PILOT STUDY - A New Experiment on Signature Recognition

Authors

  • S. Mukherjee State Forensic Science Laboratory - Kolkata, India
  • S.K. Mondal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31974/jfde25-37-45

Keywords:

signature matching, signature identification, signature similarity, feature ambiguity, feature similarity, handwriting recognition

Abstract

The complexity in signature recognition problems lies in the fact that a signature usually comprises a small number of handwritten letters that may have limited identifying features and, at the same time, contain natural variations from one signature to the next. Even though it is a frequently encountered problem in forensic sciences, the document examiner’s common method of comparing a questioned signature with a group of control signatures depends upon human perceptual and cognitive processes that are often subjective. To reduce the subjective element in signature comparisons, the authors have experimented with an interactive signature recognition system called the Matching Index (MI) that allows a forensic document examiner (FDE) to utilize his/her expertise to select comparable characteristic features in both questioned and control signatures as well as introduce greater objectivity in the comparison process. An evaluation and assessment of the MI developed by the authors of the questioned signature with the group of control signatures has been implemented by considering numerically assessable features and quantitatively accounting for the information on natural variations manifested in the group of control signatures. Such a comparison provides a more objective expert opinion to present to the court. Successful results of a preliminary test, suggest that the present experiment is potentially promising to provide a more reliable and less subjective approach to signature identification.

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Author Biographies

S. Mukherjee, State Forensic Science Laboratory - Kolkata, India

The complexity in signature recognition problems lies in the fact that a signature usually comprises a small number of handwritten letters that may have limited identifying features and, at the same time, contain natural variations from one signature to the next. Even though it is a frequently encountered problem in forensic sciences, the document examiner’s common method of comparing a questioned signature with a group of control signatures depends upon human perceptual and cognitive processes that are often subjective. To reduce the subjective element in signature comparisons, the authors have experimented with an interactive signature recognition system called the Matching Index (MI) that allows a forensic document examiner (FDE) to utilize his / her expertise to select comparable characteristic features in both questioned and control signatures as well as introduce greater objectivity in the comparison process. An evaluation and assessment of the MI developed by the authors of the questioned signature with the group of control signatures has been implemented by considering numerically assessable features and quantitatively accounting for the information on natural variations manifested in the group of control signatures. Such a comparison provides a more objective expert opinion to present to the court. Successful results of a preliminary test, suggest that the present experiment is potentially promising to provide a more reliable and less subjective approach to signature identification.

S.K. Mondal

The complexity in signature recognition problems lies in the fact that a signature usually comprises a small number of handwritten letters that may have limited identifying features and, at the same time, contain natural variations from one signature to the next. Even though it is a frequently encountered problem in forensic sciences, the document examiner’s common method of comparing a questioned signature with a group of control signatures depends upon human perceptual and cognitive processes that are often subjective. To reduce the subjective element in signature comparisons, the authors have experimented with an interactive signature recognition system called the Matching Index (MI) that allows a forensic document examiner (FDE) to utilize his / her expertise to select comparable characteristic features in both questioned and control signatures as well as introduce greater objectivity in the comparison process. An evaluation and assessment of the MI developed by the authors of the questioned signature with the group of control signatures has been implemented by considering numerically assessable features and quantitatively accounting for the information on natural variations manifested in the group of control signatures. Such a comparison provides a more objective expert opinion to present to the court. Successful results of a preliminary test, suggest that the present experiment is potentially promising to provide a more reliable and less subjective approach to signature identification.

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Published

2015-12-31

How to Cite

Mukherjee, S., & Mondal, S. (2015). PILOT STUDY - A New Experiment on Signature Recognition. Journal of Forensic Document Examination, 25, 37–45. https://doi.org/10.31974/jfde25-37-45

Issue

Vol. 25 (2015): Journal of Forensic Document Examination

Section

Research Papers

License

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