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A reporter caught her boyfriend cheating because of his Fitbit. Her viral story had many others sympathizing.

Fitbit and other fitness tracking devices are increasing the ways criminal investigators and even those outside criminallaw enforcement can gather information about a persons activities.

NFL Network reporter Jane Slater explained in a Dec. 5 tweet how she realized her ex-boyfriend was cheating on her after his activity levels had climbed at 4 a.m. She noticed the odd activity because the pair had synced their Fitbit accounts as a way to motivate each other, she said.

Fitness tracking devices have expanded their capabilities far beyond just counting steps, with newer models now monitoring more detailedmovement and activity, as well as GPS tracking.And outside of the realm of fitness, the devices can be used for more than catching cheating spouses.

This digital DNA is no different albeit more technical than the everyday evidence gathering involved in a crime scene investigation, explained Philip Rosenthal, a veteran private investigator and vice president of Israel-based computer forensics company Bis-Tec Technologies.

He described a crime scene in the aftermath of a burglary: Investigators atthe scene, he explained, are trying to find the evidence that would place a particular person in that office, by getting either their DNA or fingerprints or some other physical evidence to put them at the time and place inside that location. Digital forensics is no different its just that we're looking for digital DNA or fingerprints.

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In other cases often handled by police or investigators,the Fitbit or another fitness tracking device could be usedto determinewhen someones heart had stopped beating, indicating his or her likely time of death.

The data is recorded through cell towers and satellite technology, which links one person to another based on his or her locations,digital forensics expert Thomas Yohannan told FOX Business.

Movement and location are probably the biggest two things that these devices could do, Yohannan said.

Fitbit, which recently announced plans to be acquired by Google, provides some of the most accurate data out of the fitness tracking gadgets on the market, he said.

GOOGLE'S $2.1B FITBIT DEAL UNDER DOJ SCRUTINY: REPORT

The FBI used the data tracked from Mollie Tibbetts Fitbit after the 20-year-old went missing in the summer of 2018, in the hopes of learning more about where she was and whom she saw before she disappeared, CBS reported at the time.

In any criminal case, investigators can not only show a person was in this area, but they could also actually show that person was close to someone else, Yohannan said.

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The location tracking capability, however, is not unique to Fitbit, he added.

That doesn't always have to happen through just Fitbit or smartwatches, he said. You could do it also if a person has a Fitbit and another person has an ankle bracelet because they are under house arrest, you could say ... there's an interaction, just in terms of technology, between just different devices that could say here's the location of that person.

While the data does not provide any immediate solutions to a crime, it provides law enforcement an understanding of where someone was at some point in time, he said.

APPLE, FACEBOOK DEFEND ENCRYPTION UNDER GRILLING FROM SENATORS, LAW ENFORCEMENT

You have to help understand the context What time is it? All those things that law enforcement has to do in order to create the context, Yohannan said. It's not giving you a final solution. It's just giving you an understanding.

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Fitbit devices being used in criminal cases, to catch cheating spouses - Fox Business

Written by Varinder Bhatia, Edited by Explained Desk | Chandigarh | Updated: December 13, 2019 7:29:11 am Haryana Police claims it is the countrys first police force to have introduced this unique barcoding for forensic reports. (AP/Representational Image)

Haryana Police has adopted a unique barcoding software Trakea to ensure that thousands of forensic reports that form the backbone of the criminal investigation system and subsequent trials in the courts of law, are not tampered with.

According to the police, Trakea ensures foolproof security of the samples collected from the scene of crime, and the forensic analysis reports, and is different from traditional methods that the state police force has been following for decades.

Haryana Police claims it is the countrys first police force to have introduced this unique barcoding for forensic reports.

The software was originally designed by a prisoner who was lodged in Bhondsi jail for 13 months. A software engineer by profession, the man was facing charges of having murdered his wife, but was ultimately acquitted by the trial court.

In the 13 months that he spent in jail, however, the man worked on the software, writing algorithms and, once out of jail, became the source for Haryana Police acquire his creation. The software was adopted after certain modifications to suit the specific requirements of the Haryana Police.

The same software engineer had earlier designed a software digitising data pertaining to prison inmates and prison operations across all 19 jails of Haryana.

Trakea is aimed at ensuring security and a tamperproof tracking system for forensic reports. It streamlines the functioning of Forensic Science Laboratories.

Essentially, it is a forensic evidence management system that helps in automation of the entire procedure, right from the stage when forensic experts collect vital samples from the scene of crime to conducting analysis of the samples, followed by tracking casewise forensic reports electronically through barcodes.

Even the selection of forensic teams is done randomly through this software.

The system includes features of two-stage barcoding to maintain the secrecy of the samples, sent along with a strong, unbroken biometrically authenticated chain of custody trial, coupled with features to eliminate chances of pick-and-choose by automated case allocation to the scientists, followed by report-generation and real-time tracking of the status of cases through automated e-mail and SMS notifications.

Due to the unique barcoding, only the authorised investigating officers and forensic science experts shall be able to track the crime exhibits and scientific examination reports, reducing the chances of tampering/leakage of the report at any stage.

Also, there will be no case details mentioned on the crime exhibits/samples/parcels except the unique bar code, that can only be read through the biometric system.

Additional Director General of Police Shrikant Jadhav, who is Director, FSL, Madhuban, Karnal, Haryana said: In India, this system is the first of its kind implemented by any police force and FSL, from police station level to Forensic Science Laboratory, without disclosing details such as FIR number, name of parties etc., which could be used by miscreants to track the samples to influence the scientists or tamper with the examination reports at the forensic laboratories.

The roadmap for the future includes the expansion of the software on an app-based android platform for real-time online reporting of crime scene investigation visits by officers of mobile forensic science units of the Forensic Sciences Laboratory posted in each district, and its integration with the judicial system to reduce time lags and the chances of malpractices even at later stages.

Using this software, the judiciary too will be able to track the forensic examination report during the trial, significantly cutting down on delays.

As per the conventional practice all over the country, the crime exhibits (samples/parcels) are labeled with complete details, including the case FIR number; the police station; and the names and addresses of the victim, accused, medical officers, etc. With these details available, the crime exhibits can be easily traced and tracked by virtually anyone.

The crime exhibits could include DNA samples, documents, and reports of ballistics examinations, serology, biology, toxicology, lie-detection, etc. From the time the sample is collected to the time when forensic experts draw their final conclusion, there are multiple stages where the accused can use their influence to tamper with the sample in order to get a favourable forensic report.

Dont miss from Explained: How does an e-plane work, and how far is the world from flying fully electric?

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Explained: What is Trakea, used by Haryana Police to make forensic reports tamper-proof? - The Indian Express

A man was killed and another is in custody in a shooting in Stony Point, said Alexander County Sheriff Chris Bowman.

Bowman stated in a news release that a call was received at 12:32 p.m. Tuesday regarding a shooting at a home on Spring Pointe Drive. Deputies arrived and found a man with several gunshot wounds to the chest area, Bowman said. The male was pronounced dead at the scene by Alexander County EMS.

Bowman said deputies located 39-year-old Joshua Lee Branch, of Stony Point, at the scene of the shooting. He was detained, taken to the sheriff's office and charged with murder.

Bowman did not release the name of the victim, but did say the investigation is ongoing.

Earlier in the day, around 3:30 p.m., off a remote road in the 700 block of Spring Pointe Drive, roughly two miles away from the Iredell and Alexander county line, authorities worked in the front yard of the home. Several patrol cars and a crime scene investigation van were also parked in the driveway.

A photo of Branch and his bond amount were not immediately available.

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Stony Point man charged with murder; investigation into shooting ongoing - Statesville Record & Landmark

By: Ross Fodera

ARLINGTON, MA In 2016, the Arlington Police Department searched for a way to involve the community in what really happens in the daily life of an officer in their town. This led Captain James Curran to find the funding to revive a program from the early 2000s. The Citizens Police Academy (CPA) is a rising trend around the country. This program also exists in Texas, Kansas, and Georgia, among other states, along with cities and towns of Watertown, Springfield and Hingham right here in Massachusetts. Local police stations are encouraging their residents to participate in a program tailored to explain the basic operations of the department.

Anyone over the age of eighteen can apply to this twenty-student program each year, which takes place over nine weeks in the fall and concludes with a graduation ceremony. Each class is hosted at the station on Thursday nights from 6 9 PM, and the application is due by mid-August. There is no entry fee to apply or cost for the classes themselves. However, because of the high volume of applicants, the class is limited to Arlington residents.

Each week, the class tackles different topics in police education, ranging from their K-9 unit to crime scene investigation. Participants get a behind-the-scenes look at the 911 operators for the town, the cell block, and a tour of the entire station.

Subjects covered include:

These classes provide much more interactivity than mere lectures. The program allows its participants to explore the daily life of a police officer through ride-alongs that show what is involved in routine traffic stops. The notorious climax of the course is a visit to Camp Curtis Guild National Guard Reservation, where participants get to access the Reading Police Academy simulator and use a fake gun to experience real-life situations officers may face in the field.

Lt. Brendan Kiernan, a CPA supervisor, describes some of the core elements of the program, We go through what the detectives do, going to court, what the patrol officer does on the street, how responding to calls work, we do dispatch and what they do on a daily and nightly basis as far as answering calls and what their role is in the department.

If youre an Arlington resident and interested in law enforcement, dont miss out on this opportunity, as well as other programs offered by the Arlington Police Department, such as the R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) program for females, a nationwide offering that APD does particularly well.

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Arlington Police Educate Community on Police in their Town - Arlington Public News

The spaceship Rocinante arrives at the exoplanet Ilus in The Expanse.

By Stephen HumphreyDec. 6, 2019 , 8:00 AM

On 13 December, Amazon Prime will air the fourth season of The Expanse, a hardboiled space drama renowned for its working-class characters and real-world space physics. Showrunner Naren Shankar is part of the reason the science checks out. The veteran writer and producer for programs such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, Farscape, and the police procedural CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, has a doctorate in applied physics and electrical engineering.

Shankar chatted with Science about why he feels its important to have a realistic sci-fi show, and how television work is like the scientific peer-review process.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: How did you end up making sci-fi shows?

A: I actually started at Cornell [University] as an arts student. But I always loved science and math. In my second year, I transferred into the college of engineering. Usually, people transfer out of the college of engineering! I stayed all the way through to get my Ph.D. And somewhere along the line I just kind of decided I didnt want to be an engineer anymore. The field rewards incredible specialization, and I saw myself becoming more and more of an expert over a smaller and smaller corner of the universe. I had a couple of friends out in Los Angeles that I had just done creative writing with when I was in school. They said, Hey, come out, be a screenwriter. And I thought, great.

Q: What did your science education bring to your television work?

A: One of the most valuable things I took away from school is peer review. You write a paper, sit down with your colleagues, and then you pare it down. That is really the process of the writing, when youre writing a script. Everybody sits down and reads it and then you take it apart.

Naren Shankar, showrunner for The Expanse

I did a lot of science fiction in the early stage of my career, and then I did a lot of cop shows and crime shows.CSI: I ran that show for many years. It had a lot of scientific method in it. Investigating, the idea of the logical path to do a criminal investigation, evaluating evidence: All of that sort of really did play to the training.

Q:The Expansetries to incorporate real-world science. Does that fire up the physicist in you?

A:It does, and its actually one of the things that attracted me to the project. When I got the script for theThe Expanse, the pilot, I was, like, Wow, this is a very different kind of a show. Because they embraced all of the things that most science fiction shows run away from: the fact that you dont have weight unless your ship is accelerating, the fact that communication in space is not instantaneous. We use that for drama. At the end of one episode, a bunch of missiles are heading off to basically hit Mars. In the very next episode, people on Earth are realizing that that has happened, like, 25 minutes ago.

Q: What about the physics of your spaceships?

A:They fly with realistic physics. You see conservation of momentum, conservation of angular momentum: all of the things that would actually occur in space. You dont see control surfaces and aerodynamic flight, because theyre all moving in a vacuum. You see realistic objects changing orientation with thrusters. Personally, Im quite tired of seeing spaceships fly around like fighter planes in the Pacific in World War II.

In the pilot, the series opener, the big action sequence was the ship making a turn. This crappy old ship has to suddenly divert off of its course to go investigate a distress call. The only way a ship can change course is flip and burn, which is to flip around and fire the rocket. But they decelerate much harder than they should have. This could break the ship apart! That was the tension of it.

Q: In season four we see an exoplanet, Ilus, thats rich in lithiuma rare mineral thats valuable in the future. Ilus is like Earth but a bit wrong. You see different continents from space. Animals on its surface are different. Theres sort of an uncanny valley experience.

James Holden (played by Steven Strait) suffers the physical consequences of acceleration in The Expanse.

A:Thats a really good way to describe it. It appears to be Earth-like, because you can breathe the air. Oh, things are fine. Well, biology is much more complicated than that. There are things that happen when you have interacting biomes. Imagine the first Europeans coming to Australia. All the biology that was there was stuff that they were not used to. There were things that were poisonous, that they didnt understand. Many of them died. Its a little different with Ilus because weve got humans coming to an alien planet with a different biome than human genetics. So that causes some interesting interactions.

Q: How is Ilus different than aStar Trekplanet of the week planet for you?

A:Star Trekis a wonderful show, but its not really, in any true sense, a hard science fiction show. The kind of stories it chooses to tell are largely allegorical in nature.Star Trekwent to planets with monolithic cultures and dealt with certain sociological problems. Ilus is uninhabited. Its just a place thats got a lot of lithium. The only people there are a bunch of refugees saying, You cant have our mine.

Q: Is that maybe a couple of steps from happening, right now? Maybe somebody will claim an asteroid and become a trillionaire.

A:Absolutely. Its amazing when youre getting into these stories that are set hundreds of years in the future and then you look at the present: You know, maybe its not going to be that long. Because that stuff is out there, for sure.

Q: Do you think youre raising the game for everybody, as far as how to make a science fiction show?

A:I hope were raising the game. I do get the impression, though, that people are a little intimidated by trying to pull it off. It does require you to pay attention to things that people arent really told to pay attention to. That requires a different kind of appreciation of the reality of whats going on. And so its a fairly high bar, I think. But its certainly not inaccessible.

The rest is here:
How real-world science sets The Expanse apart from other sci-fi shows - Science Magazine