Osteomics: Decision support systems for forensic anthropologists

Abstract The popularity of web-based analytical tools with an emphasis on improved statistical analyses within the landscape of forensic anthropology is increasing. Osteomics is a web-based platform composed of a suite of forensic decision support systems designed to contend with the challenges posed by the estimation of the biological profile of human skeletal remains and particularly the estimation of age at death, the diagnosis of sex, the calculation of body parameters, and the prediction of biogeographic origin. The web applications designed at Osteomics intend to make innovative and reliable statistical models freely available. The suggested models are grounded around traditional and advanced statistical thinking, data visualization and processing, and predictive modeling under the machine learning paradigm. This paper aims to introduce the potential of the web platforms as forensic decision support systems and to give a detailed description of the statistical techniques used in the web-based applications available at Osteomics.