Individualised and non-contact post-mortem interval determination of human bodies using visible and thermal 3D imaging

Leah S. Wilk; Gerda J. Edelman; Martin Roos; Mara Clerkx; Inge Dijkman; Jordi Vera Melgar; Roelof-Jan Oostra; Maurice C. G. Aalders

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-26318-4

Nature Communications (Oct 2021)

Individualised and non-contact post-mortem interval determination of human bodies using visible and thermal 3D imaging

Leah S. Wilk,
Gerda J. Edelman,
Martin Roos,
Mara Clerkx,
Inge Dijkman,
Jordi Vera Melgar,
Roelof-Jan Oostra,
Maurice C. G. Aalders

Affiliations

Leah S. Wilk: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, University of Amsterdam
Gerda J. Edelman: Netherlands Forensic Institute, Divisie Bijzondere Dienstverlening en Expertise
Martin Roos: Netherlands Forensic Institute, Divisie Bijzondere Dienstverlening en Expertise
Mara Clerkx: Department of Medical Biology, Section Clinical Anatomy and Embryology, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, University of Amsterdam
Inge Dijkman: Department of Medical Biology, Section Clinical Anatomy and Embryology, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, University of Amsterdam
Jordi Vera Melgar: Department of Medical Biology, Section Clinical Anatomy and Embryology, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, University of Amsterdam
Roelof-Jan Oostra: Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center, University of Amsterdam
Maurice C. G. Aalders: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Amsterdam UMC Location AMC, University of Amsterdam

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26318-4
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

Read online

Establishing the time since death (TSD) is vital in many forensic investigations. By combining thermometry, photogrammetry and numerical thermodynamic modelling, the TSD can be determined non-invasively for bodies of arbitrary shape and posture with an unprecedented accuracy of 0.26 h ± 1.38 h.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

About the journal