Animating and Interacting with Graphical Evidence : Bringing Courtrooms to Life with Virtual Reconstructions

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of evidence offer great potential in the field of forensic science. They can help in the presentation of complex spatial and temporal data to a non-technical audience. In addition to these 3D technologies, the digital age has brought a plethora of new evidence forms, evidence detection methods, and means of evidence presentation. This position paper describes the previous use of 3D reconstruction evidence in courtrooms. It then outlines the forensic process in terms of tasks and phases involved, and describes the state of the art in terms of digital technology usage. The paper then presents a taxonomy of these phases in terms of a technology continuum. It goes on to highlight areas where new applications of 3D digital technologies could be used to enhance particular phases of the forensic process. This paper does not deal with security issues relevant to the devices discussed.