This research sought to develop a graphical user interface (GUI) that uses algorithms based on fuzzy integrals, which provide forensic scientists with a multifactorial age-at-death estimation, confidence in the estimation, informative graphs, and a standardized reproducible method to generate linguistic descriptions of the age-at-death estimation in medico-legal death investigations that involve skeletal remains.
Fuzzy set theory is a mathematical framework in which to model different types of uncertainty (e.g., probabilities, possibilities, etc.), perform computation (e.g., fuzzy logic), and fuse different information to provide a confidence rating for some hypothesis. In the case of age-at-death, it is used to provide a set of confidences for each age tested, ranging from 1 to 110 years. The fuzzy integral is a function generator, which means it is a generic framework that can be used to produce a wealth of different aggregation operators based on the "fuzzy" measure. In the current project, the fuzzy integral was used to provide a measure of strength of the hypothesis acquired by using (aggregating) distinct sources of information. The algorithm produces a decision about age-at-death using multiple interval-valued aging methods without requiring a population. The primary product of this project is a user-friendly GUI for providing multifactor age-at-death estimations. The GUI is freely available to forensic scientists in estimating age-at-death for a single skeleton, using the age-at-death methods that they prefer based on the bones and equipment available. Graphs and linguistic terms can then be used in case reports and court testimony. 11 figures, 74 references, and a list of sources that have reported these research methods and findings
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