When a significant event happens, the human brain creates a memory of that event and stores it. When the individual is later cued
by a stimuli on this event, the individual will recall their memory once again.
Scientists are using this brain mechanism as a way to identify criminals and
terrorists through Brain Fingerprinting technology.
Brain Fingerprinting technology detects whether specific information
is stored in the brain by measuring brainwave responses to crime-relevant or
terrorism-relevant words or pictures presented on a computer screen. Three
types of stimuli are presented to the subject:
1) “Irrelevant" stimuli: stimuli that are irrelevant to the investigation and the subject
2) "Target: stimuli: stimuli that are relevant to the investigation and are known to the subject
3) "Probe" stimuli: stimuli that are relevant to the investigation which the subject denies knowledge of
While the suspect views these stimuli, their brainwave
responses are measured using a headband with EEG sensors. A computer program
then analyzes the data to determine if the crime-relevant information is stored
in the brain. A specific, measurable brain response called the P300 is emitted
by the brain of the guilty suspect who has stored details of the crime in their
brain. Brainwaves are measured with a technique of called P300-MERMER (memory
and encoding related multifaceted electroencephalographic response), developed
by Dr. Lawrence Farwell.
