Scientists in Australia have created an advanced AI tool to help forensic experts determine the biological sex of a person from their skull. This tool, developed by CSIRO (Australia’s national science agency) and The University of Western Australia, is much faster and more accurate than traditional methods.
Tests showed that the AI tool correctly identified sex in 97% of cases, compared to 82% accuracy by human experts. It also works about five times faster than human assessors, which means forensic teams can get results more quickly—especially in criminal cases or natural disasters where time is crucial.
The AI system was trained using CT scans of 200 skulls. It analyzes specific skull features linked to biological sex and provides quick and reliable results. Dr. Hollie Min, one of the researchers, explained that this tool reduces human bias and improves accuracy.
The study also highlights the importance of considering population differences in skull traits. Future research aims to expand the AI’s database to make it more effective for different groups of people.
Researchers are now looking for industry partners to help bring this AI tool into real-world forensic investigations. The CT scans used in the study were collected from Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo General Hospital in Indonesia.
Source: phys
