Typically, when a camera zooms in on an object the scale of the object is lost. However with NASA’s photographic laser device, the image is loaded into software which calculates a set of reference points and the distances between them to offer the user a quantifiable perspective on the size of the object.
Law enforcement agencies are now looking at the forensic applications of the technology. Not only can they use it to analyze aspects of crime scene photos such as blood-spatter patterns and graffiti, but they can also see the images from different angles to better understand the scenes. The FBI has also requested that the software be upgraded to allow forensic experts to zoom in and out on the image.
