Northamptonshire Police Authority

University Court of the University of St. Andrews

John William Bond

David John Cole-Hamilton

Ifor David William Sámuel

Jennifer Rachel Amey

The invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of detecting latent fingerprints on a previously heated substrate, such as a bullet casing following discharge of a bullet. By applying a potential difference across the substrate, and contacting the substrate with detection means, such as graphite coated beads, arranged to selectively attract to or repel from the area of a latent fingerprint on the surface, a latent fingerprint may be recovered.

Fingerprint detection

Novel conjugates of nanoparticles are provided and have particular utility in the detection of latent fingerprints by their ability to bind to a fingerprint residue. The conjugate comprises a nanoparticle attached to a linker group having a terminal reactive moiety, wherein said nanoparticle comprises a core of a first semiconductor material having a first luminescence and a shell of a second material which at least partially surrounds the core. The conjugated nanoparticle can bind to the fingerprint residue and can be detected using fluorescence.

Conjugated nanoparticles and their use in detection of latent fingerprints

A method of and apparatus () for locating and detecting a fingerprint deposited on a surface (), the method comprising setting up an electric field such that a differential charge density is produced coincident with the location of a fingerprint deposited on the surface. By deploying a conductive powder or other detection element selectively attractable to the surface () coincident with the differential charge density in the region of the fingerprint deposit a fingerprint deposited on the surface () is located and detected.

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Northampton, United Kingdom

John William Bond