*** 9861361 Haynes This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a system for depth measurement of striations on bullets and cartridge cases and for using these data in computerized ballistics matching analysis. When a gun is fired, the scratches made on a bullet create a unique signature which can be matched with other bullets fired from the same gun. The current striation-matching technology is the proprietary "RotoScan" machine, which uses two-dimensional luminance data from bullet images. Its poor false match rate arises from the fact that bullets fired from even the same gun will often match only over a small portion of a bullet's surface. Phase I established the feasibility of three-dimensional measurement and the utility of depth data for ballistics matching. Phase II will implement the integration of striation depth data in automated ballistics matching operations and format these data for use in regional or nationwide ballistics databases. Commercial applications are expected in the measurement hardware and analytical software for an efffective new law enforcement tool. Users would include Firearms Examiners in forensics laboratories at all levels of government. ***
