Forensic Anthropology Data Scientist

Jeffrey James Lynch, PhD

I build open-source software for forensic anthropology. On the side, I maintain a free tool for EMDR.

Email me GitHub

Projects

Forensic anthropology

OsteoSort

Osteometric sorting

Compares skeletal measurements against reference populations to help reassociate commingled remains. Tests pair-matching, articulation and regression for a single pair of bones or a whole case file.

  • Julia
  • Web app
  • GPL v2

Source code

SID

Stature identification

Estimates living stature from skeletal measurements, with prediction intervals, and tests whether a known stature is consistent with a bone.

  • Julia
  • Web app
  • GPL v2

Source code

OS3D

Osteometric sorting 3D

Pair-matches left and right bones by their 3D shape. Loads PLY models, places landmarks and compares pairs, including fragments, using multithreaded ICP registration.

  • Julia
  • Desktop app
  • GPL v2

Coming soon

QA3D

Quality assurance 3D

Checks the accuracy of 3D scanners for research and laboratory accreditation. Registers a scan to a reference surface and reports error, dimensional and flatness metrics.

  • Julia
  • Desktop app
  • GPL v2

Coming soon

CAST

Details under wraps
  • Python
  • Desktop app
  • GPL v2

Coming soon

Archaeo3D

Excavation visualizer

Shows archaeological excavation data in 3D. Import a site's spreadsheet and explore the units and finds in the browser, filtered and coloured by type.

  • JavaScript
  • Web app

Coming soon

Mental health

EyePath

Light bar for EMDR therapy

A free light bar for EMDR therapists. The client's screen shows a moving light with bilateral sound, and the therapist controls it from their phone. Runs on Windows and Mac with no accounts or internet.

  • JavaScript
  • Desktop app
  • AGPL v3

Website Download Source code

Open science

Software used in forensic casework shapes conclusions about real people, so it should be held to the same standard as any other scientific method: published, testable and open to challenge.

  • Open source

    Every tool is free software under the GPL v2 or AGPL v3 license. Anyone can read, run, check and build on the code.

  • Auditable

    Public source code and full version history let others trace exactly how a result was produced.

  • Reproducible

    Tagged releases, citation files and automated tests tie each result to the exact version that made it.

  • Transparent

    Known bugs, limitations and open methodological questions are tracked in public, not hidden.

The case for this is set out in Lynch & Stephan, Computational tools in forensic anthropology: the value of open-source licensing as a standard.

Contact

Email jjlynch@osteocoder.com, or open an issue on the project's GitHub repository.