors to connect to the RISEN System and deliver the relevant sensor measurements.
• The 3DA-CSI system is available and provides a web-based graphical interface of the RISEN System to authorised users and investigators, allowing access to forensics information, including sensor measurements, collection and management of investigation data, encapsulated and controlled by the RISEN API, as well as inserting investigator information, such as items and annotations.
• A 3D reconstruction tool has also been developed to handle the localization of sensor data from different traces, allowing accurate documentation and recreation of the crime scene off-site.
• WP3 has been supporting the development of SOPs, test methods, the optimization of the performances and the validation procedures for each sensor.
• Lab-testing activities and validation of the RISEN system have started.
• Development of a novel validation approach to apply to the RISEN system during the trials.
• Standardisation activities: 1) CEN Workshop on CBRNe SENSOR API Network Protocols, Data Formats and Interfaces; 2) Application to form Liaisons to CEN/TC 391/WG 2 and CEN/TC 419.
• A cogitation study has been carried out in the frame of WP10 for the report on ethical, legal and privacy aspects related to the project.
• The 1st RISEN Workshop on New trends in Crime Scene Investigations was organised in 2021 with 200 people registered to the event representing LEAs, Universities, research institutes, SMEs and standardisation institutes.
• Review the state-of-the-art of forensic trace qualification, requirements and gaps, and identification of the Use Requirements (UR).
• Definition of the RISEN system architecture specification to allow the start of the development of the first prototypes of the RISEN tools.
• The UR and SR were analysed and converted to high-level technical specifications of the RISEN system and low-level specifications for the RISEN system components to guide the implementation phase.
• First prototypes of the sensors (GC-QEPAS, BARDet, CLI, LS-LIF/Raman, LIBS, IMS) for the detection and identification of different classes of traces prioritised by LEAs in have been developed and the deployment strategies identified with the support of LEAs.
• The RISEN Sensor API was implemented enabling RISEN sensors to connect to the RISEN System and deliver the relevant sensor measurements.
• The 3DA-CSI system is available and provides a web-based graphical interface of the RISEN System to authorised users and investigators, allowing access to forensics information, including sensor measurements, collection and management of investigation data, encapsulated and controlled by the RISEN API, as well as inserting investigator information, such as items and annotations.
• A 3D reconstruction tool has also been developed to handle the localization of sensor data from different traces, allowing accurate documentation and recreation of the crime scene off-site.
• WP3 has been supporting the development of SOPs, test methods, the optimization of the performances and the validation procedures for each sensor.
• Lab-testing activities and validation of the RISEN system have started.
• Development of a novel validation approach to apply to the RISEN system during the trials.
• Standardisation activities: 1) CEN Workshop on CBRNe SENSOR API Network Protocols, Data Formats and Interfaces; 2) Application to form Liaisons to CEN/TC 391/WG 2 and CEN/TC 419.
• A cogitation study has been carried out in the frame of WP10 for the report on ethical, legal and privacy aspects related to the project.
• The 1st RISEN Workshop on New trends in Crime Scene Investigations was organised in 2021 with 200 people registered to the event representing LEAs, Universities, research institutes, SMEs and standardisation institutes.
RISEN will introduce an innovative way to perform investigations directly on site, and the foresee progress will include:
• Improvements in the health and safety of the operators by developing and integrating in the 3DA-CSI system sensors for continuous monitoring of the air for biological and chemical threat analysis alerting operators in case of detection;
• Rapid and automated trace analysis directly on-site;
• Better cost and time efficiency by developing simultaneous 3D reconstruction, 3D model and data location management as well as sensor data collection tools;
• Easy to use positioning and calibration tools for accurately and automatically mapping analytical sensor data into the 3D model acquired with commercial laser scanners or photogrammetry;
• Modular integration of forensics sensors and other data sources, via the RISEN Sensor API, currently under standardisation process. The modular design will offer to the final users the selection of the tools for their specific needs;
• Provision of information layers for visualising correlated information and sensor fusion within the collected data;
• Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality user interfaces for providing visually rich and immersive tools for data and crime scene examination;
• Flexible visualisation mechanisms (C2 room, mobile phone, VR/goggles);
• Open architecture, supporting export of data to external systems (within LEA organisations, cross-LEAs for international cooperation) by implementing data exchange mechanisms to support cross-border investigations to efficiently share information among LEAs for the success of the investigations;
• Initiation of new standardization activities based on the project results to enhance acceptance and understanding of the project results and to assist the transformation of research findings into the market.
• Promote the RISEN standardization activities to relevant standardization committees and relevant stakeholders through its Partner DIN.
• Faster arrests and reduced prosecution times, impeding criminals/terrorists to conduct further activities.
• A trustworthy framework delivering harmonised information formats to better support the cross-border exchange and acceptance of court-proof evidence, collected with a standardised approach and used in harmonised investigative procedures of trans-border crimes, in full compliance with applicable legislation, including personal data protection (GDPR).
• Improvements in the health and safety of the operators by developing and integrating in the 3DA-CSI system sensors for continuous monitoring of the air for biological and chemical threat analysis alerting operators in case of detection;
• Rapid and automated trace analysis directly on-site;
• Better cost and time efficiency by developing simultaneous 3D reconstruction, 3D model and data location management as well as sensor data collection tools;
• Easy to use positioning and calibration tools for accurately and automatically mapping analytical sensor data into the 3D model acquired with commercial laser scanners or photogrammetry;
• Modular integration of forensics sensors and other data sources, via the RISEN Sensor API, currently under standardisation process. The modular design will offer to the final users the selection of the tools for their specific needs;
• Provision of information layers for visualising correlated information and sensor fusion within the collected data;
• Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality user interfaces for providing visually rich and immersive tools for data and crime scene examination;
• Flexible visualisation mechanisms (C2 room, mobile phone, VR/goggles);
• Open architecture, supporting export of data to external systems (within LEA organisations, cross-LEAs for international cooperation) by implementing data exchange mechanisms to support cross-border investigations to efficiently share information among LEAs for the success of the investigations;
• Initiation of new standardization activities based on the project results to enhance acceptance and understanding of the project results and to assist the transformation of research findings into the market.
• Promote the RISEN standardization activities to relevant standardization committees and relevant stakeholders through its Partner DIN.
• Faster arrests and reduced prosecution times, impeding criminals/terrorists to conduct further activities.
• A trustworthy framework delivering harmonised information formats to better support the cross-border exchange and acceptance of court-proof evidence, collected with a standardised approach and used in harmonised investigative procedures of trans-border crimes, in full compliance with applicable legislation, including personal data protection (GDPR).