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Science
Friday > Archives > 2002 > July > July 26, 2002:
Hour Two: Forensic
Animation
When you think "art in the courtroom," don't just think
of golden statues of Blind Justice and chalk sketches depicting trials.
Forensic animation allows the participants in a trial to better visualize
how events may have taken place. It depends on animators accurately
recreating a scene based on known information, such as the angle of
the sun, the size and speed of a car, or the height of trees and shrubs.
Graphic combining three different forensic animation still images
to
illustrate vehicle positions before a fatal head-on collision
in New York
State. Image courtesy of Perceptual Motion - Perceptual@aol.com
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Stills from an animation used by an insurance company defending
a lawsuit.
In the composite animation, all four views play simultaneously
in a corner
of the screen. Image courtesy of Perceptual Motion - Perceptual@aol.com
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The technique has been used in courtrooms for more than twenty years,
mostly in civil cases. Recently, more powerful computers and data
analysis tools are driving costs of producing animations down -- and
that's not the only change. Animators are increasingly being called
upon to recreate criminal acts, a trend that troubles some lawyers
who worry that "seeing is believing" for jury members.
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While a judge may caution a jury that an animation is just
one person's interpretation of a sequence of events, it can
be hard to argue against a well-constructed animation.
In this hour of Science Friday we'll take a look at the science--and
art--of animating accidents and crimes for the courtroom. Can
seeing a visual reenactment of a crime unfairly prejudice a
jury? Plus, we'll take a look at the possibility of using virtual
reality in the courtroom. Call in with your comments and questions
at 1-800-989-8255, and share your opinions online in our Listeners'
Lounge (registration
required).
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Guests:
Andre Stuart
Forensic Animator
President and Chief Executive Officer
21st Century Forensic Animations
Arlington, Texas
Steven Breaux
Forensic Animator
Perceptual Motion, Inc.
Gig Harbor, Washington
Honorable James Rosenbaum
Chief Judge
U.S. District Court, District
of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Fredric Lederer
Chancellor Professor of Law and Director, Courtroom
21 Project
Marshall-Wythe Law School
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
Wired
10.05: Crime Seen
TechTV
| Animated Argument
A
Primer on Forensic Animation
Whyfiles:
At The Movies
Computer
Animation Evolution
Forensic
Animation Article
Courtroom
21 Project
This segment produced by Annette
Heist
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