Foster + Freeman | https://fosterfreeman.com/tag/infrared/ Improving the Quality of Forensic Evidence Tue, 27 Feb 2024 11:32:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 https://fosterfreeman.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cropped-Site-Icon-32x32.png Foster + Freeman | https://fosterfreeman.com/tag/infrared/ 32 32 Why use a forensic light source?  https://fosterfreeman.com/why-use-a-forensic-light-source/ https://fosterfreeman.com/why-use-a-forensic-light-source/#respond Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:17:10 +0000 https://fosterfreeman.com/forensic-multispectral-imaging-in-fine-art-and-cultural-heritage-applications-with-vsc-and-crime-lite-copy/ Why would we use a forensic light source when searching for evidence at a crime scene rather than just using our eyes or a normal torch?
Our market-leading Crime-lite ranges offer Infrared, Visible and Ultraviolet multispectral search tools, allowing us to detect more evidence.

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foster+freeman BLOG

Why use a forensic light source?

Why would we use a forensic light source when searching for evidence at a crime scene rather than just using our eyes or a normal torch?
Our market-leading Crime-lite ranges offer Infrared, Visible and Ultraviolet multispectral search tools, allowing us to detect more evidence.

Read on as we answer the question of why a forensic light source should be used when searching for evidence. We will look at the theory behind light, explain the forensic spectrum, and consider what we could potentially find when using a forensic light source.

Searching for evidence

Participants of the forensic escape room trying to connect the dots

In August of last year, we ran our inaugural Forensic escape room at the 107th IAI Educational Conference. Our on-site escape room challenges participants to utilise the latest forensic technology to identify the perpetrator of a diabolical murder before the clock runs out! Will they be able to connect the dots or will the killer evade justice?

The escape room focused on the use of forensic light sources to reveal clues, find the evidence and solve a murder case. It showed attendees at the conference how to use forensic light sources to reveal hidden evidence.

You can find more information on the conference here:
IAI Conference 2023

Key Products

Crime-lite Range

With the Crime-lite range of forensic light sources, foster+freeman has pioneered high-intensity LED illumination for the search, detection, and examination of forensic evidence both at the crime scene and in the forensic laboratory.

The Crime-lite range of light sources is synonymous with the scene of crime search and detection of evidence. Crime-lites are known for their unrivalled build quality with high-intensity LEDs specifically selected for wavelength accuracy. Never wavering Crime-lites are designed to give you 100% output power even when the battery is running low.

Crime-lite AUTO multispectral forensic light source, ideal for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications
Crime-lite®ML PRO - Rapid Evidence Screening Tool for the Detection and Mark-up of Forensic Evidence  

Laboratory Light Sources

In addition to handheld Crime-lites, we also manufacture laboratory-based forensic light sources. Our flagship product in this area is the Crime-lite ML PRO. The Crime-lite ML PRO is the first in a new generation of evidence screening tools built to meet the demands of busy forensic laboratories tasked with processing large quantities of evidence.

With fully integrated UV-Vis-IR illumination and an ‘intelligent optics’ imaging system, the ML PRO can mark up evidence, detect the presence of bodily fluids, and locate minute fragments of trace evidence.

Examinations are conducted using the system’s 10″ touchscreen display, which can be displayed in high resolution via an attached 32” monitor. Pre-set examinations and automatic filter selection make the system quick and easy to use.

Background

Forensic Light Theory

When searching for evidence at a scene, we must use the full forensic spectrum to reveal the greatest evidence. These are wavelengths from ultraviolet, visible light and infrared light sources. A forensic light source will increase the evidence detected and increase the efficiency of the crime scene and laboratory examinations. With today’s LED technology, we can use high-intensity LEDS, with the LEDs employed in the Crime-lites high-intensity LEDs, each hand-picked for brightness and wavelength accuracy, ensuring consistent performance and effectiveness.

Light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, a collection of waves. Some parts of this spectrum are termed as “visible light”. Electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 380 nm and 760 nm is detected by the human eye and perceived as visible light. As the full spectrum of visible light travels through a prism, the wavelengths separate into the colours of the rainbow because each colour is a different wavelength. Violet has the shortest wavelength, at around 380 nanometers, and red has the longest wavelength, at around 700 nanometers. There are regions outside of these wavelengths, such as ultraviolet and infrared, which we term non-visible light. The Crime-lites can search for evidence along this full spectrum of light.

There are different ways a piece of evidence or material interacts with a forensic light source, depending on the wavelength used. This can include fluorescence, where material absorbs one wavelength and emits another (often called Stokes shift effect). Another way is absorption, where material retains particular wavelengths and then reflection; this is where the item returns the same light and doesn’t get absorbed into the item. Different types of evidence will absorb different wavelengths of light emitted from your Crime-lite and produce fluorescence that can be viewed; we can use goggles or filters to block out the emitted light, which is not being absorbed to view the fluorescent emissions. Crime-lite PRO-VISION viewing goggles are specifically designed for this use, enabling the user to quickly and efficiently switch between filtered googles without having to remove the goggles themselves

What types of evidence can we detect with a forensic light source?

Gloucestershire Constabulary

Semen, blood and fingerprints under the spotlight with new crime-scene tech

  • Gloucestershire Constabulary is the first in the south-west to own a state-of-the-art forensics device to aid investigations.
  • The device allows investigators to search, detect and capture vital evidence from crime scenes using one versatile device.

Gloucestershire Constabulary’s forensics team is the first in the Southwest to own a groundbreaking piece of technology that will allow investigators to secure better evidence from crime scenes in the county.

The new Crime-lite AUTO is described as ‘forensic imaging technology, combined with powerful multi-spectral illumination’, which, in basic terms, means local forensics teams can now use just one portable unit to search, detect, and capture evidence on site. Previously, teams would need multiple light sources and cameras to complete this job, with some evidence types undetectable without access to this new technology.

Chris Allen is Head of Forensic Services at Gloucestershire Constabulary: “In a modern, complex crime scene, having access to the latest and best technology not only saves processing time but produces better results and increases the ability to bring offenders to justice.

“This new equipment is at the leading edge of enhanced search systems available to the police and will undoubtedly be put to great use by Gloucestershire’s forensic investigators.”

The Science Museum

Semen, blood and fingerprints under the spotlight with new crime-scene tech

The Science Museum London’s Who am I? gallery displays real-life forensic cases that need to be solved. This equipment would have been used by a team of forensic scientists who worked with the metropolitan police to solve the crime, using the latest DNA profiling technology and forensic science techniques, particularly a light source examination of the scene and objects.

“Looking back over the centuries, how many crimes committed back then would have reached a different conclusion if they occurred today using modern science and technology?  Advances in Forensic Science means that crime-scene evidence can be accurately gathered and examined, from collecting DNA and fingerprints to gunpowder residue from armed robbery, kidnap…”

One of the parts of the display that displays the tools used to solve these cases displays a range of Crime-lites used at the scene and in the laboratory to detect body fluids.

Crime-Lite- A Forensic’s handiest tool?

  • Can you think of any infamous crimes that would’ve benefitted from a ‘Crime-lite’ or DNA profiling to solve the case?
  • Can we rely on evidence collected in this way? Is it always 100% accurate?
  • What could contaminate evidence? What preventative causes do you think police officers on a crime scene take to ensure they don’t disturb any evidence?

Find more info on the project here.

The World’s End Murders

Cold Case solved after 40 years thanks to Crime-lite technology.

On the evening of 15th of October 1977, two seventeen-year-old girls named Christine Eadie and Helen Scott, joined by two friends, Jaqueline and Toni, had been on a pub crawl. They walked into the World’s End pub in Edinburgh Old Town on the Highstreet in the Royal Mile just before the last orders. Christine and Helen decided not to join Jaqueline and Toni at a house party but called it a night and headed home. They were last seen leaving the World’s End pub. The next day, Christine’s body was found in Gosford Bay, East Lothian, by Ramblers. Later on, Helen’s body was discovered six miles away from Christine’s in a corn stubble field. Both girls had been beaten, gagged, tied up, raped, and strangled. No attempt had been made to conceal their bodies.

This discovery started a high-scale high-profile murder investigation, in late 1977 Lothian and borders police conducted a criminal investigation, collating a list of over 500 suspects and taking over 13,000 statements from members of the public. Despite this exhaustive list and search for suspects, they could not identify a culprit.  The case naturally gained widespread media interest at the time, and the police used photo booth pictures of the two girls for appeals for information at the time.

The media reported that several witnesses had told police they had seen the two girls sitting near a public telephone in the bar talking to two men. However, neither of these two men was ever identified. Speculation that the killings had been the work of two men was heightened when it was revealed that the knots used to tie the girls’ hands behind their backs were of different types.

In 1977, it was old-fashioned police work; they didn’t have advanced DNA profiling or high-powered forensic light sources; in 1978, officers were forced to scale down the investigation with the murderer still at large.

Eventually, a breakthrough would occur thanks to the Crime-lite light sources. When shone on the victim’s jacket or the binding that held their hand together, potentially invaluable DNA evidence shone out like a star in the night sky, directing investigators to give a second look to a piece of evidence they would never have given a second thought to in the 1970s. In this case, it reveal evidence that would finally put the case to rest 40 years later. It would show Angus Sinclair and brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton’s DNA was all over the evidence. Used for the first time ever in a Scottish case, A large garment – such as Helen’s coat – offered many possible points of DNA contact. Crime-Lite suddenly provided a devastatingly accurate guide to where to take their samples. One major significant find was that of Hamilton’s DNA within a fold of Helen’s tights.

“Without Crime-Lite, there would have been no trial two, ” says Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland. He was so impressed with the equipment that he made representations to senior forensic unit management to have it introduced to the Scottish labs.

Crime-lite AUTO Ground Truth Studies

Grounded in truth

When it comes to using a light source. How do you know if or how much evidence is being missed?

Foster+freeman invested a huge amount of time and research into this very question. Research has always shown that to detect the greatest amount of evidence; examiners should always employ a wide range of wavelengths from UV to IR when searching for evidence.

When Foster+Freeman began developing our latest range of Crime-lite products, we decided to explore ways to scientifically verify the optimum search and detection settings required to reveal the most evidence.

We conducted ground truth studies to determine the optimum search and detection settings for various evidence types. We decided to start with body fluids due to their frequency of occurrence at crime scenes, difficulty detecting and observing, and value as a source of vital DNA evidence.

Presumptive tests are necessary for all body fluid identification before DNA analysis. This takes time, costs money, and often involves wetting & drying of the evidence, leading to a loss of stain pattern and potential loss of valuable DNA. In 2020/21, 242,117 individual new profile records were added to the national DNA database, so you can imagine the amount of time, energy, and money spent daily on identification, collection and recording of DNA found at a crime scene.

By understanding how body fluids and fabrics interact with high-intensity illumination, we can improve our ability to detect these invaluable sources of evidence at the crime scene and during laboratory examinations.


Find more info on the project here.

Why can we detect valuable evidence on one garment but not another?

The myriad of dyes, pigments, material types, and surface coatings used during manufacturing play a significant role in visualising the forensic trace of interest.

To this end, Foster+Freeman has spent the last two years developing a dataset of approximately 19,000 images of body fluids deposited across a representative range of fabrics.

Multispectral analysis of each sample has facilitated the development of a gold-standard, industry-leading Product Verification Library to support both product utilisation and end-user verification and validation.

We put this dataset to good use with this new dataset of 19,000 images of body fluids and how they interact with the fabric, light wavelength and filter. We have implemented this knowledge into the Crime-lite AUTO. Within the Crime-lite AUTO, preset examination modes are available, giving you the best light and filter combination for the evidence you are searching for and the material it is deposited on. Ground truth data empirically backs up these preset examination modes and helps you detect more evidence.

Conclusion

In summary, there is always more evidence at a crime scene than can be visualized with the naked eye. Different illumination wavelengths are used to locate and examine a range of different types of forensic evidence. Examination of evidence beyond the visible spectrum may reveal more than fluorescence examination alone, and crime lights can increase the amount of evidence that is detected by supporting Multi-Spectral illumination across the entire spectrum.

To detect more evidence, it is imperative that you employ the use of a forensic light source when searching for evidence. Many pieces of evidence can be detected with a visual search or with a torch. However, to detect the hidden evidence we must do a full multi-spectral sweep of the crime scene with a forensic light source.

Forensic light sources are a very useful preliminary screening tool for the detection and examination of evidence. Furthermore, they can assist in directing examinations, as well as providing additional information that can be incorporated into an overall interpretation of the findings. 

One main advantage of a forensic light source is that it is portable. A portable forensic light source can do a preliminary search on awkwardly shaped or heavy items of potential evidence, allowing the examiner to quickly and easily determine if further, more expensive, time-consuming, and rigorous testing is needed.

With new technology such as the Crime-lite AUTO on the market, It’s not hard to see why so many police forces worldwide are equipping their crime scene teams with the Crime-lite AUTO. Multi-spectral imaging, particularly in the non-visible parts of the spectrum, is a precious tool for the detection of a wide range of evidence types – and by combining all of the required elements – camera – lighting and filters into a single device, we can greatly reduce the time it takes to conduct a thorough investigation.

Forensic light sources are now an essential tool in the CSI’s kit, enabling the examiner to do a thorough and conclusive first sweep of a crime scene without disturbing or destroying evidence. Shining a light on areas of a crime scene that would never have been found before, illuminating valuable hidden evidence.

Learn More

Crime-lite® 82S PRO

Detect more evidence using Crime-lite 82S PRO light sources, a powerful upgrade to our best-in-class forensic search tools.

Used and trusted by law enforcement, military, and clinical forensic examiners worldwide, Crime-lite 82S light sources can be relied upon to provide the high-intensity narrow bandwidth illumination required to detect even the smallest traces of forensic evidence.

Now, the Crime-lite 82S PRO range builds upon that time-proven technology, providing CSIs and forensic examiners with the illumination they need to Detect More Evidence.

View Product Page

Crime-lite® AUTO

A Compact and Portable Solution for Multispectral Examination

Forensic imaging technology meets powerful multi-spectral illumination in this complete solution to multispectral imaging. Features include:

  • Complete all-in-one search and imaging device
  • Full-spectrum UV/Vis/IR camera
  • 55x illumination wavebands
  • Automatic filter selection
  • Autofocus image/video capture
  • Simple touch panel interface
  • Intuitive software and companion app

View product page

Crime-lite AUTO forensic light source, ideal for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications
Foster + Freeman Forensic Examiner Searching For Evidence Using the Crime-Lite 82S.

RELATED WEBINAR

Crime-lite Forensic Light Sources – For the Detection and Examination of Body Fluids

This webinar will include comprehensive demonstrations of our latest range of high-intensity narrowband forensic light sources for the detection of body fluids including semen, saliva, sweat and vaginal fluids at the crime scene and in the laboratory. Watch Now

The post Why use a forensic light source?  appeared first on Foster+Freeman.

]]> https://fosterfreeman.com/why-use-a-forensic-light-source/feed/ 0 Forensic Multispectral Imaging in Art and Cultural Heritage https://fosterfreeman.com/forensic-multispectral-imaging-in-fine-art-and-cultural-heritage-applications-with-vsc-and-crime-lite/ https://fosterfreeman.com/forensic-multispectral-imaging-in-fine-art-and-cultural-heritage-applications-with-vsc-and-crime-lite/#respond Fri, 19 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000 https://fosterfreeman.com/document-fraud-an-engine-of-organised-crime-copy-2/ Following the 22nd Symposium for the Study of Underdrawing and Technology in Painting, we explore how the forensic multispectral imaging capabilities of the VSC and Crime-lite Range can excel in fine art and cultural heritage applications.

The post Forensic Multispectral Imaging in Art and Cultural Heritage appeared first on Foster+Freeman.

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foster+freeman BLOG

Forensic Multispectral Imaging in Fine Art and Cultural Heritage Applications

This month marked the 22nd Symposium for the Study of Underdrawing and Technology in Painting, with foster+freeman delighted to have a team of staff in attendance to present our unique Crime-lite AUTO and new VSC 900 to experts within the field, showcasing their forensic multispectral imaging capabilities in fine art and cultural heritage applications.

These products, from our market-leading VSC and Crime-lite ranges, offer Infrared, Visible and Ultraviolet multispectral imaging, empowering examiners to reveal hidden information, detect forgeries and better conserve our cultural heritage.

Read on as we make use of case studies to explore the value foster+freeman VSC and Crime-lite products offer in fine art and cultural heritage applications.

A book undergoes multispectral imaging analysis using a foster+freeman VSC 8000/HS workstation

A book undergoes multispectral imaging analysis using a VSC 8000/HS workstation

foster+freeman VSC 900 and Crime-lite AUTO during a product demonstration at the 22nd Symposium for the Study of Underdrawing and Technology in Painting

foster+freeman VSC 900 and Crime-lite AUTO during a product demonstration at the symposium

The symposium brought together experts from leading organizations in the field in Leuven and Brussels for a three-day congress, organised by KU Leuven, Illuminare, UCLouvain, Musea Brugge, KIK-IRPA, KBR and M Leuven.

Providing a scientific forum for researchers in the field to share and discuss the latest technical studies in art history, this years event focussed on art from the Middle Ages and Early Modern period, exploring the applications of forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage.

The conference focussed particular attention on the technical considerations of examining art produced on varied substrates and in a wide range of media, including canvas, cartoons, drawings, panel paintings, painting on parchment, sketches, sketchbooks, manuscript illuminations, and prints.

You can find more information on the symposium here:
Technical Art Studies – 2024 I Leuven (technicalartstudies2024leuven.be)
Symposium XXIII for the Study of the Underdrawing and Technology in Painting | KIK-IRPA (kikirpa.be)

Key Products
for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage

VSC 900 questioned document examination workstation, ideal for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications

VSC Range

While our VSC range of multispectral illumination workstations has its roots in questioned document examination, often in immigration and law enforcement settings, it also represents a powerful tool in the hands of an art authenticator, researcher or conservator.

Found at border security points across the globe, VSC devices excel in the detailed examination of complex travel and identity documents. The same qualities that facilitate the successful forensic examination of a passport, for example, complete with myriad features invisible to the naked eye, naturally lend themselves to the detailed analysis of artworks and cultural artefacts, with the VSC range representing significant opportunities for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications.

Crime-lite Range

We originally conceived the Crime-lite range of multispectral forensic light sources for use in law enforcement applications, as the name suggestions. However, like our VSC products, Crime-lites excel in wide-reaching applications beyond their original purposes.

Our versatile Crime-lite products, offering powerful and consistent multispectral illumination from portable and robust devices, are ideal for examining artworks and cultural artifacts. Importantly, Crime-lites prove effective not only in lab settings but also in-situ, making them the preferred choice when dealing with objects that may be too large or fragile to be moved practically.

Our Crime-lite AUTO combines this multispectral illumination with powerful imaging capabilities and built-in filters and pre-sets, allowing examiners to visualise and capture details otherwise hidden from the naked eye, on-site and with the agility of a standard digital SLR.

Crime-lite AUTO multispectral forensic light source, ideal for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications

Background

Multispectral Imaging and Infrared Reflectography

Multispectral imaging refers to capturing images of a document under different illumination wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum (including UV, visible and Infrared light), which can then be analysed. One key technique used to examine artworks and manuscripts is Infrared reflectography. This technique is based on the ability of infrared light to penetrate layers of paint, paper and other materials that visible light cannot, allowing an examiner to see beneath the surface of a document and reveal otherwise hidden details. Different materials will also react differently under specific IR wavelengths, allowing them to be isolated from one another and analysed individually.

UNDERDRAWINGS

With specific reference to paintings, it is common practice for artists to make marks on the substrate before going on to cover these with the layers of paint which form the surface of the painting. These ‘underdrawings’ often act as a plan or sketch for the artist to follow, helping them to finalise the composition and other elements of the work. With individual artists generally having their own distinct style, technique and choice of underdrawing materials, analysis of these hidden layers can help to determine the legitimacy of a painting or provide insight into the methods of its production.

In order to use IR to successfully analyse underdrawings and other hidden details beneath the visible surface of an artwork, an Infrared light source is required to illuminate the artwork, with any light reflected back from various materials being captured and recorded using a specialist camera and filters.

Our VSC workstations and Crime-lite AUTO house these elements within a single unit, alongside specialist software, making the process of Infrared reflectography efficient, intuitive and, most importantly, effective. With this in mind, we will now consider case study examples of multispectral imaging and Infrared reflectography using these products:

VSC Case Studies

Northwestern University
Conservation and Multispectral Imaging with VSC 80

Jess Ortegon, graduate fellow at the Winterthur/University of Delaware Art Conservation Program, provides an excellent case study on forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage, (Looking a Little Deeper: Conservation and Multispectral Imaging), detailing research conducted at Northwestern University Library, which perfectly demonstrates the capabilities of the VSC 80 and the invaluable role it plays in specific conservation applications.

Working to conserve the university’s collection of manuscripts for further research, the multispectral imaging capabilities of the VSC 80 facilitate the non-invasive and non-destructive analysis of fragile manuscripts, allowing conservators to identify a range of materials present in the artefact, including adhesives, pigments, coatings and structural elements, with this information informing the optimal treatment methods, or whether to avoid any conservation action altogether if there is a significant risk of damaging or destroying the document.

NUL has over 5,000 Arabic script materials in their collection, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. As a valuable resource for ongoing scholarly research, conservation of the collection is vital, with staff using multispectral imaging to conduct analysis of the papers and inks used and identify watermarks that would otherwise be invisible. The findings from this analysis are valuable in themselves to researchers studying the provenance of the materials, as well as informing treatment decisions by the conservators.

“We’re using the VSC80 for all of our analysis in this project as it’s able to replace multiple pieces of equipment used for each MSI technique (light tables, UV lamps, specialized IR cameras). It also has consistent, reproducible results, which is very important when recording and sharing results from such a large collection.”

PAPER ANALYSIS

Analysis of the manuscripts begins by using transmitted light to examine physical characteristics of the paper, in the hope of revealing information relating to its manufacturing processes, including laid and chain lines or watermarks. Through magnification, measurement and annotation of images of the manuscript, the VSC 80 provides examiners with detailed and accurate information on the density of laid and chain lines and the size of any watermarks present, with watermarks being used by researchers to gain insight into the geographical source of the paper stock and related trade and commerce routes.

INK ANALYSIS

Inks are analysed under both UV and IR illumination, with UV being used to observe fluorescence and IR indicating whether radiation was reflected or absorbed by the ink. While identifying inks with certainty is rare, gaining an understanding of their properties can help to identify similarities and differences amongst various inks, providing further valuable information for future research. The VSC stores the illumination parameters alongside each image, allowing examiners to easily compare the response of other inks under the same conditions.

REVEALING HIDDEN TEXT

Ortegon outlines the process by which multispectral illumination is used to reveal important hidden text on a letter without the risk of damage. The letter in question, from French-American artist and naturalist John James Audubon to his family, had previously been repaired by being adhered to another piece of paper which obscured important postage details, such as stamps, seals and the recipient’s address. To access this information, conservators considered removing the paper backing, however further investigation suggested the letter was written in water-soluble ink and such a procedure could cause significant damage.

To mitigate any risk to the document, conservators again turned to the multispectral imaging capabilities of the VSC 80, initially using transmitted light to observe the address and pinpoint its location on the reverse of the letter. IR illumination and filters were then employed to increase the legibility of the address, isolating it from other text by examining the reaction of different materials under precise radiation levels, a process which also revealed previously invisible stamps and fold lines. In this instance MSI proved invaluable, providing valuable information to researchers while avoiding potentially destructive or invasive treatment.

“Our observations and analysis using the VSC 80 will help to better contextualize the materiality of our collections and continue to mitigate potentially risky treatments”

View the article for images:
Looking a Little Deeper: Conservation and Multispectral Imaging

Ackland Art Museum
VSC 8000, Rembrandt Drawing

Ackland Art Museum curator, Dana Cowen, and paper conservator, Grace White, used the multispectral imaging capabilities of the VSC 8000 to examine a rare Rembrandt drawing from the Museum’s Peck Collection, revealing previously unknown and intriguing details which would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.

During examination under IR illumination, they discovered anachronistic details in the drawing that had been added with a different material to the iron gall ink used by Rembrandt. The discovery was possible as iron gall ink transmits under Infrared light, becoming nearly invisible, whereas the more recent carbon ink present in the drawing absorbs Infrared, becoming darker and more visible. To the naked eye iron gall ink is dark enough to prevent the carbon ink from ever being discernible.

It is believed the carbon ink lines were added by a previous owner of the drawing to visually repair a degraded area of iron gall ink, in an attempt to improve the piece. This discovery provides researchers and students with an insight into the past lives of an object, and how it can best be preserved for future generations.

VSC at The Courtauld

Traces: Renaissance Drawings for Flemish Prints (18 Jun – 25 Sep 2022) at The Courtauld Gallery offered visitors the opportunity to look below the surface of the work of some of the most renowned Netherlandish artists of the Renaissance era.

Using the VSC 8000/HS, researchers were able to reveal traces left by the artists and craftspeople who produced many of the designs for the burgeoning Antwerp print trade throughout the 16th-century.

The video demonstrates how the process of multispectral imaging was used to analyse a drawing, by Jan van der Straet and engraved by Philips Galle, to gain valuable insight into the working methods of the draughtsman and engraver, revealing traces that would otherwise be near-invisible to the naked eye.

The Art of Experiment: Parmigianino at The Courtauld (5 Mar – 5 June 2022), a collaboration involving research students at The Courtauld, aimed to shed new light on the work of the pioneering Renaissance artist.  

In preparation for the exhibition, technical examinations were conducted on the featured drawings, revealing two new drawings hidden beneath historic mounts. The initial discovery was made on the back of the Study for the Coronation of the Virgin for Santa Maria della Steccata, Parma, where Infrared reflectography revealed a male nude drawn on the reverse side.

In the video, Courtauld Conservator of Works on Paper, Kate Edmondson, uses a VSC 8000/HS to demonstrate a range of techniques that were used in preparation for the exhibition, exploring the drawings to reveal previously undetected details.

Crime-lite AUTO Case Studies

Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE)
‘Lab on the Road’

In Autumn 2021 the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) began their ‘Lab on the Road’ project, with researchers using mobile research equipment to conduct examinations and analysis of artworks and artefacts on-site at 8 museums across the Netherlands by the end of 2023. Such was the success of the project that the lab will be hitting the road again in April 2024.


Find more info on the project here.

Much of the success of the project can be attributed to advancements in portable forensic science technology and the devices made available to the researchers, with the foster+freeman Crime-lite AUTO being included in an arsenal of equipment alongside XRF scanners, microscopes and spectrometers. The portability and agility of the device, alongside its powerful multispectral illumination capabilities and integrated multispectral camera makes it an ideal choice for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications, and foster+freeman were delighted to learn of its successful contributions to the project, resulting in some significant finds.

Crime-lite AUTO chosen to examine Mount Athos

Mount Athos, also known as the Holy Mountain, is an autonomous monastic state within Greece which holds great significance in the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. The site was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, recognising the cultural significant of its historical monastic heritage and the unique ecosystems found on the mountain.

Consisting of 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and often referred to as the “Garden of the Virgin Mary”, Mount Athos is considered one of the most important spiritual centres in the Orthodox Christian world and attracts pilgrims from around the world.

A team of experienced conservators selected the Crime-lite AUTO when embarking on a trip to uncover hidden details within the Byzantine artwork of Mount Athos. Through the use of a combination of UV, visible, and Infrared imaging, the team of experts successfully revealed significant features in the artworks that had remained hidden from view for hundreds of years. The portability of the device proved vital to the success of the project, where moving the artworks to a lab setting would have been impossible.

Broader Applications: ffTA

While multispectral imaging and Infrared reflectography play a key role in the examination and analysis of artworks and artefacts, there are a plethora of other forensic methods which can be utilized in these applications, including microscopy, spectrometry and light polarisation, which can be conducted using the foster+freeman ffTA.

The ffTA is a powerful and flexible multi-functional system that provides a range of analytical facilities on a single microscope. By switching from module to module the operator is able to perform a wide range of analytical tasks and extract the maximum amount of forensic information in the shortest possible time.

Foster + Freeman ffTA multi-examination system for trace evidence

MICROSCOPY

At the heart of the ffTA is the Leica DM2700M laboratory microscope, a device whose ancestors have been the primary tool of the art investigator or authenticator for centuries. This microscope is combined with high power LED illumination, creating a unique modular system which enables the examiner to add required functions and quickly switch between them using an optical multiplexer.

Microscopy is a key method in observing craquelure, tiny cracks which appear in a paintings surface over time, the analysis of which can help to identify the provenance and authenticity of an artwork. Acting much like a fingerprint, craquelure can be used as a unique identifier for a painting, with artworks from different climates, countries and time periods having different craquelure patterns. Microscopy also allows the investigator to get a detailed look at how paint has been layered on an artwork and if paint has been added anachronistically: a telltale sign of a fraudulent piece.

SPECTROSCOPY

The ffTA offers modules which allow the user to undertake multi-wavelength Raman Spectroscopy and UV-Vis-IR Micro Spectroscopy. These techniques can be used to identify the properties of particular materials found in an artwork or artefact, and compare them with other known quantities to determine the legitimacy of the subject piece.

LIGHT POLARISATION

Consisting of a pair of polarizers, a retardation plate, and a 360-degree circular rotating specimen stage with Vernier scales, this ffTA module enables birefringence to be measured to an accuracy of 0.1 degrees, and is highly effective in the detection and identification of fibres, making it an ideal tool for the examination and analysis of tapestries, historic clothing and other fabrics of cultural significance.

Conclusion

Having explored how our VSC workstations and Crime-lite AUTO are being used for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications, it is apparent that each product possesses the capabilities to become invaluable tools for professionals working in specialisms across the field. We can also see that while these two products facilitate the same key technique of multispectral imaging, the respective methods by which they achieve this make them each ideal for specific applications, with the Crime-lite AUTO in particular representing a key technological development in the study of in-situ artworks and artefacts.

We also briefly touched on the ffTA, the potential cultural heritage applications of which are as-yet not fully explored. With the same holding true for other products in our range, such as the powerful DCS 5 system, we look forward to exploring the broader applications of our product range and the opportunities for discovery they hold.

We believe the development of technologies found in our VSC workstations and Crime-lite AUTO clearly represents a time of opportunity for researchers, examiners and conservators within the world of fine art and cultural heritage to advance the field and continue to explore, protect and learn from the artworks and artefacts of our cultural past.

As manufacturers, and researchers in our own right, it is exciting to be involved in sectors beyond law enforcement and border security, particularly when such valuable discoveries are being made. We look forward to continuing to develop best-in-class products which excel in fine art and cultural heritage applications, attending related future events and building meaningful working relationships in the sector.

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VSC® 8000/HS

Advanced Forensic Analysis of Manuscripts, Paintings, Documents, Canvases and more…

The VSC combines sophisticated optics with multi-wavelength illumination technology to provide a complete solution to the examination and interrogation of manuscripts, drawings and paintings. Features include:

  • High-Resolution 12MP camera
  • Super Resolution Imaging (SRI) up to 127MP  
  • 250x magnification
  • 15 Modes of advanced UV-Vis-IR imaging
  • 3D document imaging
  • Integrated microspectrometer 
  • Motorized XY document positioning stage
  • Calibration and self-test diagnostic tools

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VSC8000HS QDE Workstation, ideal for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications
VSC 900 questioned document examination workstation, ideal for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications

VSC® 900

The Complete Solution for the Analysis of Artworks and Cultural Artefacts

The first in a new generation of hybrid VSC document examination systems, primarily focused on the interrogation and verification of travel and identity documents, the VSC 900 also excels in the evaluation of artwork and cultural artefacts, providing examiners with a comprehensive suite of traditional and advanced tools for forensic analysis. Features include:

  • High-Resolution 8MP camera
  • Large (A4) document viewing area
  • 158x magnification
  • Full LED illumination
  • Fully-licensed data decoders
  • Motorised XY positioning stage
  • Choice of embedded or external PC

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Crime-lite® AUTO

A Compact and Portable Solution for the Multispectral Examination of artworks

Forensic imaging technology meets powerful multi-spectral illumination in this complete solution to the multispectral imaging of artworks and artefacts. Features include:

  • Complete all-in-one search and imaging device
  • Full-spectrum UV/Vis/IR camera
  • 55x illumination wavebands
  • Automatic filter selection
  • Autofocus image/video capture
  • Simple touch panel interface
  • Intuitive software and companion app

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Crime-lite AUTO forensic light source, ideal for forensic multispectral imaging in art and cultural heritage applications

RELATED WEBINAR

Fine Art, Fingerprints and Forgeries

In this webinar, we explore how forensic technology is being used by museums, galleries, and conservators to reveal hidden histories and separate masterpieces from masterfakes. We look in-depth at the theories behind the techniques used by museums, galleries, and conservators, and demonstrate how foster+freeman products can help sport fakes in real-world scenarios. Watch Now

Further Information and Reading

foster+freeman products are widely used by museums, art galleries, universities, and national libraries worldwide, many of whom use the technology to produce valuable research in their fields. See the following links for further details of published research applications:

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