NASA is looking to use a photographic laser device that was originally developed to check space shuttle damage to help investigators shoot more detailed images of crime scenes.

The entire NASA announcement appears below –

NASA ‘Shoots’ for Crime Investigators with New Technology

What do a NASA engineer and a detective have in common? The answer is a new NASA photographic laser device that helps look for damages on NASA’s Space Shuttle that can also be used to “shoot” more details in crime scenes.

Engineers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Kennedy Space Center, Fla., developed the Laser Scaling and Measurement Device for Photographic Images (LSMDPI) to assist scientists who were unable to determine the exact scale of hailstorm damages to the Space Shuttle’s external tank by viewing photographs of the spacecraft on its launch pad.

The LSMDPI is a half-pound black box, powered by a single nickel-cadmium battery that attaches directly to a camera’s tripod mount. Twin lasers, an inch apart, shoot from the box, and add scale to photographs. In other words, the laser offers the ability for someone to look at these special photographs and have a better understanding of just how big or small objects really are. In the case of the Space Shuttle, engineers are now able to measure the distance from one part of the shuttle to a dent from a hailstorm.

Typically, when you use a camera to zoom in on an object, you lose track of the scale that informs you of an object’s actual size. When a picture is taken with the LSMDPI, the image loads into software designed by NASA electrical design engineer Kim Ballard. The user chooses a set of reference points such as a laser pattern of reference point dots that will appear along with the image of the target object. The user also inputs the distance between the reference points. The software then sets the scale based on that distance. This allows the viewer quantifiable perspective on the size of the object. The size of the object’s features can then be found and measured by using the computer software to mark the laser points.

“I think that the greatest contribution that the Laser Scaling Measurement software offers to law enforcement is it ‘un-cuffs’ the investigators hands with digital image evidence by facilitating fast and accurate measurement analysis of anything in a crime scene photo, not just the intended target,” said Ballard. “This aspect opens up the possibility for serendipitous evidence detection after the fact that may not have been obvious at the crime scene. For example, the software may be instrumental in attaining dimensions of articles or their proximity locations within a room that were not previously part of the investigation.”

As it is useful at NASA, the laser device is very helpful for law enforcement. Contractor Jeffrey Kohler of ASRC Aerospace, a company that supports NASA’s Innovative Partnership Office, and his colleagues did an assessment to review the technology and how it could apply to potential commercial markets. “Forensics was at the top of the list,” said Kohler.

Not only can they use it to fully view photos of components from crime scenes such as blood-spatter patterns and graffiti, but can also see the images from different angles (including diagonally, horizontally and vertically) to better analyze and understand the scenes.

In fact, just recently, Ballard was asked by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to add more capabilities to the LSMDPI software to enable forensics experts to zoom in and out of the image to measure blood spatter details across a wall as well as specific areas. At the FBI’s request, NASA has also enabled compatibility of the image files with.tiff, .png, .gif, and .bmp files as add-ons to .jpg images.

Armor Holdings, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., is a leading manufacturer of crime scene investigation accessories, including the new LSMDPI. They manufacture a variety of instruments used by industries that rely on technology to perform efficient and safe tasks. Through Armor, LSMDPI is not only benefiting crime scene investigations, but also photographers and surveillance personnel. It is also becoming increasingly popular in crime laboratories around the world. Following a recent request from Armor, NASA also included English/Metric units — millimeters, centimeters, meters, and kilometers — to support European customers and aerial photography.

Today’s crime investigations often rely on the device to scale evidence since its unique laser beams allow viewers to see image components much more clearly than traditional camera images. Similar technology is also useful in oil and chemical tank monitoring and aerial photography.

You can read the original article with pictures of the device @ How NASA can help detectives.

Andrew Wallenstein with Reuters News is reporting on cable channel TNT’s plans to create a reality television show that would follow the professional adventures of a real-life private investigator.

The Reuters News story is reprinted below —

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – TNT may be ready for a real-life detective to join its programming roster of fictional sleuths.

The top-rated cable network is developing a one-hour reality series that would follow an actual private eye conducting an investigation, sources said.

The untitled project, which will be considered for a pilot order in the summer, would represent a departure for TNT, which stocks its primetime entirely with crime dramas like original series “The Closer” and syndicated fare like “Law & Order.” It will be produced by Bunim/Murray Prods., the firm behind “The Real World” and “The Simple Life.”

But sources suggest that the project doesn’t represent a new direction for TNT, just an experiment the network felt comfortable making with a veteran production outfit like Bunim/Murray. The crime-oriented subject matter also is in keeping with the TNT brand.

The series also was pitched to TNT in the noirish vein of “The Maltese Falcon,” incorporating such classic gumshoe-genre conventions as the weary voice-over, saxophone-drenched score and, of course, the sexy secretary. A few real-life modern-day Humphrey Bogarts drawn from a nationwide talent search are being considered for the lead role.

TNT declined comment.

The following is a press release put out by LexisNexis regarding their background screening solutions offering. We are republishing this release for informational purposes only.

The LexisNexis Background Screening press release –

LexisNexis(R) Announces Background Screening Solutions; Screening Solutions Help to Mitigate the Risk of Hiring New Employees
BOCA RATON, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 1, 2006–LexisNexis Risk Management(TM), a leading provider of information and services solutions, announced its availability of pre-employment and background screening products to help companies make informed hiring decisions quickly. The LexisNexis(R) Screening Solutions include a range of products that can offer timely and comprehensive screening for new employees, partners, vendors and volunteer workers.

Industry reports show that over 33 percent of job applicants misrepresent themselves regarding their work history, 31 percent misrepresent their educational credentials or professional licenses and 10 percent of all applicants do have some type of criminal record.

“An average company spends typically $7K to $10K per hire when you consider the cost of recruiting, hiring, training and turnover of employees,” said Jim Collins, vice president and general manager of the risk management unit of LexisNexis. “Businesses have an obligation to know who they are hiring to protect their customers, employees, and their company reputation. They need to confirm if this candidate really did go to this school, do they have the needed professional licenses, did they really do the job that they said they did on their resume.”

Human resource officials have seen an emergence of challenges such as a rise of violence in the workplace, globalization, employee theft, labor shortages and mitigating the upcoming wave of baby boomers ready to retire.

To help companies mitigate the risk of hiring new employees, LexisNexis Screening Solutions include the following products:

– Full Service Screening: Designed for larger organizations that require a full menu of screening options and services including data integration and personalized account management.

– Express Screening: Designed for smaller organizations that need fast, easy and online screening with built-in reporting tools.

– Specialty Screening: Can be created for organizations – often volunteer or event-related – that need customized screening applications, including applicant self-pay options.

– Vendor Screening: Designed for organizations that need to perform specific business screening searches.

“Background screening should be an important part of a company’s overall talent management strategy,” Collins said. “Industry reports consistently show that having the right person in the right job increases a company’s bottom line.”

The Smoking Gun web site has published the full indictment against Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano.

You can read the Anthony Pellicano indictment online @ Pellicano Wiretap Indictment.

Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano was indicted today on racketeering charges surrounding alleged illegal activities that include paying Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police officers to provide him with private information on people.

Pellicano’s attorney Steven Gruel said the indictment included 105 counts against Pellicano. In addition to racketeering, Pellicano was charged with unauthorized computer access, interception of wired communications and possession of a wiretap device.

Pellicano pleaded not guilty to the charges. Some of Pellicano’s famous celebrity clients include Michael Jackson, Sylvester Stallone as well as numerous high-powered attorneys and agents.