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Brain Scans to Identify Liars?

Posted by Zonk on from the hello-mr.-anderson dept.

dotc writes "After a bunch of sci-fi stories and rumors, now it looks like the future has become a reality -- a reliable, unbiased test using functional MRI brain scan to detect lying. The article author details a first-person account of undergoing the MRI 'deception task'. And the test is available now - use it to prove your innocence." From the article: "Laken said he's aiming to offer the fMRI service for use in situations like libel, slander and fraud where it's one person's word against another, and perhaps in employee screening by government agencies. Attorneys suggest it would be more useful in civil than most criminal cases, he said."

16 of 324 comments (clear)

  1. Oblig Simson quote by NoGuffCheck · · Score: 5, Funny

    SCULLY: Now we're going to run a few tests. This is a simple lie detector. I'll ask you a few yes or no questions, and you just answer truthfully. Do you understand?

    HOMER: Yes! (*The machine blows up*)

    --
    serenity now!
    1. Re:Oblig Simson quote by i_should_be_working · · Score: 2, Funny

      Eddie: Did you hold a grudge against Montgomery Burns?
      Moe: No!
      [buzz!]
      Moe: All right, maybe I did. But I didn't shoot him.
      [ding!]
      Eddie: Checks out. OK, sir, you're free to go.
      Moe: Good, 'cause I got a hot date tonight.
      [buzz!]
      Moe: _A_ date.
      [buzz!]
      Moe: Dinner with friends.
      [buzz!]
      Moe: Dinner alone.
      [buzz!]
      Moe: Watching TV alone.
      [buzz!]
      Moe: All right! I'm going to sit at home and ogle the ladies in the Victoria's Secret catalog.
      [buzz!]
      Moe: [weakly] Sears catalog.
      [ding!]
      Moe: [angry] Now would you unhook this already, please? I don't deserve this kind of shabby treatment!
      [buzz!]

    2. Re:Oblig Simson quote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I came in here to post just that. Looks like you've got everything under control. Carry on.

  2. A 1984 moment. by Deputy+Doodah · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...and in Britain....
    Authorities are discussing how to deploy lie-sensing devices on street corners. They say this will help protect the general public against crimes, and will augment the feature recognition systems already in place.

    American Democrats are poised to follow the lead of their socialist compatriots.

    More at 11:00.

  3. Tin Foil Hat by oakleeman · · Score: 5, Funny

    Guess I better break out the tin foil.

  4. The truth of the matter... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Attorneys suggest it would be more useful in civil than most criminal cases, he said.

    Does this mean that lawyers will be required to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help them God? Should make Court TV more interesting.

  5. Metal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Take off your ear rings and rip out your pace makers!
    Get dizzy while you're proving your innocence!

  6. Re:How soon before FBI trains to defeat it? by saskboy · · Score: 2, Funny

    My cat has already learned how to defeat this brain scan. He puts on his foil hat.

    --
    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
  7. Fatal flaw by Belseth · · Score: 2, Funny

    The technology assumes that there is a brain to be scanned. It's going to be pretty useless in determining which political cannidate is lying.

  8. impossible by digitallysick · · Score: 1, Funny

    I've never told a lie in my life!! That will never work!

  9. I feel better already by turkeyfish · · Score: 2, Funny

    At least now I know that George Bush will have an excuse giving him plausible deinability. He really believes his lies are the truth.

    Of course, they will still have to restrict use of such a machine during a presidential press conference lest the important national security secret be uncovered that if it were used in such a presidential press conference it would reveal the shocking truth of virtually no brain activity at all.

  10. Re:The Difference between the fMRI and a Polygraph by PitaBred · · Score: 2, Funny

    Man, and here I was worried about this machine catching me in a lie. It's a good thing... oohhh, shiny!

    --
    My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
  11. Re:Do not rely completely on fMRI by fyngyrz · · Score: 3, Funny
    Oh, come on. We had lunch together. You had what I had, and I had... er... I... No, that is, we...

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
  12. Re:Do not rely completely on fMRI by fyngyrz · · Score: 2, Funny
    I know I get pointlessly irritable when my bowels aren't regular.

    No shit?

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
  13. Re:Unpleasantness of an MRI by Ihlosi · · Score: 3, Funny
    I had one last year and had to be given anti-anxiety medication to be able to tolerate being stuck in a narrow tube for 45 minutes.



    ha Ha HA ... erm, I mean, be glad that you didn't have to have one twenty years ago, when the whole process took three and a half frickin' hours.



    Yes, compared to the very beginnings of MRI, it is a quick and fairly uncomplicated procedure today.

  14. Re:Do not rely completely on fMRI by Znork · · Score: 3, Funny

    Will they repeat that claim of 90% accuracy while taking an fMRI?