Age estimation of the pubic symphysis from 3D printed proxies

3D imaging has seen widespread application in forensic science due to the ability to view, share and inspect forensic evidence without accessibility issues. The ability to reproduce objects through 3D scanning and printing has been of particular interest for education, research and the repatriation efforts of human remains. However, whilst 3D technology shows excellent precision in metric comparisons of original and reproduced objects, standard methods of assessing bone may be unsuitable for applying on 3D printed replicas and need to be explored in greater detail. A selection of archaeological and cast pubic symphyses were 3D scanned and printed. Participants (n = 34, average experience = 5.24 years) assigned a Suchey-Brooks age estimation phase to each symphysis to allow comparisons of assigned scores between the original and printed proxy. Samples were assigned a correct age phase with 48.3 - 55.0 % accuracy (r = 0.67 - 0.82, κ = 0.70 - 0.81), and were assigned an age phase matching their real bone counterpart with 60.1 % frequency (r = 0.78, κ = 0.81). Accuracy and confidence generally increased with experience level. These findings reflect the accuracies reported by other research for the Suchey-Brooks method and the potential for miscategorising landmarks and features. Overall, this study found that 3D printed proxies were a suitable alternative for studying real bone, but caution is required when assessing subtle features and topography of printed proxies. There also exists a need for standardised protocols when examining 3D printed human remains to ensure consistent decision-making processes and reduced cognitive biases.