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Glossary & FAQs

Clear explanations of Smytec technology, terminology, and common questions.

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Absorption

Absorption is the process where molecules take in energy from light rather than it being reflected back. This means the substance typically looks darker, as happens with body fluids when using BlindSite.
AFIS Match

AFIS stands for Automated Fingerprint Identification System and is a feature including within BlindSite. This fully integrated capability provides a 2-step process: first, a fully automated feature mark-up (minutiae) on a captured mark, followed by a direct comparison search against the hosted database. This provides a rapid tool for potential identification in the field, within minutes, without requiring any form of connectivity (no WiFi, cellular or Bluetooth). Our AFIS is provided by ROC, ranked #1 globally for fingerprint recognition speed and accuracy by NIST.

ALS

Alternate Light Sources (ALS) is a traditional forensic tool which emits light at specific wavelength causing materials to absorb, reflect, scatter or fluoresce in different ways, enabling evidence detection. It typically requires additional external setup at the scene, which can increase examination time and workflow complexity.

Case Management Sytem

A Case Management System (CMS) is a centralised digital system used to store, organise, manage and document cases, including evidence, reports, and investigative activity, ensuring traceability and efficient coordination. Evidence captured with BlindSite is compatible with all CMS.

Cold case

Refers to investigations that remain unsolved after all active evidence and leads have been exhausted. BlindSite's NCND application allows for the re-examination of archived evidence, potentially revealing previously undetected latent evidence.

Covert Applications

Involves a discreet operational environments where visibility, minimal disruption, and non intrusive deployment are critical. With its handheld design and non contact operation, BlindSite supports discreet evidence detection and documentation.

CT

Counter‑Terrorism refers to the coordinated activities and operations designed to prevent, detect, and respond to terrorist threats. Through remote deployment on Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) platforms or direct use by EOD officers, BlindSite enables the safe recovery of latent fingermarks from suspected IEDs, reducing operator risk while enhancing evidential value in complex scenarios.

Enhancement tecniques

Enhancement techniques refer to physical, chemical (often destructive), and digital (non‑destructive) methods used to reveal or improve the visibility of evidence that may not be clearly observable under normal conditions. BlindSite does not require any physical or chemical enhancement, enabling a safer, non‑contact approach that preserves evidence integrity and reduces the risk of contamination.

Fingermark

Commonly referred to as “fingerprints”, are impressions left when fingers touch a surface. These are formed by the transfer of substances naturally secreted by the skin, primarily sweat and oils, along with other contaminants present on the skin such as dirt, cosmetics, or environmental residues. The friction ridge patterns on the fingertips deposit these materials onto surfaces, creating a unique ridge detail that can be visualised and used for identification.

Fluorescence

Fluorescence can be defined as the molecular absorption of photons at a given wavelength and their re-emission at another wavelength. This means the substance typically looks lighter when illuminated with a specific light source, as happens with body fluids when using BlindSite.
Hyperspectral Imaging

Also abreviated as HSI, is an advanced optical technique, incorporated within BlindSite, which uses very narrow, hyper-sensitive, wavelength bands (1-10nm), providing enhanced sensitivity. This means that the light entering the system is focused on the specific peak wavelength of interest, rather than being diluted by irrelevant light. This enables the visualisation of high‑contrast responses and strong material signatures, revealing evidence that is invisible to the naked eye, such as latent fingerprints, or unable to be visualised with multispectral or traditional imaging. Importantly, this enables HSI to be used in all lighting conditions, without any requirement to darken the scene. BlindSite is the only technology that incorporates hyperspectral imaging at the scene.
NIST

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce whose primary mission is to promote innovation, physical science, and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science and technology. NIST has a significant role in assessing, qualifying and quantifying accuracy and precision of various forensic science tools, including AFIS, facial recognition and other biometric solutions.

Multispectral Imaging

Abreviated as MSI, is an imaging technique, which uses broad wavebands typically around 50-100nm. The light entering the system is broader, often unable to detect traces with weak response, and often subject to interference from ambient or extraneous light. This makes it difficult to use MSI in daylight conditions and often requires that a scene is darkened before use, adding further steps and processes to the scene evaluation.

NCND

Stands for Non-contact-non-destructive and is the core principle of our technology. By eliminating physical contact with evidence, we preserve its integrity and maximise usability. At the same time, the non‑destructive approach ensures that evidence remains intact for subsequent testing and interpretation, such as being able to swab a fingermark for DNA after capturing it using BlindSite, supporting the addition of information throughout an investigation.
Non-contact scale bar

Is a proprietary feature integrated into BlindSite that automatically overlays a digital scale bar into every captured image. This eliminates the need for a physical ruler at the scene reducing contamination risk and accidental destruction of evidence.
Scene camera

BlindSite incorporates a secondary scene camera that can be activated to record video from the moment it arrives at a crime scene. The system operates simultaneously with the imaging capture, providing continuous visual documentation. It also automatically captures a contextual image with each forensic capture, enhancing context and integrity.

Scene Camera Overlay

Is a proprietary feature integrated into BlindSite that automatically overlays the evidences capture into the scene, facilitating the mark up process, adding integrity and relevant context to the evidence analyst.

Latent Evidence

Refers to evidence that is not immediately visible to the naked eye under natural lighting conditions. Includes traces such as fingerprints, body fluids, trace DNA, and other materials that are present at a scene that can be revealed with BlindSite scene.

Minutiae points

Are the unique ridge characteristics found in a fingermark, and are used for identification purposes. BlindSite enables minutiae calculation at the scene, providing an immediate assessment of fingermark quality. This is linked to the AFIS comparison, supporting suspect identification.

Post-Blast IED Fragments

Post‑blast IED refers to an improvised explosive device (IED) and its surrounding environment after detonation, including any remaining fragments, residues, and evidence left at the scene. BlindSite is capable of recovering Post-Blast fingermarks from this context with the highest success rate in the industry.

PPI

Pixels Per Inch (often confused with DPI) refers to the resolution of a digital image, indicating number of pixels contained within one inch of the image. PPI can vary depending on the working distance between the device and the object, influencing the level of detail. BlindSite provides the PPI for each captured image within the associated metadata, enabling immediate assessment of image quality and suitability for forensic analysis.

Trace DNA

Commonly referred to as touch DNA, describes small amounts of genetic material transferred through contact. It is often invisible to the naked eye but can be revealed using BlindSite, enabling more targeted recovery and analysis for identification purposes, rather than relying on speculative swabbing.
ISR

Stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, encompassing the collection and analysis of information to support decision‑making and operational awareness. Sometimes referred to as ISTAR where Target Acquisition accounts for the additional ''TA''.

Word
Definition
Absorption
Absorption is the process where molecules take in energy from light rather than it being reflected back. This means the substance typically looks darker, as happens with body fluids when using BlindSite.
AFIS Match
AFIS stands for Automated Fingerprint Identification System and is a feature including within BlindSite. This fully integrated capability provides a 2-step process: first, a fully automated feature mark-up (minutiae) on a captured mark, followed by a direct comparison search against the hosted database. This provides a rapid tool for potential identification in the field, within minutes, without requiring any form of connectivity (no WiFi, cellular or Bluetooth). Our AFIS is provided by ROC, ranked #1 globally for fingerprint recognition speed and accuracy by NIST.
ALS
Alternate Light Sources (ALS) is a traditional forensic tool which emits light at specific wavelength causing materials to absorb, reflect, scatter or fluoresce in different ways, enabling evidence detection. It typically requires additional external setup at the scene, which can increase examination time and workflow complexity.
Case Management Sytem
A Case Management System (CMS) is a centralised digital system used to store, organise, manage and document cases, including evidence, reports, and investigative activity, ensuring traceability and efficient coordination. Evidence captured with BlindSite is compatible with all CMS.
Cold case
Refers to investigations that remain unsolved after all active evidence and leads have been exhausted. BlindSite's NCND application allows for the re-examination of archived evidence, potentially revealing previously undetected latent evidence.
Covert Applications
Involves a discreet operational environments where visibility, minimal disruption, and non intrusive deployment are critical. With its handheld design and non contact operation, BlindSite supports discreet evidence detection and documentation.
CT
Counter‑Terrorism refers to the coordinated activities and operations designed to prevent, detect, and respond to terrorist threats. Through remote deployment on Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) platforms or direct use by EOD officers, BlindSite enables the safe recovery of latent fingermarks from suspected IEDs, reducing operator risk while enhancing evidential value in complex scenarios.
Enhancement tecniques
Enhancement techniques refer to physical, chemical (often destructive), and digital (non‑destructive) methods used to reveal or improve the visibility of evidence that may not be clearly observable under normal conditions. BlindSite does not require any physical or chemical enhancement, enabling a safer, non‑contact approach that preserves evidence integrity and reduces the risk of contamination.
Fingermark
Commonly referred to as “fingerprints”, are impressions left when fingers touch a surface. These are formed by the transfer of substances naturally secreted by the skin, primarily sweat and oils, along with other contaminants present on the skin such as dirt, cosmetics, or environmental residues. The friction ridge patterns on the fingertips deposit these materials onto surfaces, creating a unique ridge detail that can be visualised and used for identification.
Fluorescence
Fluorescence can be defined as the molecular absorption of photons at a given wavelength and their re-emission at another wavelength. This means the substance typically looks lighter when illuminated with a specific light source, as happens with body fluids when using BlindSite.
Hyperspectral Imaging
Also abreviated as HSI, is an advanced optical technique, incorporated within BlindSite, which uses very narrow, hyper-sensitive, wavelength bands (1-10nm), providing enhanced sensitivity. This means that the light entering the system is focused on the specific peak wavelength of interest, rather than being diluted by irrelevant light. This enables the visualisation of high‑contrast responses and strong material signatures, revealing evidence that is invisible to the naked eye, such as latent fingerprints, or unable to be visualised with multispectral or traditional imaging. Importantly, this enables HSI to be used in all lighting conditions, without any requirement to darken the scene. BlindSite is the only technology that incorporates hyperspectral imaging at the scene.
NIST
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce whose primary mission is to promote innovation, physical science, and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science and technology. NIST has a significant role in assessing, qualifying and quantifying accuracy and precision of various forensic science tools, including AFIS, facial recognition and other biometric solutions.
Multispectral Imaging
Abreviated as MSI, is an imaging technique, which uses broad wavebands typically around 50-100nm. The light entering the system is broader, often unable to detect traces with weak response, and often subject to interference from ambient or extraneous light. This makes it difficult to use MSI in daylight conditions and often requires that a scene is darkened before use, adding further steps and processes to the scene evaluation.
NCND
Stands for Non-contact-non-destructive and is the core principle of our technology. By eliminating physical contact with evidence, we preserve its integrity and maximise usability. At the same time, the non‑destructive approach ensures that evidence remains intact for subsequent testing and interpretation, such as being able to swab a fingermark for DNA after capturing it using BlindSite, supporting the addition of information throughout an investigation.
Non-contact scale bar
Is a proprietary feature integrated into BlindSite that automatically overlays a digital scale bar into every captured image. This eliminates the need for a physical ruler at the scene reducing contamination risk and accidental destruction of evidence.
Scene camera
BlindSite incorporates a secondary scene camera that can be activated to record video from the moment it arrives at a crime scene. The system operates simultaneously with the imaging capture, providing continuous visual documentation. It also automatically captures a contextual image with each forensic capture, enhancing context and integrity.
Scene Camera Overlay
Is a proprietary feature integrated into BlindSite that automatically overlays the evidences capture into the scene, facilitating the mark up process, adding integrity and relevant context to the evidence analyst.
Latent Evidence
Refers to evidence that is not immediately visible to the naked eye under natural lighting conditions. Includes traces such as fingerprints, body fluids, trace DNA, and other materials that are present at a scene that can be revealed with BlindSite scene.
Minutiae points
Are the unique ridge characteristics found in a fingermark, and are used for identification purposes. BlindSite enables minutiae calculation at the scene, providing an immediate assessment of fingermark quality. This is linked to the AFIS comparison, supporting suspect identification.
Post-Blast IED Fragments
Post‑blast IED refers to an improvised explosive device (IED) and its surrounding environment after detonation, including any remaining fragments, residues, and evidence left at the scene. BlindSite is capable of recovering Post-Blast fingermarks from this context with the highest success rate in the industry.
PPI
Pixels Per Inch (often confused with DPI) refers to the resolution of a digital image, indicating number of pixels contained within one inch of the image. PPI can vary depending on the working distance between the device and the object, influencing the level of detail. BlindSite provides the PPI for each captured image within the associated metadata, enabling immediate assessment of image quality and suitability for forensic analysis.
Trace DNA
Commonly referred to as touch DNA, describes small amounts of genetic material transferred through contact. It is often invisible to the naked eye but can be revealed using BlindSite, enabling more targeted recovery and analysis for identification purposes, rather than relying on speculative swabbing.
ISR
Stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, encompassing the collection and analysis of information to support decision‑making and operational awareness. Sometimes referred to as ISTAR where Target Acquisition accounts for the additional ''TA''.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please get in touch.

How do I request a demo of BlindSite Scene?

You can request a demo directly via our Request a Demo form. Our team will contact you to discuss availability and tailor the session to your operational environment and use case.

Is BlindSite available outside the UK??

Yes, BlindSite is available internationally through our partner network or by contacting us directly.

Who is BlindSite designed for?

BlindSite is designed for government and professional users, including law enforcement, security agencies, and defence organisations. It supports applications such as crime scene investigation, ISR, counter-terrorism (CT), and post-blast investigations, both in the field and in laboratory settings.

Do you offer service and maintenance?

Yes. Each BlindSite unit includes a 1-year standard warranty, along with operational software updates for 3 years. We also offer an optional 3-year service contract, which extends the warranty to 3 years and includes functional updates, training, and annual calibration of specialist optics and sensors.

Do you offer training?

Yes. Training is provided as a minimum two-day program with each sale, either as an additional service or as part of the Service & Maintenance contract.

Can I become a distributor or partner?

Yes, we are always exploring new markets and building strong local partnerships. Please visit our 'Who we partner with' section and submit your contact details to explore partnership opportunities.

What is hyperspectral imaging, and how does it differ from multispectral imaging?

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an advanced optical technique used in BlindSite. It is approximately 650 times more sensitive than the human eye, compared to multispectral imaging (MSI), which is around 10 times more sensitive. HSI  captures extremely narrow wavelength bands (typically 1–10 nm), providing enhanced sensitivity. In contrast, multispectral imaging (MSI) uses broader wavelength bands (typically 50–100 nm). This allows HSI cameras, like BlindSite, to focus on specific peak wavelengths, producing higher-contrast responses and revealing evidence, such as latent fingerprints, that may be invisible to the naked eye.

Are there consumables or accessories required to use BlindSite?

No. BlindSite is a fully integrated solution that does not require ALS, chemicals, powders, or additional consumables or accessories, reducing both time and operational cost.

What is the benefit of a non-contact, non-destructive approach?

A non-contact, non-destructive (NCND) approach preserves evidence for further analysis. For example, BlindSite can capture a latent fingermark in situ without physical contact, enabling minutiae comparison while preserving the sample for potential DNA analysis, increasing the likelihood of identification. Similarly, for body fluids, BlindSite provides a targeted, NCND approach that allows investigators to collect vital DNA evidence without the risk of destroying, impairing, or compromising the trace, as can occur with more invasive methods.

Can BlindSite detect blood that would normally require luminol or other chemical techniques?

Yes. BlindSite can detect blood traces, including diluted samples. It detects haemoglobin through absorption (similar to luminol) and can also detect blood plasma via fluorescence, which luminol cannot. This increases detection capability and reduces false positives from substances such as bleach, rust, and household cleaners.

Does BlindSite only locate bodily fluids or also analyse them?

BlindSite locates potential bodily fluids and provides a preliminary indication (e.g., blood or semen), but it is not a confirmatory analytical tool. Its purpose is to enable rapid, targeted detection and digital capture in situ prior to collection, supporting investigation context and evidential integrity.

How does AFIS comparison work in BlindSite?

BlindSite includes an integrated AFIS that searches a local database (hosted on a 2Tb micro-SD Card) and matches captured fingerprint evidence there and then at the scene, without any connectivity requirements (no cellular, Bluetooth or WiFi requirement). After capturing a fingermark, the system generates a marked-up image showing minutiae and performs a database search, producing a ranked list of potential matches directly on the device.

Is the AFIS functionality optional?

Yes. AFIS comparison and minutiae calculation are optional features. They can be disabled based on customer requirements or local data protection regulations.

How do software updates work?

There are two types of updates: operational and functional. Operational updates are included with the device for three years. Functional updates, which introduce new features, are included within the Service & Maintenance contract or can be purchased individually and separately.

What is the format of training?

Training is delivered in person over two full days. Participants are provided with supporting materials, including workbooks and videos, enabling them to train additional team members and support effective deployment within their organisation, adopting a “train the trainer” approach where beneficial.