ICPUTRD: Image Cloud Platform for use in tagging and research on decomposition.

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Digital Imaging in Forensics

Background:

• Human decomposition studies are crucial for assessing the deceased and estimating postmortem intervals (PMI).
• Traditional methods rely on physical examination, limiting large-scale data analysis.
• Big data and curated image collections offer transformative potential for forensic anthropology research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce ICPUTRD (Image Cloud Platform for Use in Tagging and Research on Decomposition), a web-based software system.
• To enable forensic scientists to access, curate, and analyze extensive photographic collections of human decomposition.
• To support research and casework involving digital images of decomposition.

Main Methods:

• Development of ICPUTRD, a JavaScript-based application using Waterfall and Agile methodologies.
• Implementation of image search and tagging features with a predefined forensic keyword nomenclature.
• Conducting a user study with 27 participants to evaluate system feasibility and practicality.

Main Results:

• The user study confirmed ICPUTRD's feasibility and practicality for forensic research and casework.
• The system effectively facilitates the analysis of large digital photographic collections of human decomposition.
• Identified a need to expand the nomenclature with law enforcement-specific keywords.

Conclusions:

• ICPUTRD is a valuable tool for forensic scientists managing large image datasets of human decomposition.
• The platform enhances the potential for big data approaches in forensic anthropology.
• Future development will focus on expanding the keyword library for broader applicability.