Scotland sets up its first forensic art unit
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《英国医生杂志》
A marriage of art and science is taking place at the University of Dundee that is designed to advance techniques of facial reconstruction for both forensic and archaeological purposes. Scotland抯 first Forensic Art Unit has been established in a collaboration between the university and the local Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. It is headed by Caroline Wilkinson who has been recruited from the University of Manchester.
Facial reconstruction techniques have traditionally involved the use of clay models to rebuild a face, based on skull structure. Dr Wilkinson has helped to develop a computer based facial reconstruction system that enables the user to "feel" the surface of the skull or face on the computer screen. "We will be doing a lot more work in a digital world rather than manually. With this system we can do reconstructions using virtual clay rather than real clay."
Reconstructing a skull from fragments can take many weeks manually but can be done in a matter of hours using computer technology. Similarly, skin or hair colour can be adjusted quickly on computer screen, which can aid the identification process.
Dr Wilkinson抯 own background involves the worlds of both art and science. Her first degree was in anatomy and physiology and her second in art. "You need artistic skills to produce a lot of the work we do, as for instance facial reconstruction requires sculptural skills. There is a lot of detailed drawing work involved as well. At the same time, you need a sound knowledge of anatomy and forensic anthropology to ensure that the detail is correct."
She said success rates of 70% had been achieved in blind tests in which faces were reconstructed without knowing the identity of the person concerned.
Dr Wilkinson has also achieved similar success rates in identifying bodies in forensic cases. One of these involved a high profile case in the Netherlands in 2001. It followed the discovery of a dismembered body of an unidentified young girl. Dr Wilkinson reconstructed her face and, when this was shown publicly, she was identified as four year old Rowena Rikkers. Police arrested her mother and partner in Spain the same month and they were later convicted.
Another project involved revealing the features of an Egyptian priest who has been dead for 3000 years. The face of Nesperennub was recreated from data obtained by a computer tomography scans of his mummified body, which is in the British Museum. A facial image was them produced without the mummy having to be unwrapped. The work featured as part of an exhibition at the British Museum last year.(Edinburgh Bryan Christie)
Facial reconstruction techniques have traditionally involved the use of clay models to rebuild a face, based on skull structure. Dr Wilkinson has helped to develop a computer based facial reconstruction system that enables the user to "feel" the surface of the skull or face on the computer screen. "We will be doing a lot more work in a digital world rather than manually. With this system we can do reconstructions using virtual clay rather than real clay."
Reconstructing a skull from fragments can take many weeks manually but can be done in a matter of hours using computer technology. Similarly, skin or hair colour can be adjusted quickly on computer screen, which can aid the identification process.
Dr Wilkinson抯 own background involves the worlds of both art and science. Her first degree was in anatomy and physiology and her second in art. "You need artistic skills to produce a lot of the work we do, as for instance facial reconstruction requires sculptural skills. There is a lot of detailed drawing work involved as well. At the same time, you need a sound knowledge of anatomy and forensic anthropology to ensure that the detail is correct."
She said success rates of 70% had been achieved in blind tests in which faces were reconstructed without knowing the identity of the person concerned.
Dr Wilkinson has also achieved similar success rates in identifying bodies in forensic cases. One of these involved a high profile case in the Netherlands in 2001. It followed the discovery of a dismembered body of an unidentified young girl. Dr Wilkinson reconstructed her face and, when this was shown publicly, she was identified as four year old Rowena Rikkers. Police arrested her mother and partner in Spain the same month and they were later convicted.
Another project involved revealing the features of an Egyptian priest who has been dead for 3000 years. The face of Nesperennub was recreated from data obtained by a computer tomography scans of his mummified body, which is in the British Museum. A facial image was them produced without the mummy having to be unwrapped. The work featured as part of an exhibition at the British Museum last year.(Edinburgh Bryan Christie)