Intelligent image capture of cartridge cases for firearms examiners

The FBI's DRUGFIRE(TM) system is a nationwide computerized networked image database of ballistic forensic evidence. This evidence includes images of cartridge cases and bullets obtained from both crime scenes and controlled test firings of seized weapons. Currently, the system is installed in over 80 forensic labs across the country and has enjoyed a high degree of success. In this paper, we discuss some of the issues and methods associated with providing a front-end semi-automated image capture system that simultaneously satisfies the often conflicting criteria of the many human examiners visual perception versus the criteria associated with optimizing autonomous digital image correlation. Specifically, we will detail the proposed processing chain of an Intelligent Image Capture System (IICS), involving a real-time capture ''assistant,'' which assesses the quality of the image under test utilizing a custom designed neural network.