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Brain Fingerprinting: Department of Computer Science
Brain Fingerprinting: Department of Computer Science
1. Introduction
Brain fingerprinting" is a computer-based test that is designed to discover,
document, and provide evidence of guilty knowledge regarding crimes
,and identify members of dormant terrorist cells. Brain fingerprinting is a
technique that measures recognition of familiar stimuli by measuring
electrical brain wave responses to words, phrases, or pictures that are
presented on a computer screen. Brain fingerprinting was invented by
Lawrence Farwell. The theory is that the suspect's reaction to the details
of an event or activity will reflect if the suspect had prior knowledge of the
event or activity.
This test uses what Farwell calls the MERMER ("Memory and Encoding
Related Multifaceted Electroencephalographic Response") response to
detect familiarity reaction.
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1.2 TECHNIQUE
1.2.1 Brain Fingerprinting Testing Detects Information
Brain Fingerprinting testing detects information stored in the human brain.
A
(memory
and
encoding
related
multifaceted
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2. Electroencephalography
Electroencephalography (EEG) is the measurement of electrical activity
produced by the brain as recorded from electrodes placed on the scalp.
Just as the activity in a computer can be understood on multiple levels,
from the activity of individual transistors to the function of applications, so
can the electrical activity of the brain be described on relatively small to
relatively large scales. At one end are action potentials in a single axon or
currents within a single dendrite of a single neuron, and at the other end is
the activity measured by the EEG which aggregates the electric voltage
fields from millions of neurons. So-called scalp EEG is collected from tens
to hundreds of electrodes positioned on different locations at the surface
of the head. EEG signals (in the range of milli-volts) are amplified and
digitalized for later processing. The data measured by the scalp EEG are
used for clinical and research purposes.
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2.3 METHOD
Scalp EEG, the recording is obtained by placing electrodes on the scalp.
Each electrode is connected to one input of a differential amplifier and a
common system reference electrode is connected to the other input of
each differential amplifier. These amplifiers amplify the voltage between
the active electrode and the reference (typically 1,000100,000 times, or
60100 dB of voltage gain).
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Result analysis
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4.1 Investigation
The first phase in applying Brain Fingerprinting testing in a criminal case
is an investigation of the crime. Before a Brain Fingerprinting test can be
applied, an investigation must be undertaken to discover information that
can be used in the test. The science of Brain Fingerprinting accurately
Dtermines whether or not specific information is stored in a specific
persons brain. It detects the presence or absence of specific information
in the brain. Before we can conduct this scientific test, we need to
determine what information to test for. This investigation precedes and
informs the scientific phase which constitutes the Brain Fingerprinting test
itself. The role of investigation is to find specific information that will be
useful in a Brain Finger printing test.
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information
is
stored
in
specific
persons
brainBrain
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5. Applications
5.1 Medical field
rapidly throughout the world. There is a critical need for a technology that
enables early diagnosis economically and that can also accurately
measure the effectiveness of treatments for these diseases Research has
now demonstrated that analysis of the P300 brainwave can show
dementia onset and progression. MERMER technology, developed and
patented by Brain Fingerprinting Laboratories, includes the P300
brainwave and extends it, providing a more sensitive measure than the
P300 alone.
electrodes; technicians then present words, phrases and images that are
both known and unknown to the patient to determine whether information
that should be in the brain is still there. When presented with familiar
information, the brain responds by producing MERMERs, specific
increases in neuron activity. The technician can use this response to
measure how quickly information is disappearing from the brain and
whether the drugs they are taking are slowing down the process.
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6. Limitations
i.
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7.1 Accuracy
Conventional fingerprinting and DNA match physical evidence from a
crime scene with evidence on the person of the perpetrator. Similarly,
Brain Fingerprinting matches informational evidence from the crime scene
with evidence stored in the brain. Fingerprints and DNA are available in
only 1% of crimes. The brain is always there, planning, executing, and
recording the suspect's actions.
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8. Case Study
The biggest breakthrough, according to Farwell, was its role in freeing
convicted murderer Terry Harrington, who had been serving a life
sentence in Iowa State Penitentiary for killing a night watchman in 1977.
In 2001, Harrington requested a new trial on several grounds, including
conflicting
testimony
in
the
original
trial.
Farwell was faced with an immediate and obvious problem: 24 years had
passed since the trial. Evidence had been presented and transcripts
published long ago; the details of the crime had long since come to light.
What memories of the crime were left to probe? But Farwell combed the
transcripts and came up with obscure details about which to test
Harrington. Harrington was granted a new trial when it was discovered
that some of the original police reports in the case had been missing at his
initial trial. By 2001, however, most of the witnesses against Harrington
had either died or had been discredited. Finally, when a key witness heard
that Harrington had "passed" his brain fingerprinting test, he recanted his
testimony and the prosecution threw up its hands. Harrington was set free
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9. Conclusion
Todays sophisticated crime scene analysis techniques can
sometimes place the perpetrator at the scene of the crime; however,
physical evidence is not always present. Knowledge of numerous details
of the crime, such as the murder weapon, the specific position of the
body, the amount of money stolen -- any information not available to the
public -- may reveal that a particular individual is associated with the
crime.
.
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10.BIBLOGRAPHY:
[1] Farwell LA, Donchin E. The brain detector: P300 in the detection of
deception. Psychophysiology 1986; 24:434.
response
analysis
(MERA).
US
patent
[4] http://www.forensic-evidence.com
[5] http://www.brainwavescience.com
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