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There is growing interest in the potential for a technology known as brain fingerprinting to be used in the fight against crime and terrorism, but it's far from reliable.
Its use without consent violates human rights. And importantly, the technology (as it currently exists) can be tricked.
Brain fingerprinting seeks to detect deception by essentially reading thoughts. It works by using electroencephelography (EEG) to read the electrical activity of the brain, with the aim of trying to identify a phenomenon known as the P300 response [DOI: 10.1097/00004691-199210000-00002] [DX].
The P300 response is a noticeable spike in the brain's electrical activity, which usually occurs within one-third of a second of being shown a familiar stimulus. The idea is that our subconscious brain has an uncontrollable and measurable response to familiar stimuli that the machine can register.
Imagine, for example, that a particular knife was used in a murder, and police show an image of it to their lead suspect who denies the crime. If the suspect registers a P300 response and thus a positive recognition of the knife, this would seem to suggest he's lying. Alternatively, if the suspect doesn't register a positive recognition, maybe police have the wrong guy.
Could you escape culpability for your crimes by taking a roofie afterward?
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Wednesday September 27 2017, @11:30AM
"Wouldn't everyone working on the case also be likely to signal recognition of the knife?"
"Wouldn't people who watch crime dramas on TV that have involved stabbings also signal recognition of the knife?"
"In fact, can you name *anyone* here who you can guarantee wouldn't signal recognition of the knife?"
*Objection! badgering the witness*
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves