Teaching old presumptive tests new digital tricks with computer vision for forensic applications

Bugeja, Nathalie and Oliver, Cameron and McGrath, Nicole and McGuire, Jake and Yan, Chunhui and Carlysle-Davies, Felicity and Reid, Marc (2023) Teaching old presumptive tests new digital tricks with computer vision for forensic applications. Digital Discovery, 2 (4). pp. 1143-1151. ISSN 2635-098X (https://doi.org/10.1039/D3DD00066D)

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Abstract

Presumptive (or ‘spot’) tests have served forensic scientists, law enforcement, and legal practitioners for over a hundred years. Yet, the intended design of such tests, enabling quick identification of drugs by-eye, also hides their full potential. Here, we report the development and application of time-resolved imaging methods of reactions attending spot tests for amphetamines, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines. Analysis of the reaction videos helps distinguish drugs within the same structural class that, by-eye, are judged to give the same qualitative spot test result. It is envisaged that application of these results will bridge the existing suite of field and lab-based confirmatory forensic tests, and support a broader range of colorimetric sensing technologies.

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