'Non-Invasive Polygraph' Uses Infrared Light

opticsorg writes "Infrared laser pulses could soon be used to determine whether someone is telling the truth or is under stress. In patent application WO 03/057003, US firm Defense Group describes a non-invasive polygraph machine that fires infrared pulses at the subject. The reflected and scattered pulses are gathered and analysed by a receiver. 'The receiver is connected to an information processing device capable of determining various physiological characteristics exhibited by the human subject,' say the authors." Whether "various physiological characteristics" are reliable signs of truth-telling is another issue, though.

Inadmissability of polygraph results

[Dancin_Santa]

Maybe if they'd require them, we'd have found the real killers by now.

Starburst: The Juice is Loose [code7r.org]

another issue?

[Hubert_Shrump]

Whether "various physiological characteristics" are reliable signs of truth-telling is another issue, though.

You question our methods, terrorist?

Perhaps it is you that stole the stapler!

This would make politics interesting

[Phillup]

Wouldn't it be cool to have one pointed at every politician, every time they made public statements?

Re:Still subjective measurements

[tanguyr]

Sir Bedevere: There are ways of telling whether she is a witch.
Peasant 1: Are there? Oh well, tell us!
Sir Bedevere: Tell me. What do you do with witches?
Peasant 1: Burn them!
Sir Bedevere: And what do you burn, apart from witches?
Peasant 1: More witches!
Peasant 2: Wood!
Sir Bedevere: Correct. Now, why do witches burn?
Peasant 3: ...because they're made of... wood?
Sir Bedevere: Good. So how do you tell whether she is made of wood?
Peasant 1: Build a bridge out of her!
Sir Bedevere: But don't we also build bridges out of stone?
Peasant 1: Oh yeah.
Sir Bedevere: Now, does wood float in water?
Peasant 1: No, no... Throw her into the pond!
Sir Bedevere: No, no. What else floats in water?
Peasant 1: Bread!
Peasant 2: Apples!
Peasant 3: Very small rocks!
Peasant 2: Cherries! Great lumpy gravy!
Peasant 3: Crutches!
King Arthur: A Duck!
Sir Bedevere: Exactly!

Re:This would make politics interesting

[eglamkowski]

There'd be no point - it'd go off every time the politicians moved their lips.

Consumer Grade Unit

[4of12]

Infrared laser pulses

(Wife points TV remote at hubby.)

"Now tell me again where you were until 2:30 last night! And don't think you can get away with lying - I've got my IR polygraph aimed right at your forehead!"

Re:Polygraph story

[alecto]

The only reason it sticks around is there is enough money being pumped into it, that the purveyors of this snake oil can keep lots of people convinced that it works.

Kind of like DRM, in that respect.

Re:Polygraph story

[ThereIsNoSporkNeo]

They couldn't come up with a color for "Modern day torture"... or, more accurately, it was already taken by the "Games" section.