Forensic scientists at the University of Dundee are developing a new protocol for capturing fire and crime scenes using virtual reality (VR) technology and footage of real fire scenes.

To create immersive VR representations of fire scenes, mocked-up units to replicate residential rooms are created and then burned, to allow genuine investigation to take place.

Footage of the damage caused by these fires is recorded with a traditional camera and turned into an immersive VR experience, allowing investigators to revisit the scene multiple times in its immediate aftermath and facilitating the use of the same scene in numerous training sessions.

Fire investigators and forensic scientists can use this virtual investigation tool, alongside traditional briefing methods, to estimate the start point, cause, and development of the fire.

Working in partnership with Scottish Fire Rescue Services (SFRS) and Scottish Police Authority (SPA) Forensic Services, the VR software has been successfully used in training exercises.

The most recent of these controlled fires took place last week on June 5th, at a training and research facility in Portlethen, Aberdeenshire, which opened last year.

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Prior to this, the VR tool was trialled by SFRS and SPA Forensic Services using footage researchers obtained while working with Danish Police fire investigators, who created controlled fires within a variety of buildings in Denmark in the collaborative project.

Using the immersive technology was shown to increase the number of investigators who were able to determine key factors relating to origin and development of the fire.

Some participants could also recall the layout of the scene and draw accurate sketches, including of objects and burn patterns after reviewing the scene in VR.

Vincenzo Rinaldi, VR specialist at Dundee’s Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science, explained that the technology allows the fire or crime scene to be brought to the investigator, instead of the other way round.

Speaking on the research, Rinaldi said: “Our results showed there was a general improvement in the formulation of hypotheses of the cause and origin of the fire and its development.”

“We did two rounds of testing. The first was using traditional documents, 2D digital photographs of the scene, which is what currently happens, and the second integrated these photographs with a VR reconstruction of the crime scene.

“There was a greater confidence in the hypothesis being presented when VR was included alongside traditional documents.”
The team are continuing research to further improve the quality of the footage and develop the technology into a professional tool.