NCJ Number
211189
Journal
Evidence Technology Magazine Volume: 3 Issue: 4 Dated: July-August 2005 Pages: 34-37
Date Published
July 2005
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the bullet image acquisition feature available in Forensic Technology, Inc.’s (FTI's) new Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS).
Abstract
IBIS systems allow firearm examiners to capture digital images of the microscopic marks left on bullets and cartridge cases, which are used in the identification of firearms used at crime scenes. FTI's new IBIS system couples BulletTRAX-3D with MatchPoint Plus; BulletTRAX-3D acquires and preserves digital representations of the microscopic striated marks on fired bullets while MatchPoint Plus facilitates the comparison of the surfaces of two fired bullets. This article focuses on the bullet image acquisition feature of IBIS, which is accomplished with BulletTRAX-3D. The image processing system is fully automated to enhance image quality and, thus, requires minimal examiner training. The special features of BulletTRAX-3D are described, as are the unique functions and characteristics of the system, which is capable of coordinating the rotation and manipulation of bullets and the appropriate instant at which to capture the image data. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional images are available and, once the image is captured, BulletTRAX-3D can forward the image data to the server so that it is available for future correlations. Figures