ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 21

A Methodology for Near-Optimal Computational Superimposition of Two-Dimensional Digital Facial Photographs and Three-Dimensional Cranial Surface Meshes
Nickerson, BA
Graduate research assistant, associate professor, and graduate research assistant, Colorado State University, CO

Charney, M
Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Colorado State University, CO

Fitzhorn, PA
Graduate research assistant, associate professor, and graduate research assistant, Colorado State University, CO

Koch, SK
Graduate research assistant, associate professor, and graduate research assistant, Colorado State University, CO

(Received 22 December 1989; accepted 5 June 1990)

Abstract

The authors present a methodology for human identification based on digital superimposition techniques. This methodology computes a fast, near optimal fit between a three-dimensional skull surface mesh and a two-dimensional digitized facial photograph. Since this is done digitally, (1) the photograph can be enhanced to reduce or eliminate motion blur, overexposure or underexposure, and out-of-focus distortions; (2) previous problems with skull/photograph scaling and alignment are minimized or eliminated; and (3) the photograph and skull can be numerically correlated. Two of several test cases produced from an implementation of this methodology are also presented.

Keywords:
physical anthropology, human identification, superimposition, photography, photographic superimposition, digitizing, computer graphies, image processing, nonlinear optimization

Paper ID: JFS13050J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13050J
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