Objective Analysis of the Latest Investigative Tools

NFSTC scientists and partners through the Forensic Technologies Center of Excellence (FTCoE) regularly evaluate tools and technology for the forensic community.  Results are shared as scientific posters and evaluation reports. To download the evaluations, click on the links below. (Adobe Reader is required to view the documents. To download the free Reader, click here.)

BIOLOGY & DNA

Portable UV‐VIS Spectrophotometer for Determination of Time Since Deposition (TSD) of Bloodstains at a Crime Scene (Implen NanoPhotometer™)
Evaluation Report

Coherent® Semiconductor Laser vs. Rofin Polilight® Flare Plus (LED)
Evaluation Report

Promega PowerPlex® 16 HS Amplification Kit
Evaluation Report

The Benefit of Using the QIAGEN MinElute® PCR Purification Kit for Post-PCR Cleanup on Low-Level DNA Samples (AAFS 2009)
Poster     Handout     Evaluation Report

The Evaluation of Eight Commercially Available STR Kits (AAFS 2009)
Poster     Handout     Evaluation Report

QIAGEN QIAcube™ Robotic Workstation
Evaluation Report

Network Biosystems Genebench FX™-100
Evaluation Report

AquaRNA*
*To be evaluated in 2010

CHEMISTRY

Smiths Detection HazMatID™ FTIR
Evaluation Report

Polychromix PHAZIR™ Handheld Near-Infrared Analyzer
Evaluation Report

Ahura Scientific FirstDefender™
Evaluation Report

QuickCheck™ Drug Field Kit
Evaluation Report

Griffin 450™ GC/MS
Evaluation Report

Constellation Technology CT-1128 GC/MS
Evaluation Report 

Elite 100/200 Explosive Detection*
*To be evaluated in 2010

Field Investigation Drug Officer (FIDO) (AAFS 2008)
Poster

Technology Transition Workshops (AAFS 2008)
Poster

Technology Evaluation Process

To fully evaluate the performance of a given technology, NFSTC evaluates all tools to assess their performance in the following areas:

• Conformity – the ability to accurately identify known controlled substance standards
• Reproducibility – known samples are tested multiple times to determine the reliability of the instrument
• Sensitivity – standard mixtures of controlled substances are tested with decreasing content ratios to determine the sensitivity of the device
• Specificity – specificity is assessed using cutting agents, non-controlled substances and training samples. Analysis of non-controlled substances and chemicals that are similar in nature are examined to determine if the instrument produces false positives.
• Maintenance – the amount of maintenance or troubleshooting the instrument requires during normal use is assessed
• Portability – the instrument is tested in a variety of environmental conditions to confirm ruggedness and portability
• Samples – the amount of preparation required for test samples; whether it is destructive/non-destructive; the purity required; and the extensiveness of the preparation required