How to Not Get Away with Murder: Modeling Judicial Evidence

Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) has been involved in the 3D modeling of judicial evidence for homicide cases since 2015. The lab has refined its modeling workflows based on the established use of reality capture (photogrammetry) and BIM (Building Information Modeling) to model artifacts and buildings. Working with the coroner’s office, CIMS has incorporated newer forms of 3D modeling and real-time rendering to establish a standard for displaying digital representations of photographic evidence in a courtroom setting. In this class, we’ll cover our modeling process, starting with analyzing evidence to presenting the data in a user-friendly format. Utilizing Maya software, we’ll model a series of anatomical base meshes that we’ll then manipulate to show inflicted injuries. Next, we’ll texture map the models in Mudbox using photos as reference. Finally, we’ll combine the pieces in Unreal Engine using a template. The addition of blueprints and widgets complete the final product.