Paper for Brain fingerprinting

BRAIN FINGERPRINTING
C.V.S. Sainadha Krishna, CSE, GAYATRI VIDYA PARISHAD,
Jackson Olive Aluri, CSE, GAYATRI VIDYA PARISHAD,
P. Naresh, CSE, GAYATRI VIDYA PARISHAD
ABSTRACT
Brain Fingerprinting uses electroencephalography to confirm the presence or absence of information in a
suspects brain based on his reaction to particular stimuli. As a new forensic tool, Brain Fingerprinting
Technology stands poised to exert a tremendous impact on the presentation and outcome of selected legal
cases in the near future. The aim of this paper is to present a clear idea of the topic, Brain fingerprinting
Discuss its working, competition to other forensic tools.
Keywords: Brain fingerprinting, EEG, Forensics, P300
INTRODUCTION:
Crimes are the acts which are harmful not only to an individual but also to a community of people. Such
acts are forbidden and punishable by law. Forensic Science is a highly exciting discipline which deals with the
scientific method of gathering and examining information. This is especially important in law enforcement
where forensics is done in relation to criminal or civil law, but forensics are also carried out in other fields,
such as astronomy, archaeology, biology and geology to investigate ancient times. The reason behind the
emergence of forensic science was the necessity to maintain the law and punish the criminals.
Many approaches are employed in forensic science today to serve its purpose of which, one that mainly
holds interest is Computational Forensics which concerns the development of algorithms and software
to assist forensic examination. Even though there are various approaches like lie-detection, the
vulnerabilities exist. Every technique remains perfect to some extent and fails at some point of time.
So it becomes a necessity to go on developing techniques that increase in their fineness and applicability
With reduced failure chances.
One such thing is possible with Computational Forensics as it deals with usage of software and algorithms.
These algorithms which once devised have a heavy scope of improvement and are obviously more reliable.
Among those approaches some of them that played a major role and are playing a major role are:
Processing fingerprints, shoeprints, documents, DNA etc.

Besides these available techniques one new technique that is almost a revolution is the Brain fingerprinting
Technique. It was invented by Dr. Lawrence A. Farwell. Its a patented technique with proven accuracy in
US government tests.

Paper for Brain fingerprinting

The fundamental difference between the perpetrator of a crime and an innocent person is that the
perpetrator, having committed the crime, has the details of the crime stored in his memory, and the innocent
suspect does not. This is what Brain Fingerprinting testing detects scientifically, the presence or absence of
specific information.

Figure: Human Brain and Brain Waves.

Brain Fingerprinting is a brain computer interaction. The working of brain is the basis for its development.
It is known that every brain reacts to a particular stimulus. The response depends upon the previous
encounter of the one with the same stimulus. Most importantly, brain waves correspond to each thought
process invoked by a particular stimulus. The whole process of Brain Fingerprinting deals with the plot of
Brain waves observed by subjecting the accused to a set of stimuli in the form of images of crime scene or
things that are related to particular crime which is under investigation.

Working of Brain Fingerprinting:

As stated earlier, the fundamental difference between the perpetrator of a crime and an innocent person is
that the perpetrator, having committed the crime, has the details of the crime stored in his memory, and the
innocent suspect does not. This is what Brain Fingerprinting testing detects scientifically, the presence or
absence of specific information.
The technique involves application of a series of stimuli to the accused in the form of pictures that
are relevant to a crime, terrorist act, terrorist training, or specific knowledge or expertise are
presented on a computer screen along with the irrelevant ones.
A suspects brainwave responses to these stimuli are measured non-invasively using a patented
headband equipped with EEG sensors. A proprietary computer program then analyzes the data to
determine if the crime-relevant information is stored in the brain. A specific, measurable brain
response known as a P300 is emitted by the brain of a perpetrator who has the details of a crime
stored in his brain, but not by an innocent suspect lacking this record in his brain. The P300
response has been extensively researched and widely published in leading professional journals for
more than 30 years and has gained broad acceptance. The discovery of the P300-MERMER by
brain response allows the results gained through the P300 to be more accurate. 100% of
determinations have been correct.

Paper for Brain fingerprinting

Figure: EEG sensors

Figure: The Brain Fingerprinting test by Lawrence A. Farwell

Phases in Brain Fingerprinting:

Brain Fingerprinting is a process that involves four main phases:
1. Crime Scene collection:
The first phase in which an expert visits the crime scene and gathers all the details corresponding to the
crime scene. These are necessary as we are supposed to show the pictures or words related to crime scene
to the accused for further investigation.
2. Brain Incidence collection:
It is a test for the match between the crime scene information and the evidence in the brain of suspect. It
involves the usage of EEG sensors and Brain Fingerprinting system.
3. Computer Analysis:
It is the plot and analysis of brain waves using a brain fingerprinting system which involves the application
of complex mathematics for deciding the result which says whether suspect is a real culprit or innocent.
4. Result:
The Result can be considered as one of:
Information present- details present in brain.
Information absent- details absent in brain.
Depending on the display of plot of brain waves which are also a part of result, it will be decided whether
the information is present in the brain of suspect or not.

Paper for Brain fingerprinting

Figure: Information is absent.

Figure: Information is present.

Abbreviations and Acronyms:

EEG: Electroencephalography.
MERMER: Memory and Encoding Related Multifaceted Electroencephalographic Response.

Comparisons with other techniques:

1. Fingerprints and DNA are available very rarely in crimes whereas the brain and the evidence recorded in
it are always there. So we can consider brain fingerprinting as one useful technique.
2. There is no need of interrogation; the only things needed are a handful of EEG sensors and brain
fingerprinting system.
3. Brain Fingerprinting technology relates to whats in a brain. Not to the emotions. So there is a higher
success probability.
Applications:
1. To Counter National Threats:
It can be used for prior identification of national threatening actions of terrorists and such people by
conducting tests of such suspected people.
2. Criminal Justice:
It has been proved to be true in 99.9% of cases in which it has been applied. So, it can be used to do
criminal justice.
3. Medical Field:
As it detects brain waves, it can find applications in Psychology field especially.
4. Advertizing:
It can be used to know the pulse of people by examining the information in brains of people in response
to the advertisements being used for publicity.

Paper for Brain fingerprinting

Proofs of Reliability:
1. Brain Fingerprinting Helped to Put a Serial Killer in Prison for Life.
Culprit: JB Grinder.
2. Ruled Admissible in Court; Man Convicted of Murder Freed after 25 Years.
Innocent: Terry Harrington.
Pros:
1. It has been tested and proves to be a highly reliable tool for investigation.
2. Apart from forensics, it has applications in various fields.
Cons:
1. It is costly.
2. Is generally applied to critical cases.
3. It is available only in few areas in world.
Conclusion:
Brain Fingerprinting is a highly advanced technology that uses brain computer interface and serves as a
forensic tool. Being highly reliable forensic tool, used for critical criminal cases it would be much more
appreciable if the same can be applied for almost every case so that the salvation becomes easy. For this the
cons should transform into pros.
References
1. Prof. Dinesh Chandra Jain, Dr. V.P. Pawar, The Brain Fingerprinting through Digital
Electroencephalography Signal Technique, vol3, IJCSE, Mar 2011, ISSN: 0975-3397
2. Alexandra J. Roberts, EVERYTHING NEW IS OLD AGAIN: BRAIN FINGERPRINTING AND
EVIDENTIARY ANALOGY, vol9, Article7, Yale Journal of Law and Technology, 2007.
3. AWDHESH KUMAR, Brain Fingerprinting, a seminar report, COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE
& TECHNOLOGY, October 2010
4. http://www.lawrencefarwell.com/brain-fingerprinting-overview-dr-larry-farwell-dr-lawrencefarwell.html
5.

www.d.umn.edu/~rlloyd/MySite/Mind.../Brain%20Fingerprinting.ppt

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_fingerprinting

Paper for Brain fingerprinting