A Preliminary Study of Map360 Area of Origin Tools
Eugene Liscio
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ABSTRACT
Bloodstain pattern analysts have benefitted for more than 20 years from digital software for area of origin (AO) analysis using digital photographs, and more recently, laser scanner data. As more software options for AO analysis become available on the market, it is important to be able to evaluate the different software packages so that workflows are understood and each software package is tested against a ground truth in order to establish potential errors and limitations. In this study, a preliminary validation of the Map360 software was conducted using the area of origin tool within the software and the results were compared to multiple known impact locations. Five different impact patterns were created with an impact rig at varied positions (18 cm-50 cm) from the front wall target projecting onto single and multiple walls. The Map360 software had a 9.6 cm average deviation combing data from all five impacts. The maximum deviation was 15 cm on a single surface target, when the known impact location was 50 cm from the target wall. These results fall within the researcher's acceptable error range of 20 cm which has also been quoted in past studies. Future testing with more complex scenarios, greater distances for impact locations, and blind participants should be performed to have a better understanding of the limitations of this software.
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