A new approach to obtain metric data from video surveillance: Preliminary evaluation of a low-cost stereo-photogrammetric system

Paolo Russo; Emanuela Gualdi-Russo; Alberto Pellegrinelli; Juri Balboni; Alessio Furini

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.12.023

A new approach to obtain metric data from video surveillance: Preliminary evaluation of a low-cost stereo-photogrammetric system

Forensic Sci Int. 2017 Feb:271:59-67. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.12.023. Epub 2016 Dec 23.

Authors

Paolo Russo¹, Emanuela Gualdi-Russo², Alberto Pellegrinelli¹, Juri Balboni¹, Alessio Furini¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
² Department of Biomedical Sciences and Surgical Specialties, University of Ferrara, Corso Ercole I d'Este, 32, 44121 Ferrara, Italy. Electronic address: gldmnl@unife.it.

PMID: 28064063
DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.12.023

Abstract

Using an interdisciplinary approach the authors demonstrate the possibility to obtain reliable anthropometric data of a subject by means of a new video surveillance system. In general the use of current video surveillance systems provides law enforcement with useful data to solve many crimes. Unfortunately the quality of the images and the way in which they are taken often makes it very difficult to judge the compatibility between suspect and perpetrator. In this paper, the authors present the results obtained with a low-cost photogrammetric video surveillance system based on a pair of common surveillance cameras synchronized with each other. The innovative aspect of the system is that it allows estimation with considerable accuracy not only of body height (error 0.1-3.1cm, SD 1.8-4.5cm) but also of other anthropometric characters of the subject, consequently with better determination of the biological profile and greatly increased effectiveness of the judgment of compatibility.

Keywords: Anthropometry; Forensic science; Height; Identification; Photogrammetry; Video surveillance.