Apparatus and method for improved recovery of latent fingerprints

摘要

Hydrating an object bearing a latent fingerprint and then selectively drying the object leaving the fingerprint hydrated. The hydrated fingerprint is then coated with cyanoacrylate ester, preferably in a heat accelerated cyanoacrylate ester vacuum chamber. Hydrating is preferably accomplished by chilling the object below a dew point and then exposing the object to humidified air to condense a thin uniform layer of water over the object and latent fingerprint. Drying is preferably done with a vacuum. After drying reaches the preferred state, the CE is heated and coats the condensation-hydrated latent fingerprint. Preferably, the method is implemented in an automated system using one computer-controlled chamber for chilling, condensing, vacuum drying, and CE coating the latent fingerprint. The operator simply puts the object in the chamber, initiates the process by computer, and is prompted by the computer to remove the recovered latent print. Prints unrecoverable by prior art means are recovered.

主权项

1. An apparatus for recovering a latent fingerprint that is on an object, the apparatus comprising:
a. a cooler operable to initially chill such object; b. a humidifier subsequently operable to condense a thin uniform coating of water over all exposed surfaces of such chilled object bearing such latent fingerprint and over such latent fingerprint; and c. a vacuum chamber subsequently operable to expose such object bearing such latent fingerprint to a vacuum for a period of time automatically controlled to be sufficient to remove said thin uniform coating of water from such object and not entirely remove such water from such latent fingerprint.