Improving recognition of decomposing tattoos using optical coherence tomography
This project is suitable for a 1-year MSc in Physics. The project does not currently have funding attached, students must be able to fund the fees and their living costs either through their own funds or a scholarship. Current information on fees is available here.
Supervisors: Adrian Podoleanu, Manuel Marques
Collaborators: Robert Green, Chris Deter, Devin Finaughty, Andrew Langley
OCT is a high resolution, non invasive, optical imaging technology that is expanding from medical imaging application to other areas, such as forensic sciences and anthropology.
Tattoos can be used in forensic human identification as a secondary means of identification (other means being, but not limited to, personal descriptions and artefacts) allowing the identification procedure to be strengthened in this way. Despite this, the decomposition of tattoos is a topic not extensively studied in taphonomic research (study of how organisms decay).
Optical coherence tomography (OCT), provides three-dimensional representations of translucent media using near-infrared light, with micron-level resolutions over a range of a few millimeters. It is also a contactless and non-destructive technique, which is important in forensic studies – leaving samples intact leaves room for further evidence collection and tests. Furthermore, OCT imaging can be repeated at different viewing angles on the same sample, allowing a more detailed representation.
OCT imaging has been previously used for tattoo identification in ex-vivo porcine tissue, however without the effects of decomposition being investigated. Furthermore, the environment of decomposition plays a role in the type and rate of decomposition, which could be studied further with OCT imaging. In this project, we aim to determine whether OCT is a feasible technique of tattoo visualization, post-decomposition within several decomposition environments and times.
This project is by its very definition a multi-disciplinary one: the successful candidate would be jointly supervised by colleagues from Applied Optics, Forensic Sciences, and Anthropology.
There is no deadline for the project – applicants will be assessed on a rolling basis – although please note any separate deadlines for scholarships or funding. For further information or informal enquiries, please contact Professor Adrian Podoleanu (A.G.H.Podoleanu@kent.ac.uk).