Incident Scene Workflow Modification for Contamination Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to effectively track and respond to contamination of incident scenes, such as crime scenes, by identifying changes in the state of evidentiary items and determining responsible individuals, leading to inefficiencies and potential contamination of evidence.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an electronic computing device that analyzes images from video surveillance, access control, and incident information systems to detect contamination by comparing images over time, identify responsible individuals, and generate automated workflow modifications to address the contamination, including notifications and access control adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual tracking of evidentiary items is used during incident scene processing, then personnel can monitor item states, but the system lacks automated detection capability and is prone to human error and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and physical tracking of evidentiary items with an automated image processing system. The system captures images at different points in time, uses computer vision algorithms to detect changes in item states, and automatically generates notifications. This substitution eliminates human error in detection while maintaining monitoring capabilities through technological automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies of the incident scene through sequential image capture. These image copies serve as records that can be analyzed without physically handling evidentiary items. By working with digital reproductions rather than direct physical inspection, the system preserves item integrity while enabling detailed examination and comparison across time points.
2Loss of time
If continuous monitoring of incident scenes is implemented to detect contamination, then response time to contamination events is improved, but the use of computational resources and energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic image capture at defined points in time during incident scene processing rather than continuous monitoring. Images are taken at key moments such as when personnel enter or exit the scene, or at scheduled intervals. This periodic approach maintains detection capability while significantly reducing computational energy requirements compared to continuous real-time analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs image analysis selectively rather than analyzing every single image captured. It focuses computational resources on comparing specific time points or detecting significant changes, rather than continuously processing all visual data. This partial action approach maintains effective contamination detection while optimizing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary computational overhead.
3Productivity
If automated image analysis is used to detect changes in evidentiary items, then detection speed is improved, but the precision of determining responsible individuals may be reduced due to inability to identify intent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the automated system generates notifications of detected changes, but human personnel review and confirm the findings. The system provides its analysis results back to investigators who can interpret intent and make final determinations about responsible individuals. This feedback loop combines the speed of automated detection with the judgment capability of human analysts, maintaining both productivity and attribution accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated image analysis system serves as an intermediary between the physical incident scene and the human investigators. It processes visual data and presents structured findings that assist human decision-making, rather than replacing human judgment entirely. This intermediary role allows the system to provide rapid objective data while human personnel maintain responsibility for determining intent and accountability.
Data Source
AI summary
A process of modifying workflows associated with processing an incident scene in response to detecting contamination of the incident scene. An electronic computing device obtains a first image of an incident scene at a first point in time and analyzes the first image to detect a state of evidentiary items present at the incident scene. The device obtains a second image of the incident scene at a second point in time and detects a change in the state of the evidentiary items based on a comparison of the first and second images. When it is determined that one or more persons entered or exited the incident scene during a time period between the first point in time and the second point in time, the device detects that the incident scene has been contaminated and generates a workflow modification identifying one or more actions for execution by a workflow server.