Tuesday, September 6, 2011

"Press a computer button"


The article 'Covert lie detection technology to be trialled in Britain' informs us that "A COVERT lie detection system using thermal imaging cameras and powerful software to spot tell-tale signs of deception is to be trialled at an undisclosed airport in Britain, The (London) Sunday Times reported. The system could be used during customs interviews and at passport control to check whether people entering the country are giving a true account of themselves. A key element will be that people under scrutiny will not know they are being monitored for truthfulness. The airport where it will be tested is not known but if it works it could be installed in others around Britain. Hassan Ugail, a Professor of visual computing at the University of Bradford and who designed the system, said, “In an interview you can be talking to a person, then you basically just press a computer button and say: was this person lying or not?"

At first glance the technology sounds similar in some respects to this report from 2002 (incidentally patented by Honeywell, so the good professor should double check before he goes to the bank...)

It sounds rather expensive, did both PCASS and FAST not pan out (sarcasm alert)?

A success rate of 60-70%? O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'

Note that even a much higher success rate would have to deal with the 'base rate fallacy' when it comes to identifying terrorists, which presumably is the aim of this effort!

The search for the miraculous silver bullet continues!

Other technology hype blog entries:
Technology hype

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