Artec Forensic 3D Scanners. The crime scene won't wait. Your documentation shouldn't either.
Artec 3D forensic scanners capture every detail — footwear impressions, wound patterns, bullet trajectories, entire accident scenes — in accurate, contactless 3D. Before the scene is cleared. Before evidence degrades. Before the window closes.
55% of violent crimes go unsolved. Inadequate scene capture is part of the problem.
According to FBI data, 55% of violent crimes and 83% of property crimes went unsolved in the US in 2019. Traditional forensic documentation — photographs, hand measurements, dental stone casts — was never designed for the speed and complexity modern crime scene investigation demands.
A photograph taken from the wrong angle misrepresents the spatial relationship between a weapon and a victim. A footwear impression cast takes 24 hours to dry and can still crack. A vehicle accident scene sits on a highway for hours while investigators work through documentation backlogs. All of it creates gaps in evidence that prosecutors have to fight around — or can't overcome at all.
3D laser scanning for crime scenes solves this at the source. The complete scene — every dimension, every surface, every measurement — captured before anything is moved or touched.
Camera angle distorts spatial relationships
Even experienced forensic photographers can inadvertently suggest distances between objects that don't hold up under cross-examination. 2D has no depth.
Manual measurements introduce operator error
Tape measures, sketches, and reference markers are inherently subjective. Every measurement is only as reliable as the person taking it — and defense attorneys know that.
Traditional documentation takes hours or days
A full photographic record of a complex indoor scene can take 4–8 hours. Footwear casting needs to cure overnight. That's time the scene is exposed, traffic is blocked, and your team is tied up.
2D results are hard to share and revisit
Hundreds of JPEGs stored on a hard drive aren't the same as an interactive 3D model. When a cold case comes back two years later, what you captured originally is all you have.
Artec 3D: Your Trusted Partner in Advancing Forensic Investigations
What forensic investigators actually say
Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat, Ph.D. — Mercyhurst University, Forensic Anthropologist
"Artec has truly changed the face of forensic anthropology. My students pick up the scanning process quickly, and the levels of detail we get now — especially considering how little time it takes — are truly remarkable."
Jarrod Carter, Ph.D. — Origin Forensics LLC
"I was looking for speed and flexibility. I no longer feel like the rest of the inspection is being rushed so I can make sufficient time to scan the vehicle."
Benefits of 3D forensic scanning. What departments actually gain from crime scene 3D scanning
These aren't theoretical advantages. They're outcomes documented by the National Institute of Justice, Forensic Science International, and law enforcement agencies that have deployed Artec 3D scanners in active investigations.
Nondestructive scene documentation you can revisit
Once a crime scene is scanned, that moment exists permanently. Investigators, prosecutors, and forensic experts can walk back through the scene digitally — years later, from anywhere in the world — without any physical evidence present. Cold cases, appeals, new leads: the 3D data is still there.
Four things forensic investigators need from a 3D scanner
Not every 3D scanner is built for crime scene investigation. These are the capabilities that matter for forensic work — and where Artec 3D delivers them.
Dense, accurate point cloud data — fast
Artec Ray II captures up to 2 million points per second, generating point cloud data that documents the full geometry of any crime scene — indoors or outdoors, day or night. A full dome scan covering an entire room takes 1.7 minutes. Artec Leo captures a full human body in 2–3 minutes. That's the difference between finishing before a scene is cleared versus scrambling to catch up.
Nothing gets touched. Nothing gets contaminated.
Every Artec forensic scanner captures evidence without physical contact — no markers, no calibration targets required in the scene. Bloodstain patterns, footwear impressions, bullet holes: they're documented exactly as found. Defense attorneys cannot argue evidence was disturbed during scanning. The NIJ specifically identifies this as a key benefit of 3D scanning for crime scene investigation.
Measurement, reconstruction, simulation — from a single scan
Artec Studio software turns raw scan data into dimensionally accurate 3D models. Investigators can take precise measurements between any two points in the scene, reconstruct trajectories, overlay data from multiple scans, and export to standard forensic and CAD formats. The same 3D dataset supports the initial investigation, expert witness reports, and courtroom presentation — no rescanning, no reconstruction from memory.
Evidence that holds up when it matters most
Forensic 3D scanning produces objective, reproducible data. No operator interpretation, no angle choices that can be questioned. A University of Toronto study that compared 3D scanning directly against traditional forensic photography found that scanning took less than half the time — and produced submillimeter-accurate color 3D documentation that photographs simply cannot replicate. Judges have accepted 3D scan models as criminal evidence.
KEY POINT
Case studies
3D scanning vs. dental stone casting for footwear impression forensics
Challenge: footwear impressions are routinely recovered from outdoor crime scenes, but traditional plaster and dental stone casting is slow, fragile, and irreversible. If the cast cracks, the impression is gone. Artec 3D scanners capture the same impression in under a minute — producing a dimensionally accurate 3D model that can be 3D printed, shared with any lab, and revisited indefinitely.
Result: 1 minute capture vs. 24+ hours for traditional casting. Model immediately shareable with any forensic lab worldwide.
Vehicle accident reconstruction: Origin Forensics cuts scan time from 4 hours to under 1
Origin Forensics LLC specializes in forensic vehicle accident reconstruction for legal proceedings. Previously using a terrestrial laser scanner, the team spent 3–4 hours on each vehicle scan. Switching to Artec Leo brought that down to under an hour per vehicle — cable-free, no external laptop, full color submillimeter accuracy. The same data is court-admissible and can be shared directly with attorneys and experts.
Result: Scan time cut by 75%. Full color 3D models ready for court, produced faster than investigators could previously set up their equipment.
University of Toronto: 3D scanning tested head-to-head against forensic photography
A controlled study at the University of Toronto's Forensic Program used a mock autopsy scenario — simulated tattoos and wounds on a human body — to compare 3D scanning directly against traditional forensic photography. The Artec Eva scanner completed full body documentation in 26 minutes and 1 second. Traditional photography took 54 minutes and 30 seconds. The 3D documentation was submillimeter-accurate in full color; the photographs were not dimensionally measurable at all.
Result: Over 2× faster than forensic photography. Submillimeter-accurate, color, dimensionally measurable 3D data — vs. flat images.
Artec 3D forensic scanners: which one for which job
Forensic crime scene scanning covers a wide range of evidence types — from bullet casings smaller than a fingernail to outdoor crime scenes spanning hundreds of meters. No single scanner does everything best. Here's what each does.
Artec Leo
The fastest handheld forensic 3D scanner for crime scenes.
Scanner type: handheld
Object size: medium to large
3D accuracy: up to 0.1 mm
Resolution: up to 0.2 mm
Cables required: none
Leo captures a human body in 2–3 minutes. A bullet hole in 1–3 minutes. No laptop, no cables — investigators can move freely around the scene. The built-in touchscreen confirms scan coverage in real time, so there are no gaps discovered later. Used by police forces, forensic labs, and crime scene investigation units in more than 60 countries.
Artec Eva
Dependable, full-color forensic scanner for small to medium evidence
Scanner type: handheld
Object size: small to medium
3D accuracy: up to 0.1 mm
Resolution: up to 0.2 mm
Color capture: full color
Eva was the scanner used in the University of Toronto forensic photography comparison study — completing full body documentation in 26 minutes vs. 54 for photography. It's the scanner investigators reach for when they need reliable, high-resolution color 3D of evidence at a crime scene, without the complexity of a LiDAR system.
Artec Spider II
For fine forensic detail: bloodstains, tool marks, bite marks, footwear
Scanner type: handheld
Object size: extra small to small
3D accuracy: up to 0.05 mm
Resolution: up to 0.1 mm
Color capture: full color
When evidence requires the finest capture available from a handheld forensic scanner — bite marks for odontology, tool marks on a lock cylinder, detailed bloodstain patterns on textured surfaces — Spider II is the right choice.
Artec Ray II
With the high-accuracy, long-range, wireless Ray II laser 3D scanner you can precisely and rapidly capture large to massive objects, scenes or areas, and from up to 130 m away.
Scanner type: Wireless
Object size: L, XL
Accuracy: 1.9 mm @ 10 m
Resolution: 3 / 6 / 12 mm @ 10 m
Artec Metrology Kit
A 3D optical coordinate measuring system for high-precision industrial applications – think deformation analysis, testing, inspection.
Scanner type: Handheld
Object size: M, L, XL
Accuracy: 0.002 mm
FAQ
These come up in nearly every evaluation conversation. If you don't see your question here, our forensics specialists can answer it directly.
-
How long does it take to train someone to use Artec forensic 3D scanners?
Most investigators are scanning independently after less than two hours of hands-on training. Artec Leo's Autopilot mode automates much of the data processing, so there's no deep software expertise required to capture court-quality results. Artec Academy also offers online courses specifically designed for forensic applications — walking through basic scanning, Artec Studio processing, and how to export data for use as evidence.
-
Are Artec 3D scanners accurate enough for small forensic evidence — tool marks, dental impressions, fingerprints?
It depends on the scanner. Artec Spider II captures at 0.05 mm accuracy — enough for tool mark analysis, bite marks, and detailed wound documentation. Artec Micro II goes further, to 5-micron (0.005 mm) accuracy, which covers dental impressions and bullet casing analysis. For fingerprints specifically, accuracy requirements vary by context — contact our forensics team to discuss your exact needs.
-
Can Artec 3D scanners work in poor lighting or outdoor conditions at night?
Yes. Artec structured-light scanners (Leo, Eva, Spider) have their own light source and don't depend on ambient lighting. They work equally well indoors, outdoors, in basements, in vehicles, and at night scenes. Ray II functions in a wide range of outdoor conditions. Neither scanner requires the scene to be artificially lit for documentation purposes — though standard forensic lighting for human visibility at the scene is unaffected.
-
How does 3D crime scene scanning hold up in court?
3D scan data from Artec scanners has been accepted as criminal evidence in legal proceedings across multiple jurisdictions. The key factors courts look for are: objective, unreconstructed data (not photographs, which involve framing choices); reproducible measurements; and a documented chain of custody. Artec Studio timestamps all scans, and the data is uneditable in the archival format. Several prosecutors we work with specifically request 3D scan evidence because it's harder to challenge on methodology grounds than photographic documentation.
-
What file formats do Artec forensic scanners output?
Artec Studio exports to OBJ, PLY, STL, FBX, PTX, E57, and other formats widely used in forensic investigation and crime scene reconstruction software. Point cloud data can be exported in formats compatible with standard CSI documentation workflows, expert witness reporting tools, and courtroom presentation software. 3D models can also be shared directly via Artec Cloud.
-
Do you offer a trial or evaluation for police departments and forensic labs?
Yes. We work with law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, and investigation units to set up structured evaluations against their actual casework. Contact our forensics team to discuss the right evaluation format for your department's needs — including reference visits to agencies already using Artec systems in your region.
What's the next step?
Reach out to an expert
Talk to a forensics specialist about your department's specific needs — whether that's a product evaluation, training, or a question about evidence admissibility in your jurisdiction.