Laser scanning is rapidly gaining acceptance and becoming more and more commonplace in the law enforcement and accident reconstruction communities. Over the past few years, hardware and software have improved significantly creating a simpler, overall system to capture immense detail in a short period of time.
These are 10, of the many, reasons to consider laser scanners for a forensic application:
1) Easy to use: Many manufacturers are moving toward a simpler interface making operation of the scanner more like a digital camera than a complicated survey instrument.
2) Portability: Laser scanners are smaller in size today than ever before making them easier to deploy to a crime/accident scene and useable by just about anyone.
3) Safety: Data can be collected from a distance, with some scanners collected measurements over 300 meters away. This allows the operator to scan a scene out of harms way. In addition, laser scanners can collect up to 1,000,000 points per second with average scan times of several minutes. Less time on a scene means less time for potential danger to the individuals at the scene. Class I lasers are also being used in laser scanners creating a truly eye-safe environment during the scan.
4) Speed and Efficiency: Complete color scans can be captured in as little as several minutes creating a virtual scene with high accuracy and detail that can be revisited over and over without physically traveling to the site. In contrast to traditional methods of surveying/documenting a scene, laser scanning can be much faster and allow multiple investigators to have eyes on the virtual scene.
5) Produce a variety of deliverables: Once the scene has been laser scanned, various types of final products can be extracted or produced from the data. For example, anything from a traditional 2D drawing to a detailed 3D animation can be created from the scan data.
6) Pressão dos pares: Com cada vez mais agências que utilizam scanners a laser para sua documentação de cena, o resultado é mais amplamente aceito. Bem como o crescimento nas expectativas de que as cenas futuras serão documentadas em 3D.
7) Eficaz na redução de custos: Os varredores do laser estão se tornando cada vez mais e comparáveis no preço às estações totais que são tradicionalmente usadas documentando acidentes de trânsito.
8) Ferramentas especializadas da medida: O software para a análise forense dos dados 3D igualmente inclui agora ferramentas especiais para medir respingos do sangue e a trajetória da bala, a testemunha/altura suspeita, etc.
9) Fácil compartilhar: Mais ferramentas de software estão disponíveis para visualizar e documentar os dados da varredura sem a exigência de instalar o software ou comprar licenças adicionais.
10) Arquivar a cena: Uma vez que a cena foi escaneada a laser, foi essencialmente congelada no tempo, preservada para futuras visitas virtuais por qualquer pessoa que queira investigar a cena. Isso permite que as medições sejam tomadas que podem não ter sido necessariamente pensadas para serem importantes no momento da captura também.