Data mining in forensic image databases
Zeno Geradts, Jurrien Bijhold · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2002
Forensic Image Databases appear in a wide variety. The oldest computer database is with fingerprints. Other examples of databases are shoeprints, handwriting, cartridge cases, toolmarks drugs tablets and faces. In these databases searches are conducted on shape, color and other forensic features. There exist a wide variety of methods for searching in images in these databases. The result will be a list of candidates that should be compared manually. The challenge in forensic science is to combine the information acquired. The combination of the shape of a partial shoe print with information on a cartridge case can result in stronger evidence. It is expected that searching in the combination of these databases with other databases (e.g. network traffic information) more crimes will be solved. Searching in image databases is still difficult, as we can see in databases of faces. Due to lighting conditions and altering of the face by aging, it is nearly impossible to find a right face from a database of one million faces in top position by a image searching method, without using other information. The methods for data mining in images in databases (e.g. MPEG-7 framework) are discussed, and the expectations of future developments are presented in this study.