User:Jacobazamora/sandbox/MABMAT (rover)

MABMAT (rover) is a robotic imaging system designed to take photographs and videos of crime scenes and capture locations in 360 degrees. This robot's main feature is taking the 360-degree photos and videos and converting them to virtual crime scene animations--an example of virtual reality.

The MABMAT was not invented by robotics engineers; however, it was created by forensic scientists and criminal justice experts. Those designers claim that the robot can be the most capable of crime investigation because it can capture a location in 360 degrees. They imply that copies of the MABMAT can replace or assist human investigators. With the help of the MABMAT, jurors would become able to see more accurate views of crime scenes, and investigators can study footage without traveling to the crime scene.

Information about the MABMAT was revealed in August of 2016. As of November of 2016, the rover is still in development.

History
The MABMAT has been developed by a team of researches from Durham University. The leader of this team is Mehzeb Chowdhury--a PhD researcher in forensic science and criminal investigations from Durham University.

Before development of the MABMAT, Chowdhury had been observing how judges study crime scenes and how new technology was being implemented into crime investigations. This led to reasons for building the rover:

An article written by Chowdhury from a website called "The Conversation" noted how jurors are allowed to visit crime scenes. Chowdhury explains that by the time a juror visits and studies the crime scene, the crime scene may not look the same as it did when the crime occurred. He also explains that photography and sketching are crucial parts of gathering and using evidence. He states that pictures and sketches do not provide accurate representations of crime scenes, however.

Chowdhury believes that investigators can begin to rely on new technology that is specifically designed for crime investigation. These pieces of new technology are capable of 3D imaging and virtual reality. Chowdhury discusses how a researcher from Staffordshire University named Caroline Sturdy Colls used virtual reality headsets and video games to produce virtual crime scenes. He explains how virtual crime scenes can be used as better pieces of evidence than photographs and videos of the crime scenes. He has noticed the very high prices of the virtual reality headsets such as the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and the PlayStation VR. He believes that much cheaper and more competent pieces of technology are capable of transforming pictures and videos to 3D-rendered crime scene animations. The flaws of crime investigation and the improvements of technology led to the creation of the MABMAT.

According to Chowdhury, approximately fifty police departments in the United States and the United Kingdom have planned to collaborate with the team's project. The MABMAT will soon be tested in these police departments.

Specifications
Since the development of the MABMAT is self-funded, Chowdhury and his team only spent 299 pounds (or 374 U.S. dollars) on all parts that were required to build the rover.

Chowdhury described all the parts that were used to create the MABMAT : The MABMAT is to be controlled with a tablet, smartphone, or a Bluetooth remote.
 * off-the-shelf parts such as metal pieces and circuits
 * a 360-degree camera that captures photographs and videos, which can be played on any computer. This camera can automatically capture pictures and record videos by itself.
 * a Google Cardboard--a virtual reality headset that provides a virtual reality experience similar to that of the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and the Playstation VR. However, unlike those three headsets, the Google Cardboard does not render three-dimensional graphics and does not have a power central processing unit.  This device only costs about ten dollars, while headsets like the Oculus Rift cost at least seven hundred dollars.  This--along with the metal pieces and circuits--may have been the reason for the MABMAT's low budget.
 * ultrasonic, motion, and infrared sensors which help the MABMAT navigate crime scene.
 * Arduino--a microcontroller board that have built-in open-source software which allow user to program and create interactive objects such as the MABMAT
 * Raspberry Pi--another microcontroller board with its own open-source software

The team of researchers stated that the design of the MABMAT is inspired by NASA's "Curiosity" -- a rover that is investigating Mars.