Evolution of facial identification techniques: A bibliometric analysis (1970 - 2022)

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Biometrics
• Computer Vision

Background:

• Human facial recognition is crucial for forensic identification.
• Research in this field has evolved over five decades.
• Understanding trends in techniques and methodologies is vital for advancing forensic science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of global research on human facial recognition for forensic applications.
• To identify trends in techniques, anatomical regions, and methodological evolution.
• To map the landscape of facial recognition research over the past 50 years.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of six major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, BVS, Lilacs) was performed.
• Studies focusing on human identification via clinical or imaging facial examinations were included.
• Data extraction included publication year, journal, authors, keywords, age group, examination type, and methods (metric, morphological, volumetric).

Main Results:

• 424 studies published between 1970 and 2022 were analyzed.
• Forensic Science International was the leading journal; Stephan CN was the most prolific author.
• Photography and metric analysis were the most common examination type and method, respectively, with the total face being the most studied region.

Conclusions:

• Facial identification research has experienced substantial growth.
• Photography and metric methods remain standard forensic tools.
• Artificial Intelligence and 3D volumetric analysis represent emerging frontiers for enhanced forensic facial recognition.