Digital/Multimedia Scientific 

Area Committee Update

OSAC Public Update Meeting

Richard W. Vorder Bruegge

September 29, 2021
DMSAC’s Structure

DMSAC Vice Chair – William Trenkle, USDA

Digital Evidence SC Chair – Lam Nguyen, DC3

(Tracy Walraven, CFLDFS)*

Facial Identification SC Chair – Lora Sims^, I3

(Jane Harris, MSP)*

Speaker Recognition SC Chair– David Marks, FBI

VITAL SC Chair – Julie Carnes, Target Corporation

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* Incoming SC Chair as of October 1, 2021

^ Incoming SAC Chair as of October 1, 2021
OSAC Registry Standards

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standards

• 10 Biology/DNA (8 published & 2 OSAC Proposed)

• 1 Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

• 3 Digital Evidence

• 1 Dogs & Sensors

• 4 Facial Identification (3 published & 1 OSAC Proposed)

• 2 Fire & Explosion Investigation

• 6 Fire Debris Analysis

• 1 Firearms & Toolmarks

• 1 Footwear & Tire

• 4 Medicolegal Death Investigation (2 published & 2 OSAC 

Proposed)

• 2 Odontology

• 6 Seized Drugs

• 4 Toxicology

• 9 Trace Materials 

• 5 Wildlife Forensics (4 published & 1 OSAC Proposed)

• 6 Interdisciplinary

https://www.nist.gov/osac/osac-registry
Registry Standards

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Registry Standards

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2 DMSAC Standards Open For Comment

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https://www.nist.gov/osac/standards-open-comment
Highlights

Documents sent to an SDO (ASTM):

Standard Guide for Education and Training in Computer Forensics.

Core Competencies for Forensic Audio

Document Proposed for Registry:

Minimum Requirements for Tool Testing used in Digital and Multimedia 

Forensics

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Additional documents in process within the DE Subcommittee:

Best Practices for Mobile Device Evidence Collection and 

Preservation, Handling, and Acquisition

Best Practices for Archiving Digital and Multimedia Evidence

Best Practices for Mobile Device Analysis

Technical Note on Internet of Things (IoT) Devices

Highlights
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Quality Management in Digital Evidence Examination Project

• This project interviews senior laboratory personnel and “customers’ of digital forensics to 

include prosecutors and judges to examine which elements of a quality management system 

are most valued inside and outside the laboratory.

• Results will direct the DE SC in creating guidance and standards documents for the OSAC 

registry.

Key Accomplishments to Date:

• IRB approval received for the project. 

• Completed approximately 20 interviews to date.

Highlights
Research & Development Needs

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Highlights

Two standards sent to SDO (ASTM)

Standard Practice/Guide for Image Processing to Improve 

Automated Facial Recognition Search Performance

Standard Guide for Developing Discipline Specific Methodology by 

ACE-V (interdisciplinary document)

One standard completed STRP process and will be sent to SDO

Physical Stability of Facial Features of Adults 

(On Registry as Proposed OSAC Standard)

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Two standards sent to SDO but will be coming back through the OSAC 2.0 process (STRP/Non-STRP). 

Guide for Role Based Training in Facial Comparison 

Standard Guide for Image Based Comparison Conclusions (Partnership with VITAL)

One FI drafted standard is now available for open comment (through October 4, 2021).

Standard Guide for Scanning Facial Images for Manual Comparison

Three additional drafted standards have been submitted for STRP/non-STRP reviews to start

Standard Guide for Facial Comparison Overview and Methodology Guidelines

Standard Guide for Minimum Facial Image Comparison Documentation

Standard Guide for Printing Method Effects on Facial Comparisons

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Highlights
Additional documents in process within the FI Subcommittee include:

Managing Head Coverings, Accessories, and Make-up (HCAM) for Booking Photographs

Minimum Training Criteria When Using Facial Recognition Systems

Guide for Facial Comparison Awareness Training of Assessors

Guide for Facial Comparison Training of Reviewers to Competency

Guide for Facial Comparison Training of Examiners to Competency

Guide for Mentorship of Facial Comparison Trainees in Role Based Facial Comparison 

Image Factors to Consider in Facial Comparison

ACE-V document specific to Facial Identification

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Highlights
Additional non-standard documents within FI Subcommittee include:

Technical Guide on EBTS use with Facial Identification/Application 

Profiles (approved for posting to FI Sub website)

Technical Guide on Live FR use (in draft)

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Highlights
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Research & Development Needs
Highlights

Standard Sent to SDO (Audio Engineering Society SC-03-12)

Audio Collection at a Temporary Location (Standard)

Standards in Development

Validation of Forensic Speaker Recognition for the Purpose of 

Informing Legal Admissibility Decisions

Best Practices for Forensic Human-Supervised Automatic Speaker 

Recognition: Pre-Processing and Relevant Population Data Selection

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Highlights
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PREFACE

This document provides a structured 

bibliography of essential scientific literature for 

human supervised automatic approaches to 

forensic speaker recognition. The bibliography 

complies with criteria for foundational 

scientific literature published by the US 

National Commission on Forensic Science. The 

scope of the document is restricted to forensic 

speaker recognition conducted for the purpose 

of presenting testimony in court, as opposed to 

conducted for purely investigative purposes.

Highlights
Other SR Work Products in Progress*

Overview/Landscape of Speaker Recognition (TechPub)

Taxonomy of Mismatch Conditions for Speaker Recognition (TechPub)

Legal Challenges in Speaker Recognition (TechPub or SR-internal 

document)

*Why so much “Other Work”? Analogy to Forensic DNA in late 1980s?

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Highlights
Research & Development Needs

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Highlights
Highlights

Two standards were recently approved at ASTM and will soon begin the “legacy” 

registry approval process for published standards. 

Standard Guide for Digital Image Processing

Standard Practice for Latent Print Evidence Imaging Resolution

One VITAL drafted standard was recently reviewed by a STRP and is now available 

for open comment (through October 4, 2021).

Standard Guide for Post Mortem Examination Photography

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VITAL standards under review by a STRP. Open comment period has closed.

Standard Guide for Laboratory Photography

Standard Guide for Image Authentication

VITAL standard pending review by a STRP

Standard Guide for Forensic Photogrammetry

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Highlights
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Additional VITAL standards in preparation.

Standard Guide for Forensic Video Analysis

Standard Guide on Process Based Quality Assurance Criteria for Digital and Multimedia Evidence

Standard Guide on Digital Video and Image Analysis Work Product 

Standard Guide for Image Management

Standard Guide for Discipline Specific Needs

Standard Practice for Photographing Scars, Marks and Tattoos (Interdisciplinary)

Standard Guide for Multiple Camera 3D Models

Standard Guide for Content Analysis

Highlights
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Other VITAL work products in progress

Video/Image Analysis Process Map

Approved Software Validation Repository Survey (refer to R&D need)

Resource Map (documents inter-relationship of standards)

Synthetic Media Primer

Emerging Technology Awareness & Emerging Technology Terminology

Highlights
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Research 

& Development Needs
THANK YOU!

Richard W. Vorder Bruegge

rwvorderbruegge@fbi.gov