Original reporting and commentary about polygraphs, voice stress analyzers, and other purported "lie detectors."
Chris Summers of BBC News reports. Excerpt: As the British government unveils plans to make lie detector tests mandatory for convicted paedophiles, some scientists in the US are working on more advanced technology which might be better equipped at detecting deception. Imagine the Pentagon equipped with a machine which can read minds. Sound like the …
Jenifer Johnston reports for the Sunday Herald: THE creator of a new lie detector which scans brainwaves before a subject even speaks has admitted she fears what could happen if it falls into the wrong hands. “We assume that the people asking the questions are going to be noble and working for something that is …
SWNEBR.net reports. Excerpt: KEARNEY, NE–In Kearney, Nebraska today Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson announced that the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) will receive one million federal research dollars to study two important issues. The first project is to improve the reliability of polygraph technology in an effort to make it more useful in law enforcement …
The Defense Department’s Technical Support Working Group made the following announcement on 1 June 2004: June 1, 2004 – The Investigative Support and Forensics (IS&F) subgroup of TSWG began a DHS-funded task for the development of a polygraphy chair and associated software. Atlas will develop a standoff measurement system that can unobtrusively gather physiological and/or …
Oded Hermoni reports for Ha’aretz: The American government is funding the development of new technology for a polygraph machine that is capable of identifying whether a person is telling the truth, without physically attaching him to the equipment. There are also plans to develop a mat of sensors that will be used in airports to …
Frank Munger reports for the Knoxville News Sentinel: OAK RIDGE – The detection of deception. A little-known research group in Oak Ridge is developing an alternative to polygraphs, using subtle temperature changes on a person’s face to tell if he or she is lying. Early results are promising. “We believe this technology that we have …
Richard Willing reports for USA Today. Excerpt: PHILADELPHIA — In a quiet corner of the University of Pennsylvania campus, professor Britton Chance is using near-infrared light to peek at lies as they form in the brains of student volunteers. Eventually, Chance hopes to see something else: a day when a device like his replaces the …
U.S. Senate Bill 1025, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004, envisages future research into alternative technologies to the polygraph. The relevant section of S. 1025 is cited in full here: SEC. 355. COORDINATION OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESEARCH ON SECURITY EVALUATIONS. (a) WORKSHOPS FOR COORDINATION OF RESEARCH- The National Science Foundation and the Office …