JOHOR BARU, Jan 10 — Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has partnered the police to set up a geospatial forensic satellite laboratory to expand research and development in the field of criminal investigations.
Geospatial analytics uses geographical data to assist law enforcement agencies the world over to forecast and solve crimes.
Through the use of pushpins on maps, investigators could track criminal incidents by looking at the relationship between where the crimes occurred and cross-reference the data with information available on known criminals in the same geographic location to determine potential suspects.
According to UTM, this will include publishing activities, consulting, expertise sharing through technology transfer, professional courses and innovation services.
“Satellite laboratories that focus on geospatial technology applications such as Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS), Airborne LiDAR, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Photogrammetry, Geographical Information System (GIS), Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) into the field forensics is placed at UTM’s Faculty of Civil Engineering and Surveying,” UTM said in a statement today.
The laboratory was inaugurated by Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani and witnessed by UTM vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Ismail.
Acryl Sani said the strategic cooperation is able to enhance the efforts of the police, especially for the Criminal Investigation Department.
“This in particular can streamline investigations in the field of forensics, further contributing to scientific findings that will benefit all parties,” he said in the same statement.
Acryl Sani, who is also a UTM alumni and graduated in civil engineering in 1985, took time to deliver his inaugural lecture at the university’s senate hall.
Such collaboration between UTM and the police started back in 2021 through courtesy visits from both parties, followed by the production of research publications as well as the contribution of the university’s researchers as reference experts.
Ahmad Fauzi said that the establishment of the forensic satellite laboratory is in line with UTM’s enVision 2025 that is based on three related strategic cores.
“The three cores are in the production of world-class holistic talents to expand the field of education and research, the development of institutions through unique and specific expertise for long-term sustainability and the transformation of life experiences through the empowerment of knowledge and belief,” he said.
