Welcome to NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database
The NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database (NBTRD) is an open-access research database of bullet and cartridge case toolmark data. The development of the database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice. The database is being developed to:
- foster the development and validation of measurement methods, algorithms, metrics, and quantitative confidence limits for objective firearm identification
- improve the scientific knowledge base on the similarity of marks from different firearms and the variability of marks from the same firearm, and
- ease the transition to the application of three-dimensional surface topography data in firearms identification.
The database contains traditional reflectance microscopy images and three-dimensional surface topography data acquired by NIST or submitted by database users.
The goal is a collection of data sets that:
- represents the large variety of ballistic toolmarks encountered by forensic examiners, and
- represents challenging identification scenarios, such as those posed by consecutively manufactured firearm components.
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Updates/News
- NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database receives Department of Commerce Silver award (12/13/2017) – for developing the first open-access research database of microscopic firearm marks on bullets and cartridge cases.
- NIST 3D Ballistics Research Database Goes Live (7/7/2016) – New forensic science database will provide a statistical foundation for more reliably linking bullets to the guns that fired them.
- GCN MagazineLink (7/12/2016) – An article detailing the NIST Ballistics Toolmark Research Database.
- 2016 GCN Dig IT awardsLink (8/18/16) – The NBTRD has been named as one of the six finalists under “Big data, analytics, and visualization”.
Scientific contact
Xiaoyu Alan Zheng
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8212
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8212
Email: alan.zheng@nist.gov
Disclaimer
Certain commercial equipment, instruments, or materials are identified in this database in order to specify the experimental procedure adequately. Such identification is not intended to imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), nor is it intended to imply that the materials or equipment identified are necessarily the best available for the purpose.
This database is an experimental system. The data in this database was submitted by researchers from NIST and other organizations. NIST assumes no responsibility whatsoever for use of the data, and makes no guarantees, expressed or implied, about its quality, reliability, or any other characteristic.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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