Jackson company puts a new face on criminal ID

The ability of law enforcement officials to identify the sometime blurred images on surveillance cameras is about to be enhanced thanks to the work of a Jackson, N.H. company.

Animetrics Inc., a developer of 3D imaging facial recognition software, has announced the commercial release of “Forensica,” a tool designed to enable law enforcement personnel to build three-dimensional views of a person’s head based on the single or multiple two-dimensional photographs or video frames like those taken by surveillance cameras.

“Many of the photographs we’re talking about are not studio quality,” said Lisa Ludwig, Animetrics’ vice president. “They are challenging not only to the human eye but also to computer-based face recognition systems.”

According to Animetrics officials, “Forensica” addresses both challenges in a timely fashion allowing law enforcement to quickly disseminate identification information for the apprehension of suspects. The new technology also is expected to aid in the identification of missing children according to Animetrics’ president and CEO, Paul Schuepp.

According to Ludwig, increased use of video surveillance cameras, Internet photographs and a growing police mug shot database spawned the development of Forensica.

Founded in 2002 by Dr. Michael Miller, Director of Imaging Science at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., Animetrics is developer of FACEngine Product Family, a setoff software developer kits based on three-dimensional imaging and analysis. In addition to law enforcement, other applications for the technology include border control, airport security, digital surveillance and user access. – TRACIE STONE