Eugene Liscio
Earlier this week I discovered AI2-3D, an animation company run by Eugene Liscio, P.Eng. AI2-3D specializes in accident reconstructions and forensic animations to be used by police and lawyers in prosecuting cases. They have several example animations on their site and Youtube.
The following is an edited and condensed version of an interview conducted with Mr Liscio, about his work with forensic animation.
VW: Your website describes AI2 has “3D Forensic Computer Animations, Forensic Mapping, and Photogrammetry Services”. For starters, can you describe just what AI2-3D does?
EL: Well, AI2 originally started out as Animations, Imaging and Illustrations; hence the name. However, after a short time in business in became clear to me that there were other services that clients could use that some other animation houses weren’t offering. Namely, the ability to do site surveys using a total station and photogrammetry. These technologies were just a good fit since they rounded things out and I wasn’t dependant on a third party to complete these activities. However, today there are a lot more things that people like to get animated or into a 3D format. So, I like to sum up the services as Forensic Visualization.
VW: What type of training have you had for this? Is it a degree in Graphic Design or Criminal Science?
EL: I have had training in the use of 3D CAD packages, total stations and photogrammetry plus a lot of self learning, experimenting and testing. I have an Engineering degree with a specialization in Aerospace Engineering. Much of what I do requires a good understanding of physics and measurement so it’s beneficial to have a technical background in the type of things being animated.
VW: How strong is the demand for Forensic Animation?
EL: The legal industry is slow to change, but I have seen growth and greater interest in what 3D visualization technologies can do for lawyers in litigation. The demand for forensic animators will grow just as the general public becomes more and more accustomed to learning through new media. Also, as more and more lawyers embrace high tech digital presentations in the courtroom, the demand for qualified people to assist in creating these presentations is necessary. Even most judges would agree that any technology that that can assist the jury in their understanding of the facts (without prejudice), plus quicken the pace of a trial is a good thing.
EL: I would say that the type of animation is dictated more by what is to be achieved rather than by who is asking for it. The process is often very similar regardless if it is a traffic accident or a shooting. However, the end product might be more polished for a lawyer who is to present the animation to a jury in court as opposed to a crime scene investigator who is only interested in bullet trajectories and specific locations of evidence.
VW: I see from your website that you do alot of Scanning and Photogrammetry. What tools do you use for this?
EL: I currently am a big fan of PhotoModeler Scanner made by EOS Systems Inc. This is a slick piece of software that I have come to depend on to get information and measurements from photographs. There is also the ability to scan objects by taking “stereo pairs” of photographs. Once these are processed through the software, you eventually get a point cloud, mesh and surface that can be exported into any 3D package.
Also, a robotic total station is very handy for taking measurements of roadways and there is some automatic low density scanning that can be done (most people don’t know this).
For very large 3D scans, I sub-contract the work because 3D scanners are still $100k or more. It’s important to have a reputable company do the scans so there is no question in the quality of the scan and the data.
VW: What software do you use for your Modeling and Animation??
EL: My main 3D application is 3DS Max with a number of add on modules and plugins. I believe that this was one of the first 3D animation softwares to be used for forensic animations. There are still many Max users out there, but I would say that Maya has seen a significant amount of growth in the Forensic Industry.
Of course, we can’t forget that the animation software is supported by a large number of support programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, CAD…etc.
VW: Have you developed any custom tools in-house?
EL: Mostly in the form of scripting with 3DS Max. There are often situations where your work can be facilitated by scripting and in some cases you can’t do what you want without scripting!
EL: Over the past few years, there have been a number of import, export related issues that needed to be solved. I do work for people from various industries and depending on the software client uses, the format in which you receive your data can vary greatly. For example, getting a set of CT or MRI medical images into a 3D format that is usable with 3DS Max can be really tricky. So, some new tools have had to have been purchased.
With the advent of 3D scanning and point clouds with millions of points/polygons, keeping up with hardware and software that can handle these kinds of data sets is critical. Perhaps this might be one of the most common issues for many in the visualization industry.
VW: How long does it typically take to create an animation?EL: The typical timeframe is about 4-8 weeks. This is very dependent on the client’s needs and wants. Also, since the litigation process is usually slow, some cases can go on and on for years. Normally, the work pace is reasonable, but it seems there are always last minute changes and requests that need to get squeezed in. Also, forensic animations require extra time to ensure that accuracy of the animations is upheld. In the film industry, if it looks good, that’s ok, but in the forensic animation industry, it needs to look good and be accurate!
VW: What’s the usual process from initial contact to finished animation?
EL: I have written and article on this subject here.
Below is a breakdown of several cost factors that are “tangible”. As with any outsourced service, you also pay for reputation, experience and overhead costs, but these are more difficult to quantify. The greatest cost in a forensic animation is the number of man-hours required to prepare, assemble, edit and finalize the animation.
Since vehicle collisions are perhaps the most common forensic animations, most of the examples used below will reflect this particular example, however, the process and cost factors are more or less the same regardless if the animation being produced is of a crime scene,personal injury case, or medical procedure.
- Information Gathering and Preparation
- 3D Models – Recreating the scene assets.
- Mapping – Preparing and adjusting images
- Assembling the Scene
- Animating the Scene
- Lighting and Special Effects
- Rendering Video
- Editing and Final Packaging
- Changes & Edits
The basic rule of thumb for the cost of a forensic animation is that as the level of detail, realism, accuracy and number of scenarios increases , so does the cost. A complex animation with many details means more preparation, production and verification hours for the animator.
A forensic animation can range widely from $3,000 to $30,000 depending on each of the factors explained above. There are no hard rules to pin down the price of an animation since each one is “custom built”.Eugene’s article gets far more in-depth, and I suggest you read it if you want more information.
VW: Any famous clients or cases you care to share?
Most of my work is related to vehicle accidents.since they are the most common thing. Nothing I could really advertise at this point, but let’s just say that I have been involved with police shootings, murder and suicide cases.
VW: Have Television and Movies like CSI & NCIS impacted what your customers expect to see?
EL: There is something that many people have coined as the “CSI Effect” and it has had both positive and negative effects in the field of Forensics and Forensic Visualizations.
From an awareness standpoint, these TV programs have really brought forth a lot of the technologies that are used by crime scene investigators. The general public is becoming more savvy to the methods and technologies used by CSIs. In the courtroom, this means that there is an expectation to deliver “the goods” in the form of a high tech presentation with animations and explanations. Case Solved!
We all know that Hollywood has a tendency to twist things in the span of 60 minutes including commercials. Many of the simulations and visualizations shown are “incredible” and contain “special effects” that are normally frowned upon as being unnecessary and unfounded. These shows also oversimplify the results of crime fighting technologies and distort the general public’s expectations.
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We at VizWorld would like to thank Eugene for his input, and we hope to hear more from him again! You can see his work at the AI2-3D website.
