Working with Forensic Practitioners to Understand the Opportunities and Challenges for Mixed-Reality Digital Autopsy

Title of the Paper

Working with Forensic Practitioners to Understand the Opportunities and Challenges for Mixed-Reality Digital Autopsy

Paper Information

• Field of Study: Application of mixed-reality technology in forensic pathology, particularly in the development and challenges of digital autopsy processes.
• Keywords: Mixed reality, forensic science, pathology, autopsy, user-centered design, CT imaging, 3D visualization, interaction technology, medical image analysis, automation tools

Research Background and Issues

• Problems and Challenges:
  • Traditional forensic work primarily relies on 2D screen analysis of 3D imaging data such as CT and MRI, requiring extensive training and spatial reasoning skills from forensic practitioners.
  • Forensic analysts without medical backgrounds face difficulties in interpreting 3D images or using medical software.
  • During autopsy procedures, contamination of gloves makes traditional mouse and keyboard interaction challenging.
  • The spatial limitations of 2D screens hinder the comprehensive presentation of imaging information.
• Significance:
  • The development of forensic digitization and mixed reality can alleviate the time, cultural, and ethical constraints of traditional autopsies, potentially improving efficiency and acceptance.
• Research Motivation and Related Work:
  • Mixed-reality technology offers potential solutions to some core needs of forensic science, such as providing a "more realistic" autopsy environment through spatial mapping technology. However, the design and acceptance of this technology require further in-depth research.

Solution

• Methods and Solutions:
  • A user-centered design process was proposed, developing and validating multiple mixed-reality interaction prototypes, including user interaction designs, operational schemes, and body motion-based interactions.
  • Collaborating with forensic experts, a four-round feedback iteration process was implemented to identify the needs of forensic science for mixed-reality technology: interviews, workshops, user validation, and final testing.
• Innovations:
  • Applying mixed-reality technology to autopsy analysis, enhancing immersion and reducing operational limitations compared to existing 2D screen analysis techniques.
  • Developed novel interaction methods such as "color tunnels," "cutting shapes," and "erasers," enabling users to perform virtual "dissection" operations using gestures.
  • Created precise measurement tools allowing users to mark, measure, and annotate 3D models in the mixed-reality environment.
• Implementation Steps and Key Technologies:
  1. Phase 1: Conducted preliminary interviews to extract forensic experts' requirements for mixed-reality autopsy technology (6 experts participated).
  2. Phase 2: Presented initial prototype designs, discussed and refined requirements through workshops with 15 forensic doctors.
  3. Phase 3: Developed a second version of the prototype based on feedback and validated its usability through qualitative studies with 4 experts.
  4. Phase 4: Completed specific tasks with the final prototype version, involving 5 experts in visualizing and analyzing real CT data and conducting measurement tests.

Research Outcomes

• Key Findings:
  • Designed and validated a series of mixed-reality interaction prototypes, enabling users to perform digital autopsy tasks in a 3D environment.
  • Expert feedback collected across different stages indicated that the system supports forensic workflows, aids in determining causes of death, and provides value for teaching and demonstrations.
  • Experimental validation showed that practitioners could perform body region analysis and measurement tasks using the new technology.
• Advantages:
  • Offers a more intuitive method for 3D image analysis, enhancing the effectiveness of determining causes of death.
  • Improves flexibility in teaching and forensic work, with potential applications in courtroom demonstrations, remote autopsies, and ethically constrained environments.
• Experimental or Evaluation Results:
  • Compared to traditional software, the mixed-reality tool performed better in 3D visualization and engagement.
  • In measurement task consistency evaluations, some results obtained through the mixed-reality tool demonstrated a degree of reproducibility, indicating potential semantic consistency.
  • The system still presents a learning curve, particularly in memorizing complex gestures.
• Limitations and Future Directions:
  • Current mixed-reality hardware limitations (e.g., narrow field of view, low resolution, and accuracy issues in gesture tracking).
  • Future applications may require integration with higher-resolution MRI scan data to improve soft tissue differentiation.
  • In the long term, exploring traceability and the potential for combined use with physical autopsy could establish digital autopsy as a true alternative or complementary method.

Conclusion

This study preliminarily validated a new application scenario for mixed-reality technology in forensic science, demonstrating the potential and challenges of digital autopsy technology. The experiments showed that this approach could support traditional autopsy workflows, especially in teaching and ethically constrained situations. However, hardware limitations and user experience issues still require further optimization.