Abstract

CRANIO-FACIAL SUPERIMPOSITION TECHNIQUES: A REVIEW

Dr. Subhashini M. Lahankar, Dr. Sunilkumar S. Yadav*, Dr. Sheetal P. Mirajkar, Dr. Pooja G. Nagose, Dr. Sarika T. Kharat and Dr. Pooja P. Gadkari

Abstract

‘Face ID’ for unlocking cell phones and ‘Photo review’ in Facebook are the most common technology we are using in our day to day life. How these technologies are useful in Forensic science. Face of an individual has several different types of exclusive features and thus important in identification. Identification may be of two types; i.e. ‘Complete identification’ or ‘Partial identification’. For establishment of identity several points are considered out of which facial identification is most important and easy method. But in cases where face is destroyed by animals or in cases of mutilated bodies or advance decomposed bodies, facial identification is not possible; In these cases Skull Superimposition is proved to be helpful. Superimposition technique was first used in 1937 in ‘Buck Ruxton Case’. Superimposition is done by three methods; out of which computer aided superimposition is most advanced and accurate. Accuracy of skull superimposition is up to 99.4% in combined superimposition. Also superimposition is proved to be helpful in many cases; therefore this topic is selected for review.

Keywords: Skull Superimposition, Cranio facial Superimposition, Facial Identification, Photographic Superimposition, Videographic Superimposition.