Cadaver Dogs and the Deathly Hallows-A Survey and Literature Review on Selection and Training Procedure

Explosive Detection Dogs: A Perspective from the Personality Profile, Selection, Training Methods, Employment, and Performance to Mitigate a Real Threat

Terrorist organizations have compelled security authorities of every nation to make an increasingly significant commitment toward mitigating the risk of mass casualties and severe financial and property damages. As a result, various security measures have been implemented, including the use of advanced equipment and an uptick in intelligence activities. One of the most effective tools that has yielded outstanding results is the use of explosive detection dogs (EDDs). The nature of EDDs demands a high level of sensitivity given the inherent danger and severity of real threat situations that may involve the risk of explosion. Moreover, the operating procedures for EDDs are unique and distinguishable from other forms of detection. We conducted a review to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the subject, highlighting the EDDs' personality profile, selection, training methods, performance, and employment, incorporating insights from diverse fields, conducting an analysis, and presenting a perspective on using EDDs to prevent explosion threats.

Understanding Human-Autonomy Teams Through a Human-Animal Teaming Model

The relationship between humans and animals is complex and influenced by multiple variables. Humans display a remarkably flexible and rich array of social competencies, demonstrating the ability to interpret, predict, and react appropriately to the behavior of others, as well as to engage others in a variety of complex social interactions. Developing computational systems that have similar social abilities is a critical step in designing robots, animated characters, and other computer agents that appear intelligent and capable in their interactions with humans and each other. Further, it will improve their ability to cooperate with people as capable partners, learn from natural instruction, and provide intuitive and engaging interactions for human partners. Thus, human-animal team analogs can be one means through which to foster veridical mental models of robots that provide a more accurate representation of their near-future capabilities. Some digital twins of human-animal teams currently exist but are often incomplete. Therefore, this article focuses on issues within and surrounding the current models of human-animal teams, previous research surrounding this connection, and the challenges when using such an analogy for human-autonomy teams.

The smell of death. State-of-the-art and future research directions

The decomposition of a body is inseparably associated with the release of several types of odors. This phenomenon has been used in the training of sniffer dogs for decades. The odor profile associated with decomposition consists of a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemical composition of which varies over time, temperature, environmental conditions, and the type of microorganisms, and insects colonizing the carcass. Mercaptans are responsible for the bad smell associated with corpses; however, there are no unified recommendations for conducting forensic analysis based on the detectable odor of revealed corpses and previous research on VOCs shows differing results. The aim of this review is to systematize the current knowledge on the type of volatile organic compounds related to the decomposition process, depending on a few variables. This knowledge will improve the methods of VOCs detection and analysis to be used in modern forensic diagnostics and improve the methods of training dogs for forensic applications.

Comparing narcotics detection canine accuracy across breeds

Investigations of detection canine performance across breeds has yielded mixed results, often reporting behavioral differences observed by researchers or reported by handlers through surveys. The present study tested 34 narcotics detection canines; 25 Belgian Malinois and 9 German Shepherds to determine if there were any differences between the breeds in overall rate of detection accuracy and the number of false alerts in searches. As previously determined, results of the present study support the continued use of narcotic detection canines for law enforcement agencies (i.e., positive alert percentage >90%; false alert percentage <10%). The results indicate that Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds are statistically undifferentiated in their overall rate of narcotics detection accuracy [V(34) = 0.048, p = 0.778] and [χ2(1,34) = 0.080, p = 0.778]. The results further indicate that Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds are statistically undifferentiated in their number of false alerts in narcotics searches [V(34) = 0.133, p = 0.437] and [χ 2(1,34) = 0.604, p = 0.43].

Copycatting the smell of death: Deciphering the role of cadaveric scent components used by detection dogs to locate human remains

Human remains detection dogs (HRDD) are commonly used by law enforcement agencies to search for cadavers. Biological material is typically used as a training stimulus, also called aids, to train dogs to recognize the smell of cadavers. While HRDD training approaches have received extensive attention, information remains limited on the olfactory cues used to train them. Here, we aimed to decipher the chemical basis of detection dog olfaction. Five specific objectives were explored to precise whether the composition or the concentration of the training aids drives the HRDDs responses. We recorded the behavioral responses of four HRDDs exposed to different cadaveric-like smells. We found that HRDDs recognized a simplified synthetic aid composed of cadaveric compounds. The lowest concentration at which HRDDs continued to perceive the cadaveric smell was determined. HRDDs were not impacted by slight modifications to the chemical composition of a blend of odors that they have been trained with. HRDDs associated sulfur and nitrogen compounds as human cadaver. Our findings highlight a lack of specificity of HRDDs to cadaveric compounds, which could lead to error of detection. Moreover, all dogs did not positively respond to the same blends, despite being trained with the same aids and procedure. However, we confirmed that dogs could be trained with a simplified blend of molecules. The chemical composition of a training aid has, therefore, high consequences on the performance of the trained animal, and this conclusion opens additional questions regarding olfaction-based detection animals.

Optimizing coastal exhumation strategies: the casework of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (2006-2022)

This paper reports on coastal exhumations performed during 2006-2022, under the framework of the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) humanitarian identification programme. CMP archaeologists investigated 217 coastal locations and recovered skeletal remains on 44 occasions. Challenging environmental conditions required a customized exhumation plan, which could be executed swiftly without compromising operational integrity or standards. The author performed a retrospective analysis to propose an optimized strategy, which includes a survey, exhumation, digital documentation, and post-processing components, with the aim of minimizing the effects of adverse environmental conditions. The proposed strategy is based on scientific standards and observations in the field; it can satisfy the needs of a humanitarian or criminal investigation if appropriate measures are taken to uphold legislative and forensic standards. The author also discussed the taphonomic effects of coastal erosion and wave activity in tandem with exhumation recommendations to assist forensic practitioners involved in similar investigations.

Validation of a Behavior Test for Predicting Puppies' Suitability as Detection Dogs

Behavioral characteristics are the most influential factor in the success of a working dog. The need for highly capable detection dogs continues to rise; but reliable methods for early selection are lacking. The current study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of a behavioral test for assessing detection dog suitability. A cohort of candidate detection dog puppies (n = 60) were tested at 3; 5; and 11 months of age; as well as at the completion of training at approximately one year. Tests were designed to assess important detection dog behavioral characteristics such as search ability and fearfulness. Inter-rater reliability was high between independent observers. Convergent validity was demonstrated by comparing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) scores from the behavior test to trainer ratings using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) and a survey of detection dog traits. Performance on the behavior test predicted adult selection as a detection dog as early as 3 months. The methods reported will be valuable for improving selection measures and enhancing collaborations across breeding programs in order to increase the availability of highly capable detection dogs.