Sažetak
Nowadays, various techniques such as SEM, stereomicroscope, VSC, ESDA and digital imaging systems are used in the examination of stroke sequencing, which is an integral part in Forensic Questioned Document analysis. The main goal of the study is to present multispectral imaging as an accessible, non-destructive, portable and cost-effective technique for determining the sequence of intersections of ink strokes. This study investigates the application of multispectral imaging combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA)
to determine the sequence of intersecting ink strokes. The main objective is to enhance forensic document examination, specifically in identifying the order in which lines were written with different pens, which is critical for verifying the authenticity of various documents such as wills, contracts, and letters.
The research utilized a laboratory multispectral imaging system to capture images of document samples with intersecting lines made by different types of pens (e.g., ballpoint pens, liquid ink pens, and gel pens). The samples were analyzed for various combination of overlapping order, including different writing pressures. The multispectral images were processed using PCA and ICA to identify distinct spectral signatures and determine the sequence of ink deposition. This technique proved effective in distinguishing between different ink types and their sequences. The PCA helped reduce data dimensionality, highlighting significant variations in the ink spectra, while ICA isolated independent components correlating to the order of strokes. The analysis showed that the multispectral system could reliably identify the sequence of crossing lines for most ink types, except for some combinations of similar inks and pens where results were inconclusive.
Multispectral imaging, combined with PCA and ICA, offers a robust, non-destructive method for forensic document examination. This approach can accurately determine the sequence of intersecting ink strokes, aiding in the verification of document authenticity and the investigation of fraudulent documents. Future research will focus on refining this technique and expanding its application to a broader range of writing instruments and printing methods.
Ključne riječi
document examination; sequence of intersecting lines; multispectral imaging