Russian criminalistics experts to get new-generation microscopes this year

The Russian Interior Ministry's criminalistics lab is to get new-generation MSK-3 microscopes (MSK stands for comparative criminalistics microscope - Ed.), which were assembled at the famous LOMO factory in St. Petersburg. This was disclosed to RIA-NOVOSTI here today at the press center of the Russian Conventional Weapons Agency.

The new microscope, which will be installed at the Interior Ministry's ballistics labs and tracing labs, was developed on a par with the ministry's criminalistics experts, RIA-NOVOSTI's interlocutor added.

In his words, LOMO mostly used to upgrade available microscopes over the last decade; meanwhile new parts account for over 90 percent of the new microscope's components. Microscope quality was also enhanced greatly, the source noted.

The new microscope, which boasts a much wider angle of vision than its predecessors, also features imaging systems, which can be connected to digital and analogue cameras; all images can be subsequently processed by computers.

The microscope-adjustment process has been simplified; the same is true of multi-coordinate measurements. Each MSK-3 features quite a few sample-holders, which make work much easier.

According to RIA-NOVOSTI's interlocutor, production of the first commercial batch of this MSK-3 microscope highlights the incipient re-equipment of Russia's criminalistics labs.

Plans are also in place to equip forensic labs of the national Justice Ministry with these new devices, the press-center official said in conclusion.