A bunch of young innovators attached to the Gyaan Innovation Lab of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Kottayam, has come up with a technologically-efficient and economically-feasible 3D scanner, which may help change the crime scene investigation.
The product has bagged top prize at the “Vimarsh 2023 5G Hackathon” organised recently by the Ministry of Home Affairs jointly with the Bureau of Police Research and Development, the Department of Telecommunication (DoT), and Telecom Centers of Excellence India (TCOE). The focus of the hackathon was to explore technology-driven innovative solutions for specific problems faced by law enforcement agencies.
Anuroop K.B., Chief Innovation Officer, IIIT Kottayam, and principal investigator of the project received the cash award of ₹1.50 lakh from the Home Secretary. The innovation is also eligible for a productization grant of ₹2.50 lakh.
The innovative product, rather than being a stand alone invention, will add to the Crime Scene Recreation in Metaverse (CSRM), an immersive 3D virtual space that transports investigators and jurors to a crime scene, developed by the Gyan Innovation Lab in collaboration with the Kerala Police Cyberdome. It had garnered much attention when showcased at cOcOn, the annual international cyber security conference hosted by the Kerala Police, held in Kochi last year.
“The newly developed 3D scanner marks the next stage in CSRM and will help us to do away with expensive third-party 3D scanners, which would have inflated the execution cost of CSRM and trapped the project in the ideation stage. We can now integrate our own 3D scanner into CSRM that will bring down the implementation cost considerably enabling law enforcement agencies to adapt it without draining them financially. A software facilitating a 3D walkthrough using depth mapping has been weaved into the 5G-driven 3D scanner,” said Mr. Anuroop.
CSRM, which has been based on a software platform VEMP [Virtual Event Management Platform] developed by the Innovation Lab, helps to create a virtual replica of the crime scene including all relevant objects, structures, and terrain without the support of any third-party software.
Unlike the current system where the investigation officer has to take in the entire crime scene during his visit or rely on photos and videos offering only one-dimensional perspective, this technology supported by Virtual Reality headset offers far greater perspectives of the crime scene. It can be accurately captured and safely stored to be recalled when the investigation officers change, and before the court.
Among the many benefits of the technology are improved crime scene analysis, enhanced courtroom presentations, collaboration and remote access, data security and privacy, time and cost savings, training and education, and consistent record keeping. It is expected to help law enforcement agencies, forensic investigators, judges, and legal professionals to enhance their investigative capabilities, thus facilitating expedited legal proceedings, cutting down unnecessary hearings, reducing litigation costs, and ultimately contributing to the pursuit of justice.
