Luca Cuccovillo is the new Chair of the ENFSI Expert Working Group on “Forensic Speech and Audio Analysis" (FSAAWG)

Since November 2023, Luca Cuccovillo, an audio forensics researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Ilmenau, has been leading the ENFSI expert working group on Forensic Speech and Audio Analysis (FSAAWG). The group promotes research activities, best practices, training opportunities, and development of innovative techniques in the field of audio forensic science across Europe.

Audioforensik-Forscher Luca Cuccovillo vom Ilmenauer Fraunhofer-Institut für Digitale Medientechnologie IDMT
© Fraunhofer IDMT
Luca Cuccovillo, an audio forensics researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Ilmenau, is the new Chair of the ENFSI Expert Working Group on “Forensic Speech and Audio Analysis" (FSAAWG).

The European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI), to which this group belongs, is a collaborative organization that brings together over 70 forensic science institutes across Europe to facilitate cooperation and exchange expertise in forensic analysis and investigation. ENFSI plays a crucial role in standardizing procedures, enhancing the quality and reliability of forensic evidence, and supporting the criminal justice system in the European countries.

Cuccovillo has already contributed to an ENFSI best practice manual for forensic laboratories

Luca Cuccovillo is a recognized specialist in audio forensics with specific expertise in analyzing processing traces and detecting manipulation in audio material. Before his election as Chair of the ENFSI FSAAWG, he served as member of its steering committee.

Within the steering committee, Cuccovillo was significantly involved in the publication of an ENFSI best practice manual for forensic laboratories and scientists in December 2022. The manual, co-authored by him and other colleagues from the expert working group, outlines technical methodologies, essential hardware and software, quality principles, training recommendations, and practical guidelines for conducting forensic authenticity analyses of digital audio recordings.

Cuccovillo is committed to actively working towards the realization of the ENFSI Vision 2030

As new Chair of the Forensic Speech and Audio Analysis Expert Working Group, the scientist intends to collaborate closely with the other ENFSI expert groups. "It is a tremendous honor that the FSAAWG members have placed so much trust in me. In my role, I aim to ensure that our working group contribute significantly to accomplishing the goals outlined by the network in the "ENFSI Vision of the European Forensic Science Area 2030" strategy," says Luca Cuccovillo.

The goals described by the ENFSI Vision include:

  • Embracing future technologies by exploring biometrics, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies to advance forensic science capabilities.
  • Strengthening forensic results by facilitating data sharing, and addressing challenges related to migration, trafficking, and smuggling.
  • Ensuring forensic integrity by promoting research on fundamentals of forensic science, understanding human factors in investigations, and maintaining quality assurance to uphold the reliability of forensic outcomes.

At Fraunhofer IDMT, Cuccovillo and the media forensics research team are actively involved in developing cutting-edge media forensics technologies. Their innovations aim to support journalists, law enforcement, and media platforms in verifying the authenticity and origin of content. Their contributions include detecting manipulation and the use of speech synthesis in audio content, identifying decontextualized media content with the help of a provenance analysis.

More information about ENFSI in general and the work carried out in the expert groups can be found here: https://enfsi.eu/.

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