forensic biometric human identification research, forensic anthropology teaching and case work

Research

Her research interests are the quantitative study of form and function – focusing on forensic biometric human identification, although she maintains an interest in various other areas of forensic anthropology and law, as well as methods of statistical shape analysis.

Quantitative study of human form and function:
Her research largely relates to human biometrics, looking at quantifiable assessment of both the face and hands. Currently she is developing an innovative research stream relating to hand comparison analysis using various shape and pattern-based systems using 9 landmarks in 2D:

These evaluations focussed on the comparison of features of the hand – including nail bed and lunule shape, knuckle crease patterns, as well as assessing areas of increased/decreased pigmentation. Elements of this multi-factorial assessment, which differs in every case, are supported by a database of over 300 individual’s hands, developed to assess intra- and inter-subject variation with a view to accurately quantifying the potential of hand characteristics as a mechanism for forensic human identification and recognition. The results of a pilot study undertaken on a subset of the database subjects suggest that male and female hands are different shapes – a result not linked to the obvious size differences – these results are supportive of the hypothesis that hands can successfully be used to individuate people if forensic human identification scenarios.

Xanth has also worked on a major collaborative biometrics project in association with the FBI, relating to facial recognition, and she maintains an interest in this area.

This work is based in the fact that faces are thought to be unique, but their forensic use in Court to identify potential criminals has remained problematic as no method of comparison – with associated known error rates – has been accepted by the relevant scientific community. Rather than continue to rely on the assumed uniqueness of facial features, Dr Mallett and her colleagues’ research aims to estimate face shape and frequency of shapes within populations. This comparison is based on biometric analysis and comparison of faces, using
statistical shape analysis based on the placement of landmark points in 3D. During this research a clear pattern of separation of males and females was found in all age groups assessed, as well as in different age groups in males.

Impact

Dr Xanth Mallett has over 6 years experience as a forensic anthropologist, and considerable experience analysing human craniofacial biometrics. In her professional capacity as a forensic anthropologist she undertakes casework and research.

A number of high profile cases have recently been covered in the national and international press in which paedophiles were successfully prosecuted, partially as a result of hand comparison evidence produced by the human identification team at the Centre in Dundee.

She is also actively involved in educational outreach, aiming to engage young people with the basic sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics), and encourage uptake throughout educational careers and on in to industry.