Computerised Facial Construction and Reconstruction

FACES ARE FASCINATING. THE COMBINATION OF FIVE BASIC FACIAL FEATURES can create millions of variations. From the time when mankind began to draw on cave walls, artists have endeavoured to produce what the eye perceives in hard-copy. Along with the infinite naturally-occurring facial variations, human error in the form of individual perceptiveness widens the degree of inaccuracy in portraying the likeness of a subject. Whether one is endeavouring to identify criminal suspects, unidentified deceased or missing persons, what must always be remembered is that it is impractical to assume that 100 per cent accuracy can be attained. With the advent of computers, the basic processes involved in depicting facial images have altered very little, but the applied science of computer graphics has meant that these processes can now be extended far beyond what could have been envisioned years ago. As the leading Police Artist Unit in the world, the Victoria Police Criminal Identification Squad (CIS) in Australia has, since 1986, developed a full-colour Facial Automated Composition and Editing system known as FACE. There were a variety of similar systems on offer from private overseas companies, all of which offered what was thought the police should have. The CIS, as police forensic artists, designed a system that would do what our forensic artists wanted it to do. As a result, the CIS entered a new world with more versatility than had ever been envisaged.