Researchers at Virginia's George Mason University recently received a $5-million grant to further development of an app that can detect bruising across any skin tone. The app is intended to be a tool in the battle against domestic violence and makes some promising advances in doing so. But, like any AI-powered tool, it also opens up some potential pitfalls. 

If you have been arrested or are under investigation for domestic violence in the state of Pennsylvania, it is vital to seek legal counsel. The right defense team could help you maintain both your freedom and your reputation. Call the LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team at 888.535.3686 or connect with us online today. 

Shedding Light on a Difficult Subject 

Dr. Katherine Scafide and her team at GMU have been researching ways to better detect bruises regardless of the victim's skin tone. Usually, it is harder to identify bruises on darker skin. But Scafide's team has discovered that different wavelengths of light make bruising up to five times more detectable in certain skin tones. 

This breakthrough marks an important turning point for Scafide and her team, as one of the main goals of this project is to help victims of domestic violence receive an equal level of care, regardless of skin tone or other factors. 

The app also uses an AI component to identify and catalog bruises, allowing victims of domestic violence to quickly register and record their injuries. This would be especially beneficial for individuals in remote areas or who otherwise don't have easy access to medical care. 

The app is still several years from being fully developed, and it will be interesting to see if and how these potential liabilities are addressed. It's extremely important to give victims of domestic violence every possible tool to protect themselves and attain justice, but the burden of proof in such cases can be a delicate matter. 

Defense Attorneys for Domestic Violence Charges in Pennsylvania 

If Scafide and her team are able to overcome these limitations and find ways to both better protect victims of domestic violence and prevent unlawful accusations of assault, this app could indeed be a monumental breakthrough. 

But AI is no substitute for a trained medical professional, and such AI-related determinations could lead to false reports. There's also no way for the app to verify what caused bruising, opening up the possibility that unrelated injuries could be falsely categorized as evidence of domestic assault. 

Accusations of domestic violence are serious charges, as they carry both the potential for severe legal repercussions and social stigmatization. If you're faced with such charges, it's important to have the right legal team on your side. Call the Criminal Defense Team at the LLF Law Firm at 888.535.3686 or contact us online.