The past year or so has been a busy time for the identification industry, whilst the UK government has been trying to force through the identity card issue. Confirmation of who we are will rely on the precision and replication of biometrics - the key indicators of human variation. Getting this right opens up the possibility of future collaboration between universities and technology companies.
Identity is by no means restricted to the living. In recent times it has become a big issue with regards to the victims of both natural and man made disasters. The tsunami, the London bombings, Sharm-el-Sheikh and most recently the Bahrain boat disaster have all played a major part in driving the government to finally develop a national Disaster Victim Identification response capability. The medical and scientific arms of this venture need access to new technology to provide reliable and positive matches at a reduced cost and with greater speed.
Professor Black, based at the University of Dundee, has built an international reputation in her work on the identification of human remains. She has just returned from a 10-day lecture tour in Australia. Talking about her trip she said that she had enjoyed a first visit to the southern hemisphere without being kitted out in helmet and bullet-proof vest, which speaks volumes about the arduous conditions under which she sometimes has to operate.
Professor Black will talk about her work, describing some of the technologies currently employed and identifying the challenges she and her colleagues face, presenting opportunities for the development of new technology.
This is an exciting time for the world of forensic science where the only certainty is that an unknown disaster, in an unknown location, under unknown circumstances will challenge current capabilities to the maximum.
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