Richard Baker

Richard Baker profile picture

Richard joined Hawkins in 2017 as a Chartered Mechanical Engineer. He graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2009 with a First Class Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. Richard has previously occupied the roles of Engineer, Senior Engineer and Principal Engineer. He now specialises in the forensic investigation of road traffic accidents/collisions, vehicle and mechanical failures, and image analysis typically of video recordings from CCTV systems and ‘dash-cams’. Richard has extensive experience in engineering design and analysis. As well as taking on more traditional mechanical engineering cases, such as those involving failures of mechanical joints and fasteners, Richard uses his experience in engineering data analysis and interrogation in cases involving video analysis. Richard applies scientific analysis methods to video recordings to facilitate interpretation of events in the context of space (position), time, speed, and the fundamental scientific and engineering principles that bound the problem. This work includes video clarification and enhancement, relating to single and multiple vehicle accidents, and collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists. This area of Richard’s work often strongly overlaps with his expertise in collision investigation and Richard is regularly instructed to deal with both Video Analysis Expert and Collision Reconstruction Expert aspects of a case. Richard has […]

Droning On…

Over the past few years, drones have become increasingly common and are now frequently used by both hobbyists and commercial operators.

Inigo Beckett Joins Hawkins’ Digital Forensics Team

Inigo will be using his skills to expand and strengthen Hawkins’ offerings in Digital Forensic Services, including photogrammetry, image and audio analysis and enhancement, hardware interrogation and digital data analysis.

Under Control: The Challenges of Designing for the Submarine Environment

Control systems are an intrinsic and abundant part of modern life; they control everything from personal aspects of our lives, such as our central heating and the engines of our cars, to massive industrial automation, in industries like factories, distribution warehouses and transportation links. They are responsible for not only completing a task, but ensuring that it is done quickly, efficiently and safely. This article will discuss the constraints imposed on a control system with huge responsibilities, which must function within a challenging, underwater environment.

Open at Your Own Risk: Business Email Compromise

Have you heard about Business Email Compromise? If it hasn’t happened to your company yet, you’re one of the lucky ones.
The development of the Internet and email in the last few decades has had a profound impact on businesses and the way they operate. As industry has shifted to using electronic communication, we are hearing about Business Email Compromises (BEC) more and more. From our clients to news reports, BEC is growing as one of the largest compromise categories under the Cyber Security umbrella. According to the latest report by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), since 2016 32,000 BECs have been reported, totalling approximately 9 Billon US Dollars stolen from companies in America alone. Between 2013 and 2018 a combined total of 12 Billion US Dollars was estimated lost due to this fraud internationally. However, these numbers are based only on the losses that are actually reported to government organisations, meaning many more businesses have been, and could be, at risk.

Event Data Recorders in Passenger Vehicles

An Event Data Recorder or EDR is a function or device installed in a vehicle that records technical vehicle and occupant information for a brief period of time (seconds, not minutes) before, during and after a collision, for the purpose of monitoring and assessing vehicle safety system performance.