Clothing is a key component of establishing the identity or presence of specific individuals in a given situation for investigative purposes. Civilian law enforcement and the court system utilize clothing characteristics such as type, color, and pattern to assist in uniquely identifying individuals. Those involved in defense and intelligence related forensics, however, are faced with a unique challenge; the diversity of clothing is greatly reduced because of the use of uniforms. Uniforms, by design, are intended to eliminate the "individualistic" elements of wearing typical clothing, thereby integrating individuals into a team. Forensic investigations must focus on more subtle aspects of the uniform design, such as camouflage pattern and the spatial use/distribution of material throughout uniform in an effort to establish relevant identification.
To view the video, Get the latest Flash player.
MUUSE, the Military Uniform Uniqueness Statistical Evaluator, is a new forensic software system for camouflage clothing pattern analysis that statistically characterizes the "uniqueness" of individual uniforms and provides investigators with a wealth of camouflage uniform related forensic information. Developed by Quantum Signal, with assistance from Clemson Apparel Research, for the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), this software provides forensic experts with a way to easily and accurately perform camouflage uniform matching and analysis and generate reports suitable for use in investigations and legal proceedings.
MUUSE allows the use of multiple uniform segments or "patches" from various sources as input to the statistical model to provide the most accurate estimate possible. Some features include:
- Import surveillance images in standard formats (JPG, GIF, TIFF, etc)
- Automated identification of master pattern patch matches
- Tools for specifying/matching blur and precision of match to surveillance image(s)
- Create and manage garment manufacturer profiles
- Tools for colorizing master pattern to better match surveillance photos
- File locking, signatures, and security to prevent tampering
- Support for US DoD ACU, ABU, MCCUU, and more!
- Runs on Microsoft Windows XP/Vista systems w/minimum of 1MB of memory and 2.4Ghz processor.
> Download the MUUSE brochure (PDF)
MUUSE is available to qualified law enforcement and related entities and can be adapted to support your specific camouflage patterns. For more information, please contact us at forensics@quantumsignal.com.
Contact us about your project!