Do any of you have experience with this? Does it work well or badly? Do you have some sort of special collection equipment or routines? How do you make it add to a case?
I am asking because i have thought much about it and i am guessing that it would be a challenge since there are so many keypresses on a keyboard every day that getting one successful distinct print would be very hard.
Note i am only interested in the technical/quality side and your experiences.
Printing a keyboard has its limitations. In any latent print dusting, the texture has to be a relatively smooth surface in order to collect a good amount of "points" for comparison. If a graphite dusting is not the option and the examiner decides to use superglue, your keyboard is, in most cases ruined. Can it be done, yes but as I have described, there are limitations. Another option is DNA testing.
If there is a texture to the keys then you may be better off (after cyanoacrylate fuming) using a flourescent powder with an alternate light source. Photograph with the appropriate lens and 11 lens. There is a technique using a glue stick to lift the print as you don't want to use standard lifting tape with that powder.
You can always test out the technique on another keyboard first.
Can you submit it to the forensic lab as they may have experience with keyboards and have more equipment to process it with.
Regards,
Chris
If there is a texture to the keys then you may be better off (after cyanoacrylate fuming) using a flourescent powder with an alternate light source. Photograph with the appropriate lens and 11 lens. There is a technique using a glue stick to lift the print as you don't want to use standard lifting tape with that powder.
You can always test out the technique on another keyboard first.
Can you submit it to the forensic lab as they may have experience with keyboards and have more equipment to process it with.
Regards,
Chris