Brain Finger printing

1. The Brain Fingerprinting Technology
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2. ABSTRACT
Brain Fingerprinting is a new computer-based technology to
identify the perpetrator of a crime accurately and scientifically
by measuring brain-wave responses to crime-relevant words or
pictures presented on a computer screen. Brain Fingerprinting
has proven 100% accurate in over 120 tests, including tests on
FBI agents, tests for a US intelligence agency and for the US
Navy, and tests on real-life situations including felony crimes.
Why Brain Fingerprinting???
Brain Fingerprinting is based on the principle that the brain is
central to all human acts. In a criminal act, there may or may not
be many kinds of peripheral evidence, but the brain is always
there, planning, executing, and recording the crime. The
fundamental difference between a perpetrator and a falsely
accused, innocent person is that the perpetrator, having
committed the crime, has the details of the crime stored in his
brain, and the innocent suspect does not. This is what Brain
Fingerprinting detects scientifically.
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3. CONTENTS:
1. Introduction.
2. MERMER Methodology.
3. Technique.
4. Four phases of Farwell Brain Fingerprinting.
5. Scientific procedures, Research and
Applications.
6. Advantages and Limitations of Brain
Fingerprinting.
7. Conclusion.
8. References.
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4. 1.Introduction:
Brain Fingerprinting is a Related Multifaceted
controversial proposed Electroencephalographic
investigative technique that Response") response to detect
measures recognition of familiarity reaction. One of
familiar stimuli by measuring the applications is lie
electrical brain wave detection. Dr. Lawrence A.
responses to words, phrases, Farwell has invented,
or pictures that are presented developed, proven, and
on a computer screen. Brain patented the technique of
fingerprinting was invented Farwell Brain Fingerprinting,
by Lawrence Farwell. The a new computer-based
theory is that the suspect's technology to identify the
reaction to the details of an perpetrator of a crime
event or activity will reflect if accurately and scientifically
the suspect had prior by measuring brain-wave
knowledge of the event or responses to crime-relevant
activity. This test uses what words or pictures presented
Farwell calls the MERMER on a computer screen.
("Memory and Encoding Farwell Brain Fingerprinting
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5. has proven 100% accurate in in situations where
over 120 tests, including tests investigators have a sufficient
on FBI agents, tests for a US amount of specific
intelligence agency and for information about an event or
the US Navy, and tests on activity that would be known
real-life situations including only to the perpetrator and
actual crimes. investigator. In this respect,
Brain Fingerprinting is
What is Brain
considered a type of Guilty
Fingerprinting?
Knowledge Test, where the
Brain Fingerprinting is "guilty" party is expected to
designed to determine react strongly to the relevant
whether an individual detail of the event of the
recognizes specific activity. Existing (polygraph)
information related to an procedures for assessing
event or activity by the validity of a suspect's
measuring electrical brain "guilty" knowledge rely
wave responses to words,
on measurement of
phrases, or pictures presented
autonomic arousal (e.g.,
on a computer screen. The
palm sweating and heart
technique can be applied only
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6. rate), while Brain of the perpetrator. Brain
Fingerprinting measures Fingerprinting provides a
electrical brain activity via a means to objectively and
fitted headband containing scientifically connect
special sensors. Brain evidence from the crime
Fingerprinting is said to be scene with evidence stored in
more accurate in detecting the brain. (This is similar to
"guilty" knowledge distinct the process of connecting
from the false positives of DNA samples from the
traditional polygraph perpetrator with biological
methods, but this is hotly evidence found at the scene
disputed by specialized of the crime; only the
researchers. evidence evaluated by Brain
Fingerprinting is evidence
The secrets of Brain
stored in the brain.) Brain
Fingerprinting: Fingerprinting measures
Matching evidence at the electrical brain activity in
crime scene with response to crime-relevant
evidence in the brain words or pictures presented
When a crime is committed, a on a computer screen, and
record is stored in the brain reveals a brain MERMER
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7. (memory and encoding presented via computer to the
related multifaceted subject for a fraction of a
electroencephalographic second each. Each of these
response) when, and only stimuli are organised by the
when, the evidence stored in test-giver to be a “Target,”
the brain matches the “Irrelevant,” or a “Probe.”
evidence from the crime The Target stimuli are chosen
scene. Thus, the guilty can be to be relevant information to
identified and the innocent the tested subject, and are
can be cleared in an accurate, used to establish a baseline
scientific, objective, non- brain response for
invasive, non-stressful, and information that is significant
non-testimonial manner to the subject being tested.
The subject is instructed to
press on button for Targets,
2.MERMER and another button for all
Methodology: other stimuli. Most of the
The procedure used is similar non-Target stimuli are
to the Guilty Knowledge Irrelevant, and are totally
Test; a series of words, unrelated to the situation that
sounds, or pictures are the subject is being tested for.
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8. The Irrelevant stimuli do not response does not elicit a
elicit a MERMER, and so MERMER, indicating that
establish a baseline brain the information is absent
response for information that from their mind. Note that
is insignificant to the subject there does not have to be an
in this context. Some of the emotional response of any
non-Target are relevant to the kind to the stimuli- this test is
situation that the subject is entirely reliant upon
being tested for. These recognition response to the
stimuli, Probes, are relevant stimuli, and relies upon a
to the test, and are significant difference in recognition-
to the subject, and will elicit hence the association with the
a MERMER, signifying that Oddball effect
the subject has understood
that stimuli to be significant. 3.Technique:
A subject lacking this
The person to be tested wears
information in their brain, the
a special headband with
response to the Probe
electronic sensors that
stimulus will be
measure the
indistinguishable from the
electroencephalography from
irrelevant stimulus. This
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9. several locations on the scalp. milliseconds after it is
In order to calibrate the brain confronted with a stimulus of
fingerprinting system, the test special significance, e.g. a
is presented with a series of rare vs. a common stimulas
irrelevant stimuli, words, and or a stimulas the proband is
pictures, and a series of asked to count. The novel
relevant stimuli, words, and interpretation in brain
pictures. The test subject's fingerprinting is to look for
brain response to these two P300 as response to stimuli
different types of stimuli related to the crime in
allow the tester to determine question e.g., a murder
if the measured brain weapon or a victim's face.
responses to test stimuli, Because it is based on EEG
called probes, are more signals, the system does not
similar to the relevant or require the testee to issue
irrelevant responses. The verbal responses to questions
technique uses the well or stimuli. Brain
known fact that an electrical fingerprinting uses cognitive
signal known as P300 is brain responses, brain
emitted from an individual's fingerprinting does not
brain approximately 300 depend on the emotions of
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10. the subject, nor is it affected suspect is apprehended, is
by emotional responses. scientifically compared with
Brain fingerprinting is evidence on the person of the
fundamentally different from suspect to detect a match that
the polygraph (lie-detector), would place the suspect at the
which measures emotion- crime scene. Farwell Brain
based physiological signals Fingerprinting works
such as heart rate, sweating, similarly, except that the
and blood pressure. Also, evidence collected both at the
unlike polygraph testing, it crime scene and on the
does not attempt to determine person of the suspect (i.e., in
whether or not the subject is the brain as revealed by
lying or telling the truth. electrical brain responses) is
informational evidence rather
4.Four phases of Farwell
than physical evidence. There
Brain Fingerprinting:
are four stages to Farwell
In fingerprinting and DNA Brain Fingerprinting, which
fingerprinting, evidence are similar to the steps in
recognized and collected at fingerprinting and DNA
the crime scene, and fingerprinting:
preserved properly until a
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11. 1. Brain Fingerprinting Crime Collection in order to
Scene Evidence Collection; determine whether or not the
evidence from the crime
2. Brain Fingerprinting Brain
scene matches evidence
Evidence Collection;
stored in the brain of the
3. Brain Fingerprinting suspect. In the Computer
Computer Evidence Analysis; Evidence Analysis, the
and Farwell Brain Fingerprinting
system makes a mathematical
4. Brain Fingerprinting
determination as to whether
Scientific Result.
or not this specific evidence
In the Crime Scene Evidence is stored in the brain, and
Collection, an expert in computes a statistical
Farwell Brain Fingerprinting confidence for that
examines the crime scene determination. This
and other evidence connected determination and statistical
with the crime to identify confidence constitute the
details of the crime that Scientific Result of Farwell
would be known only to the Brain Fingerprinting: either
perpetrator. The expert then "information present" – the
conducts the Brain Evidence details of the crime are stored
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12. in the brain of the suspect – Fingerprinting presents a new
or "information absent" – the paradigm in forensic science.
details of the crime are not This new system detects
stored in the brain of the information directly, on the
suspect. basis of the
electrophysiological
5.Scientific procedures,
manifestations of
Research and
information-processing brain
Applications: activity, measured non-
 Informational invasively from the scalp.
Evidence Detection. Since Brain Fingerprinting
depends only on brain
The detection of concealed
information processing, it
information stored in the
does not depend on the
brains of suspects, witnesses,
emotional response of the
intelligence sources, and
subject.
others is of central concern to
all phases of law  The Brain MERMER
enforcement, government and Brain Fingerprinting utilizes
private investigations, and multifaceted
intelligence operations. Brain electroencephalographic
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13. response analysis (MERA) to computerized signal-
detect information stored in detection algorithm.
the human brain. A memory
 Scientific Procedure
and encoding related
multifaceted Brain Fingerprinting
electroencephalographic incorporates the following
response (MERMER) is procedure. A sequence of
elicited when an individual words or pictures is presented
recognizes and processes an on a video monitor under
incoming stimulus that is computer control. Each
significant or noteworthy. stimulus appears for a
When an irrelevant stimulus fraction of a second. Three
is seen, it is insignificant and types of stimuli are
not noteworthy, and the presented: "targets,"
MERMER response is "irrelevants," and "probes."
absent. The MERMER The targets are made relevant
occurs within about a second and noteworthy to all
after the stimulus subjects: the subject is given
presentation, and can be a list of the target stimuli and
readily detected using EEG instructed to press a
amplifiers and a particular button in response
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14. to targets, and to press MERMER. For an innocent
another button in response to subject lacking this detailed
all other stimuli. Since the knowledge of the crime, the
targets are noteworthy for the probes are indistinguishable
subject, they elicit a from the irrelevant stimuli.
MERMER. Most of the non- For such a subject, the probes
target stimuli are irrelevant, are not noteworthy, and thus
having no relation to the probes do not elicit a
crime. These irrelevants do MERMER.
not elicit a MERMER. Some
 ComputerControlled
of the non-target stimuli are
relevant to the crime or The entire Brain
situation under investigation. Fingerprinting System is
These relevant stimuli are under computer control,
referred to as probes. For a including presentation of the
subject who has committed stimuli and recording of
the crime, the probes are electrical brain activity, as
noteworthy due to his well as a mathematical data
knowledge of the details of analysis algorithm that
the crime, and therefore compares the responses to the
probes elicit a brain three types of stimuli and
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15. produces a determination of 2: Aid in identifying trained
"information present" terrorists with the potential to
("guilty") or "information commit future terrorist acts,
absent" ("innocent"), and a even if they are in a “sleeper”
statistical confidence level cell and have not been active
for this determination. At no for years.
time during the testing and
3: Help to identify people
data analysis do any biases
who have knowledge or
and interpretations of a
training in banking, finance
system expert affect the
or communications and who
stimulus presentation or brain
are associated with terrorist
responses.
teams and acts.
Counter terrorism: Brain
4: Help to determine if an
fingerprinting can help
individual is in a leadership
address the following critical
role within a terrorist
elements in the fight against
organization. Brain
terrorism:
fingerprinting technology is
1: Aid in determining who based on the principle that
has participated in terrorist the brain is central to all
acts, directly or indirectly. human acts. In a terrorist act,
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16. there may or may not be to determine scientifically
peripheral evidence such as whether or not a person has
fingerprints or DNA, but the terrorist training and
brain of the perpetrator is knowledge of terrorist
always there, planning, activities. With the Brain
executing, and recording the Fingerprinting system, a
crime. The terrorist has significant scientific
knowledge of organizations, breakthrough has now
training and plans that an become a practical applied
innocent person does not technology. A new era in
have. Until the invention of security and intelligence
Brain Fingerprinting testing, gathering has begun. Now,
there was no scientific way to terrorists and those
detect this fundamental supporting terrorism can be
difference. Brain identified quickly and
Fingerprinting testing accurately. No longer should
provides an accurate, any terrorist be able to evade
economical and timely justice for lack of evidence.
solution to the central And there is no reason why
problem in the fight against an innocent individual should
terrorism. It is now possible be falsely imprisoned or
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17. convicted of terrorist activity. Fingerprinting testing, there
A Brain Fingerprinting test was no scientifically valid
can determine with an way to detect this
extremely high degree of fundamental difference.
accuracy those who are Brain Fingerprinting testing
involved with terrorist does not prove guilt or
activity and those who are innocence. That is the role of
not. a judge and jury. This
exciting technology gives the
Criminal justice: A critical
judge and jury new,
task of the criminal justice
scientifically valid evidence
system is to determine who
to help them arrive at their
has committed a crime. The
decision. DNA evidence and
key difference between a
fingerprints are available in
guilty party and an innocent
only about 1% of major
suspect is that the perpetrator
crimes. It is estimated that
of the crime has a record of
Brain Fingerprinting testing
the crime stored in their
will apply in approximately
brain, and the innocent
60 to 70% of these major
suspect does not. Until the
crimes. The impacts on the
invention of Brain
criminal justice system will
17

18. be profound. The potential first time, how memory and
now exists to significantly cognitive functioning of
improve the speed and Alzheimer sufferers are
accuracy of the entire system, affected by medications. First
from investigations to parole generation tests have proven
hearings. Brain to be more accurate than
Fingerprinting testing will be other routinely used tests, and
able to dramatically reduce could be commercially
the costs associated with available in 18-24 months.
investigating and prosecuting The 30 minute test involves
innocent people and allow wearing a headband with
law enforcement built-in electrodes;
professionals to concentrate technicians then present
on suspects who have words, phrases and images
verifiable, detailed that are both known and
knowledge of the crimes. unknown to the patient to
determine whether
Medical:
information that should be in
‘Brain Fingerprinting’ is the the brain is still there. When
patented technology that can presented with familiar
measure objectively, for the information, the brain
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19. responds by producing be able to offer significantly
MERMERs, specific more advanced, scientific
increases in neuron activity. methods to help determine
The technician can use this the effectiveness of
response to measure how campaigns and be very cost
quickly information is competitive with current
disappearing from the brain methodologies. This
and whether the drugs they technology will be able to
are taking are slowing down help determine what
the process. information is actually
retained in memory by
Additional Applications:
individuals. For example, in a
In advertising, Brain branding campaign do people
Fingerprinting Laboratories remember the brand, the
will offer significant product, etc. and how do the
advances in measuring results vary with
campaign and media demographics? We will also
effectiveness. Most be able to measure the
advertising programs today comparative effectiveness of
are evaluated subjectively multiple media types. In the
using focus groups. We will insurance industry, Brain
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20. Fingerprinting Laboratories
will be able to help reduce
the incidence of insurance 6.Advantages and
fraud by determining if an Limitations of Brain
individual has knowledge of Fingerprinting:
fraudulent or criminal acts. Advantages:
The same type of testing can a. Identify the Crime
help to determine if an Perpetrator quickly and
individual has specific scientifically
knowledge related to b. Record of 100 % Accuracy
computer crimes where there c. Reduced expenditure of
is typically no witness or Money and Man Hours of
physical evidence. Law enforcement
d. Provide smooth handling
The devices used in brain
of suspects to the Law
fingerprinting
Enforcement Agency
e. Human rights friendly
f. Likely to be an admissible
evidence in Court of Law,
because the evidence is
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21. scientific, objective, accurate 7.Conclusion:
and non-invasive in nature. Brain Fingerprinting is a
revolutionary new scientific
Limitations: technology for solving
a.It does not detect how that crimes, identifying
information got there. perpetrators, and exonerating
innocent suspects, with a
b. Brain Fingerprinting record of 100% accuracy in
detects only information, and research with US government
not intent. agencies, actual criminal
c. Where the suspects knows cases, and other applications.
everything that the The technology fulfills an
investigator can ask. urgent need for governments,
law enforcement agencies,
d. Authorities have no
corporations, investigators,
information about what crime
crime victims, and falsely
may have taken place. Brain
accused, innocent suspects.
Fingerprinting does not
detect lies. It simply detects
information.
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22. 8.References:
• Farwell LA and Smith SS. Using Brain MERMER Testing
To Detect Concealed
Knowledge Despite Efforts To Conceal Journal of Forensic
Sciences 2001.
• Farwell LA and Donchin E. The Truth Will
Out:Interrogative Polygraphy (“Lie Detection”) With
Event Related Potentials.
• Farwell LA. brainwavescience.com.
• Lander ES. DNA fingerprinting on trial. Nature 1989.
• Lambourne GTC. The Use of Fingerprints in Identification.
Med. Sci Law 1979.
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