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'Non-Invasive Polygraph' Uses Infrared Light

Posted by timothy on from the and-if-you-believe-that dept.

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.

8 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Inadmissability of polygraph results by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 2, Funny

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

    Starburst: The Juice is Loose

  2. another issue? by Hubert_Shrump · · Score: 3, Funny

    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!

    --
    Keep your packets off my GNU/Girlfriend!
  3. This would make politics interesting by Phillup · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    --

    --Phillip

    Can you say BIRTH TAX
    1. Re:This would make politics interesting by eglamkowski · · Score: 2, Funny

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

      --
      Government IS the problem.
  4. Re:Still subjective measurements by tanguyr · · Score: 4, Funny

    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!

    --
    #!/usr/bin/english
  5. Consumer Grade Unit by 4of12 · · Score: 4, Funny

    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!"

    --
    "Provided by the management for your protection."
  6. Re:Polygraph story by alecto · · Score: 2, Funny
    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.

  7. Re:Polygraph story by ThereIsNoSporkNeo · · Score: 3, Funny

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

    --
    With my dying breath, I curse Zoidberg!