Forensic engineering science: Developing tools for human identification
Contents
Supervisors
Research project team members
Weekly progress and questions
The weekly progress contains what each member has done each week to contribute to the project which will be recorded in the following external web page. Furthermore, any questions or suggestions the supervisor provides will be noted down in the following external web page.
Project Description and Background
The project aims to produce a user friendly program capable of taking in a GEDCOM file and producing an interactive map displaying the locations and information of each individual listed in the GEDCOM file. Human identification has been present for a prolonged period of time. Presently, some of the biometric technologies such as fingerprint, DNA sequence matching, face recognition ,iris identification and retina identification are used to identify humans [3]. The main identification methods used in the present are fingerprint analysis, dental analysis and DNA analysis [4]. However, finding distant relatives of victims is hard with the use of the current methods used to identify humans [1]. Furthermore, techniques used in the past such as visual identification take a large amount of time compared to the rest of the methods [2]. Hence, the use of a software to automate the data visualisation process would reduce the time spent to do the process manually. Furthermore, the use of location markers aids in determining where family branches which the user needs cluster geographically. Similarly, the use of Google Earth simplifies the process as it has the capability of having a timeline of when the family branches clustered during different years. This would aid in simplifying the process of human identification. Genetic genealogy which is the use of DNA testing in combination with genealogical research documents and historical documents [6]. Genetic genealogical databases have been used in the present to identify historical human remains [5] , human trafficking, disaster victims, criminal activities and to identify unknown human individuals [7]. Genetic genealogy is used in these cases due to it having high amounts of information when compared with DNA databases which are currently available [7].
The standard filer type for genealogical data is called GEDCOM [9]. These files were first created in 1984 by The Church of Latter-day Saints [8]. Before GEDCOM files were created people used techniques such as rekeying and direct import [8]. The rekeying technique was stopped as databases started increasing as it was a time consuming process and prone to errors where the applicants for genealogy were required to print data from their old application and rekey it onto a new one [8]. Hence, currently the GEDCOM file type is used which consists of a plain text and unique number system for each individual added to the database [9]. The following numbering system and the text format of GEDCOM files are and prone to errors where the applicants for genealogy were required to print data from their old application and rekey it onto a new one [8]. Hence, currently the GEDCOM file type is used which consists of a plain text and unique number system for each individual added to the database [9].
Methodology
A summary of the method used to create the program is shown below.
GEDCOM to CSV Parser ---> Geocoding Subsystem --->KML conversion
Future work
- Making a substitute for Earth Point to create a single programs for the entire process
- Creating or utilising free geographic lookup tables to eliminate potential operating cost via Google Geocoding API
- Option for user to select from presets for settings if major differences exist in location formatting outside the US (More or less jurisdictions needed for accuracy/unambiguity)
- More expensive but slightly more accurate version utilising the Google Place API
- A system to find location information that matches prior entries even if formatted differently to slightly cut down on API calls and therefore cost. Unsure of how this would be implemented, would need more investigation to see if it's feasible.
- Utilising LineString in EarthPoint to track the movements of individuals (Birth-> Death)
Delivered Items
2022:
- Project plan-[1]
- Progress report-[2]
- Seminar Slides-[3]
- Ingenuity Poster-[4]
- Program-[5]
- Final report-[6]
References
[1] D. Kling, C. Phillips, D. Kennett and A. Tillmar, "Investigative genetic genealogy: Current methods, knowledge and practice", Science Direct, p. 1, 2021. Available: http://Investigative genetic genealogy: Current methods, knowledge and practice.
[2]Blau, S, Graham, J, Smythe, L & Rowbotham, S 2020, ‘Human identification : a review of methods employed within an Australian coronial death investigation system’, International Journal of Legal Medicine, vol. 135, no. 1, pp. 375-385.
[3]Hassan, O, Abu, N, Abdin, Z, 2019,’ HUMAN IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM:REVIEW’, International Journal of Computing And Business Research, vol.9 , pp. 1-7.
[4]Ward, J 2019, How do we identify human remains?, The Conversation.
[5]Harding, T, Milot, E, Moreau, C, Lefebvre, J, Bournival, J, Vézina, H, … Labuda, D 2020, ‘Historical human remains identification through maternal and paternal genetic signatures in a founder population with extensive genealogical record’, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 171, no. 4, pp. 645–658.
[6]E. Greytak, C. Moore and S. Armentrout, "Genetic genealogy for cold case and active investigations", Forensic Science International, vol. 299, pp. 103-113, 2019. Available: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.03.039.
[7]C. Alho, M. Dorn and A. Eduardo, "Would GENEALOMICS be an appropriate term to designate family tree research based on genome-wide data?", Journal of Genetic Genalogy, vol. 9, pp. 3-4, 2021. Available: https://jogg.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/91-Issue.pdf.
[8] Jones, Tamura. 2010. ‘A Gentle Introduction to GEDCOM’.Modern Software Experience.August 24. http://www.tamurajones.net/AGentleIntroductionToGEDCOM.xhtml.
