Research and innovation

From a global perspective, the NFI is one of the leading forensic institutions and serves as an example for forensic institutions in Europe and beyond. The NFI has achieved this position by constantly improving its products and services. Science and innovation at the NFI are strongly driven by experiences from forensic practice.

The NFI Strategic Forensic Investigation Program

The NFI investigation program ensures that the NFI remains state-of-the-art and thus guarantees the continuity of forensic investigation.

To develop and maintain new methods and products for the 40 forensic research areas, knowledge available within the NFI is used in the disciplines Biological, Chemical, Medical, Physical, Digital & Biometric, and Interpretation of forensic data. Within the NFI program projects are carried out within the disciplines as projects that are multidisciplinary. In addition, the NFI has projects with partners, such as the judiciary, police and the Public Prosecution Service.

The implementation of the projects reinforces the path taken by the NFI to:

  • Innovate from new scientific insights, together with partners;
  • Be active from the crime scene to the courtroom;
  • To excel in complex and multidisciplinary forensic investigations.

The projects are carried out in collaboration with national and international partners.

The projects within the disciplines ensure that the forensic research areas remain state-of-the-art. The multidisciplinary innovation projects are implemented within seven themes, with the projects in 2020 focusing on the themes "From source to activity" and "From technology to forensic application".

The NFI is committed to work with its partners on innovation within the forensic chain. The research areas chosen with the partners are "Innovation on the crime scene" and "Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Big Data". A third research area is still being determined.

The projects are carried out in collaboration with national and international partners.

Signaling innovations early

Many forensic techniques have their origins in a different domain. The NFI therefore has close relationships with industry and universities, among others, to identify new forensic options in an early stage. The NFI also employs various scientists who combine their forensic work with a professorship at one of the universities in the Netherlands.

The NFI therefore has close relationships with industry and universities, among others, to identify new forensic options in an early stage.