foster+freeman BLOG

TECHNICAL NOTE

Improve your Forensic Laboratory Workflow with Crime-lite ML PRO 2

The ML PRO 2 is designed for multispectral evidence screening and imaging within the laboratory, whether serology, forensic, pathology or military. It contains multiple light sources ranging from UV 365nm to visible light, to Infrared 850nm. There are multiple methods of illumination, including high-intensity spotlight, flood light and side lighting for oblique lighting, and many specific filters available, used to block or trim certain wavelengths of light and aid in the detection of many different evidence types.

Evidence screening is important to determine where further analyses of evidence should take place. For example, it is important to determine an area of suspected body fluid staining to target for DNA analysis. The ML PRO 2 has been designed to be easy to use and efficient at screening large areas to aid in the throughput of work.

The ML PRO 2 can be used over a large working area and features new software that has been designed to improve both ease-of-use and the workflow within the laboratory. The built-in high-definition camera allows for a large field of view, allowing large areas to be rapidly screened and for the capture of entirety images. It is also capable of 30x optical zoom and 12x digital zoom of the live image for the detection and documentation of hard to see evidential features.

Some investigations will require the use of the intelligent filter selection. This allows the system to automatically apply the optimal filter for the light source selected for general observation of evidence. When a specific evidence type is suspected, specific presets can be used to make the visualisation and image capture of this evidence type possible.

ML PRO 2 Detects the Faintest Evidence more Efficiently than Ever

Join foster+freeman Application Specialist Laura Dodd as she takes you through the ML PRO 2 upgrades, including a detailed walkthrough of an example forensic workflow, including image capture, image review and export/reporting stages.

PRESET SELECTION

The new software also introduces new presets for the most common types of evidence, with the added ability of adding new, user-defined presets. The presets determine which light sources and filters are activated for the examination. These combinations have been determined by scientific research to be best able to visualise the evidence in question, with an image being taken with each relevant combination.

For ease of use, necessary controls are accessible from the home screen of the software, such as presets and image capture. Other, more advanced, controls are accessible from the advanced screen of the top-left menu. Select the desired preset to capture images with the relevant light source and filter combinations.

REPORTING SOFTWARE

To further improve the workflow, reports can be generated directly within the software. The reporting software, accessed from the menu in the top-left corner, will also include the image settings for each image selected, such as preset selected, light source and filter applied, and camera settings. Images can be captured and annotated to display areas of interest to be targeted for further examination.

Images captured and annotations added will be available in the reporting software once opened. Reports will contain an entirety image of the exhibit in question, any images captured, any annotations added, and allows for the addition of the case name, exhibit name, username and notes directly in the software. These reports can then be saved to an external device without any additional steps, streamlining the reporting process for scientists.