Still in it's development phase but I'm sure many of you would like the programs basic user interface.

It includes a number of functions that other programs do not such as the Ordnance Survey co-ordinates converters

Single computer installation US$500
Multiple computer installation US$2500
On-Line Purchasing available

Good Points:

1. Ease of use.
2. Outstanding online video tutor - it takes you step by step through each portion of REC-TEC. You can request the tutor on CD if you have a very slow Internet connection.
3. Very comprehensive - all aspects of reconstruction addressed in detail in program.
   
4. Probably should be called Reconstruction Programs since it covers all aspects of reconstruction that I have encountered (Slide to Stop, Acceleration, Falls & Vaults, Pedestrian, Crush, 360 momentum, Energy, Heavy Truck, Pole Fracture, Animation, Photogrammetry, Time Distance, Collision Avoidance, etc.)
   
5. Free upgrades!!!
   
6. Outstanding customer service - George Bonnett, the developer, answers your calls personally and works you through any questions you have.
   
7. Easy payment plan.

Bad Points

1. Cost - however, it is worth every cent - none of the other software offers you anything similar for the same cost - and they all charge for upgrades.

With thanks to Joe Badger [USA]

I first reviewed David Bailey's "Accident Reconstruction Programs" over a decade ago for the national law enforcement periodical "Law & Order." His software has undergone many improvements and one of the better features is the collection of automobile and light truck specifications such as weight, wheelbase, overall length and so on.

ARP incorporates a moon phase routine for those interested in the amount of possible nighttime illumination. I've found his program to be mostly a handy calculator but where you don't have to remember the equations. You simply look at the menus, pick what you want, and enter the necessary data and you get your answer.

The program has many of the features expected of a commercial program, such as configurable toolbar with tool tips and a variety of options (such as turning the tool tips on or off). Maine have chosen not to call the speed from damage calculation "Delta V" like many investigators would but use that phrase elsewhere. All results are shown to an appropriate accuracy but strangely without their respective suffix such as m/s or km/h shown on screen. This I found annoying as the program, conveniently, permits data entry in either metric or US imperial units it could lead to an incorrect interpretation of the result - or maybe I'm being picky!

The results can be printed out in a slightly customisable format with print preview an option.

The help file does not attempt to instruct the user in Accident Investigation, however I was concerned at some of the data included in the help file - such as stating that a coefficient of friction for new, dry, asphalt to be in the range of 0.80 to 1.20 at speeds below 30 mph (48kph) but that this might change to 0.65 to 1.00 at higher speeds when it is my experience that this is somewhat misleading - but if you are an accident investigator then I'm sure you will have your own views. I am not aware of the background of the author(s). Neither the program or the help file explain the origin of all of the formulae, however, perhaps they are common in the US - can you tell me - I'll put the answer here.

The demo is fully functional - so why not try it. After 21 days prepare for the program to stop working !

Mamy AI Formula:

• US Imperial and Metric measurements interchangeable.
• Over 60 different equations, including Momentum (360° & Vector Sum Analysis), Rollover speed, Weight Shift, Turn-away Speed, Hydroplane Speed, Combined Speed, Pedestrian formulas, Overtaking data, Blood/Alcohol formulas, Trig functions, Truck formulas, and more.
• Save and Load Project data or screen bitmaps into clipboard to use in word processing.
• Creates and prints iteration tables for speed and time/distance equations.
• Performs sensitivity checks to assess variations in input data, and prints a table of the results.
• Prints data, text and graphics with your own explanatory text.
• Displays and prints graphs in "change of velocity" and "momentum" equations.
• Extensive Context Sensitive Help files.

• Collision Manager - Links all the programs together and provides a web based file manager.
• Relative Motion - In its first version 2.5 (although fairly new). This program imports CAD drawings and from these you can position the vehicles and other objects at various stages of the collision - viewable in 3D from different angles, ending with a "drive through" of the whole incident.
• Ai Damage - Determines the change in velocity of vehicles from an analysis of the crush damage sustained in the collision.
• SolvePro - Active document based equation sheets. Change one variable, and watch the changes cascade through the document!
• Active Equation - The calculator engine behind SolvePro.
• Ai Solve - Dialog based accident investigation calculator.
• tc2000 - Download and file conversion program for the Topcon series of electronic total stations.
• tcLevel - Download and display information from the Topcon series of digital levels.

AI Solve
Standard formulae available. The best feature of Ai Solve is the 'Write - Back' function. This is a user configurable text file for your results. Some of the options available are context sensitive help, always on top option, print preview and the ability to save your answers to the clipboard before pasting them elsewhere. I see it's greatest problem being the fact that all entry forms have to be closed before another can be opened. This is strange for a Windows 95 (or any Windows) program. This is similar to many DOS programs. Although the results are remembered ready for the next time the form is opened it would be nice to have the opportunity to have more than one open at once. I found it somewhat annoying that the calculations are performed at every possible data entry point. By this I mean that AI Solve will attempt to resolve the problem as soon as possible, the user has to be careful not to use a result before all known data is input. For example with the Calculate µ (Coefficient of Friction) as soon as the test velocity is entered a calculated Coefficient is given - without a distance!

AiDamage
Up to now this has been (I believe) AiTS's premier program and now performs the calculation of Delta-V (change of speed) in two ways. Up to know it has used their own method of measuring crush damage, but now uses that taught for other crush programs (EDCRASH etc.). I believe this to be a bonus and is keeping AiTS at the forefront of UK AI programs.

Relative Motion
Having loaded the demo I found that the 30 days available was going to prevent a full evaluation [due to pressures of work!]. I successfully loaded in a DXF CAD file but didn't have time to add my own animation's to it, I had a go but didn't find the input method as intuitive as some of the other programs in this suite. I then played around with the demo's supplied. They appeared a little jerky, this may be due to the video display on my laptop. I was able to view the scenes in 2D (plan view) and 3D - this is impressive. I was able to rotate the scene allowing different perspective of the same scene, very useful for evaluating witness evidence. I could find how to zoom into the scene, and while on a 'continuous loop' I chose to amend the lighting, locking me out of the controls -Ctrl-Alt-Del required!
I hope, in the fullness of time, to see AiTS demonstrating the program. I'm confident this is the future of computer based Ai animation and with the ability to output the animated incident to video hopefully this will be accepted in UK courts.

The whole suite has five parts:

• Vista Drawing Tool;
• Vista Advanced Tools;
• AutoScene;
• Visual Analyst;
• Vehicle Specs Database.

For a review on the CAD aspect see CAD & Graphics section.

for the other sections. Please if you have some information or can review this program.