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RECOVER Latent Fingerprint Technology
Foster + Freeman RECOVER System
Foster + Freeman RECOVER System

RECOVER LFT

LATENT FINGERPRINT TECHNOLOGY

RECOVER LFT is a cutting-edge chemical vapor fuming process to develop fingerprints on a range of difficult surfaces including those that have been exposed to extreme heat (discharged bullet casings, for example) and items that have been washed ‘clean’ in an attempt to prevent identification. 

“This discovery gives us the ability to recover fingerprints from items that would have been previously difficult or impossible. It has shown particularly good results when used on fired ammunition cases, knives and contaminated metallic items”

Steve Bleay, MoD Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

RECOVER semi-automates the complex chemistry required to produce consistently high-quality fingerprints on untreated or cyanoacrylate-fumed items of evidence. Designed, engineered, and refined to provide a simple, low-maintenance solution, RECOVER contains all of the hardware and software components required for fingermark development, within a compact laboratory system.

Motorized Lid – Offers adjustable capacity.
Operated via the touchscreen, enables development chambers of varying capacity to be used.

Development Chamber – Provides 360o visibility.
Available in 2 sizes, allows the user to monitor the development of fingermarks from all angles.

Precursor Activation Stage – Initiates precursor transition.
Pre-weighed precursor ‘charges’ are placed into the temperature-controlled activation stage.

Integrated System – A turnkey laboratory solution.
Compact and uncomplicated, the RECOVER system takes up a minimal workspace and is delivered ready-to-use.

Touchscreen Interface – Intuitive software design.
User-friendly, icon-driven software reduces complex chemistry to a simple step-by-step process.

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Brochure PDF

Applications

Fired Ammunition
Fired bullet cartridges are notoriously difficult to retrieve ‘usable’ prints from. RECOVER can yield fingerprints of incredibly high quality.

IED Fragments
The original RECOVER application, prints can be visualized on metals exposed to extreme heat, including Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fragments.

Washed Items
Even when an item of evidence has been washed clean, or submerged for an extended period of time, RECOVER can still retrieve identifiable prints.

Technology & Applications PDF

A Compact Laboratory System

Motorized Lid – Offers adjustable capacity.
Operated via the touchscreen, enables development chambers of varying capacity to be used.

Development Chamber – Provides 360o visibility.
Available in 2 sizes, allows the user to monitor the development of fingermarks from all angles.

Precursor Activation Stage – Initiates precursor transition.
Pre-weighed precursor ‘charges’ are placed into the temperature-controlled activation stage.

Integrated System – A turnkey laboratory solution.
Compact and uncomplicated, the RECOVER system takes up a minimal workspace and is delivered ready-to-use.

Touchscreen Interface – Intuitive software design.
User-friendly, icon-driven software reduces complex chemistry to a simple step-by-step process.

Brochure PDF

Collaborative Effort

Discovered at Loughborough University, developed with the backing and support of the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl), and now, refined by foster+freeman, RECOVER LFT fingerprint technology represents a fantastic example of collaborative working to achieve innovation that will help the police and security services to identify criminals and link them to their crimes.

Testing & Evaluation

Today, more than ten years since the initial work on RECOVER first began at Loughborough University, the technique continues to undergo extensive and uncompromising scientific study.

FIELD TESTING: The Firing Range

Mixed-calibre ammunition was hand-loaded into a selection of firearms at a Las Vegas gun range. After firing, the shell cases were collected and treated using the RECOVER instrument. Where other techniques have previously had some success at visualizing fingermarks on a low percentage of bullet casings, RECOVER was able to reveal usable marks on the majority of casings examined.

Firing hand-loaded ammunition at the range. Las Vegas, Nevada

VMD (left) vs. RECOVER (right).
1-week old prints on stainless steel washed with detergent

EVALUATION: Independent Evaluation

A peer-reviewed paper published in the Science & Justice journal by representatives of the Home Office Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST), Loughborough University, Foster+Freeman Ltd., and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), compares the LFT technique against other leading processes for the visualisation of fingerprints on metals exposed to a range of environments. Notably, the study reveals LFT to be the superior technique for the development of prints on several significant evidence types that have been:

  • Exposed to high temperatures (consistent with fired bullet casings)
  • Purposely washed clean in a bid to erase evidence
  • Submerged in a liquid (discarded in a body of water, for example)
View Paper

IN-HOUSE TESTING: Exploring the Limits of RECOVER

Having produced impressive results on a wide range of evidence types previously considered to be difficult or impossible to obtain prints from, in-house chemists have now moved on to testing the absolute limits of the RECOVER LFT technique. Recent tests have produced high-quality fingermarks on metal plates that have been submerged in harsh chemicals including disinfectants and bleach.

24 hours (left) vs. one week (right).
Fingermarks on brass that have been submerged in bleach

LEARN MORE:

Related Webinars:

The RECOVER forensic fingermark recovery system by Foster+Freeman

Webinar – Cold Case Forensics: Using Modern Forensic Tech to Solve Decades Old Cases

Watch Now
Can recent advances in forensic technology be used to solve cold cases decades after the event? In this webinar, we take a look at how modern forensic products are being used to detect and examine crucial traces evidence and enabling investigators to close cold cases and deliver justice long after a crime was committed. In addition to live demonstrations, this webinar will include interviews from forensic examiners and industry experts explaining how advances in technology have changed they examine evidence.
The RECOVER forensic fingermark recovery system by Foster+Freeman

Webinar – Española: Análisis forense de casos Congelados: Uso de tecnología forense moderna para resolver casos de décadas de antigüedad

Watch Now
¿Se pueden utilizar los avances recientes en tecnología forense para resolver casos sin resolver décadas después del evento? En este seminario web, echamos un vistazo a cómo se utilizan los equipos forenses modernos para detectar y examinar rastros de pruebas cruciales y permitir a los investigadores cerrar casos sin resolver y hacer justicia mucho después de que se cometió un delito. Además de demostraciones en vivo, este seminario web incluirá entrevistas de examinadores forenses y expertos de la industria que explicarán cómo los avances en tecnología han cambiado el examen de la evidencia.
Fingermark recovered on a washed Knife using the RECOVER forensic fingermark recovery system by Foster+Freeman

Webinar – RECOVER – Investigating Knife Crime: Fingerprint Recovery

Watch Now
Featuring pre-recorded demonstrations and an interview with Steve Thorngate (Principal Consultant and Forensic Lead at DSTL) this webinar focuses on the detection and examination of evidence including fingerprints and biological traces.
Bullet with recovered fingermark.

Webinar – Imaging Fingermarks on Bullet/Cartridge Casings

Watch Now
The arrival of foster+freeman's new RECOVER LFT technology made it possible for forensic examiners to, for the first time, consistently develop fingermarks on fired ammunition casings. This discovery led to a new problem - how do you capture/photograph fingermarks on a small, cylindrical, reflective surface. In this webinar, we'll show you exactly how to utilise different modes of illumination to capture high-quality fingermarks on this notoriously difficult surface.
RECOVER LFT - Revolutionary forensic fingermark workstation.

Webinar – RECOVER – Technology for the Development of Impossible Fingerprints

Learn More
Cutting-edge technology to develop fingerprints on a range of difficult surfaces including those that have been exposed to extreme heat (discharged bullet casings for example) and items that have been washed ‘clean’ in an attempt to prevent identification.
The RECOVER forensic fingermark recovery system by Foster+Freeman

Webinar – Española – RECOVER – Para El Desarrollo de Huellas Digitales Imposibles

Watch Now
Desarrollo conjunto de foster+freeman, el Laboratorio de Ciencia y Tecnología para la Defensa del Ministerio de Defensa, el Centro para Ciencias Aplicadas y Tecnología del Ministerio del Interior y la Universidad de Loughborough, RECOVER es una técnica de vanguardia que mediante un innovador proceso de vaporización química revela las huellas dactilares depositadas sobre variedad de superficies, incluyendo aquellas expuestas a un calor extremo (casquillos de cartuchos disparados, por ejemplo) y objetos lavados a conciencia para evitar una identificación.

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Vale Park, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 1TD, United Kingdom
info@fosterfreeman.com
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  • Products
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        • VSC®8000/HS
        • VSC® PDi+
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        • VSC®80/FS
        • VSC®80i
      • Rapid Examinations
        • VSC® PDi+
        • VSC®QC1+
        • eye-D2®
      • Laboratory Systems
        • ESDA®2
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    • Forensic Light Sources
      • Multi-Spectral Illumination
        • Crime-lite® AUTO
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      • Handheld ALS
        • Crime-lite® LASER
        • Crime-lite® 82S
        • Crime-lite® 82L
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        • DISCOVER®
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      • Imaging Systems
        • DISCOVER®
        • DCS® 5
        • CSU
        • AARI®
          • Amino Acid Validation Targets
      • Fuming Systems
        • MVC® FFLEX S
        • MVC® FFLEX M
        • Cyanoacrylate Validation Targets
        • MVC®lite
        • RECOVER LFT
        • PolyCyano UV
      • Novel Techniques
        • fpNatural® Powders
    • Trace Evidence Analysis
      • ffTATM
        • GRIM Glass Refractive Index Measurement
        • Raman Spectroscopy
        • Polarized Light Microscopy
        • Micro Spectrometry
        • Fluorescence Imaging
      • foram®3
      • Raman Spectra Databases
  • Solutions
    • Forensics: Crime Scene Examination
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    • Forensics: Fingerprints
    • Forensics: Trace Evidence
    • Forensics: Questioned Document Examination
    • Document Authentication: Travel & Identity Documents
    • Document Authentication: Philately
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