FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

BRAIN ELECTRICAL OCCILATIONS

SYSTEM (BEOS)
aka BRAIN FINGERPRINTING
TECHNOLOGY

Brief Introduction By:

Tapeshwar Bhardwaj
M.Sc Forensic Science
IInd Semester
1507

CONTENTS

Introduction
Basic Outline
Working Principle
Technique
Comparison with Other Technologies
Role in Criminal Proceedings
Applications
Advantages
Conclusion
REFERENCES

Introduction
History..

Brain fingerprinting was invented by Dr. Lawrence

Farwell, The chief scientist and president of Human
Brain Research Laboratory, USA.
He had tested brain fingerprinting technology in over
170 cases. The test has not made a single error in all
these cases.

Basic Outline
Brain Fingerprinting is a investigative
technique that measures recognition of
familiar stimuli by measuring electrical
brain wave responses to words, phrases,
or pictures that are presented on a
computer screen
The theory is that the suspects
reactions to the details of an event or
activity will redflect if the suspect had
prior knowledge of the event or activity.

Working Principle
Existing
polygraph test
rely on
emotional
responses, brain
fingerprinting
records how your
brain reacts to
words and
images relate to
a crime once
only the killer
would recognize.

Technique
The person to be
tested wears a
special head band
with electronic
sensors that
measures the
electroencephalog
raphy from
saveral locations
on the scalp.

In order to
calibrate the brain
fingerprinting
system, the testee
is presented with a
series of irrelevant
words, and
pictures, and a
series of relevant
words and
pictures.

This technique uses

the well known fact
that an electrical
signal known as
P300 is emitted
from an individuals
brain approximately
300 millisecond
after it is confronted
with a stimulus of
special significance.

Comparison with Other Technologies

The
novel
interpretation
in
brain
fingerprinting is to look for P300 as
response to stimuli related to the crime in
question. Eg: a murder weapon or a victim
Because
face.
it is based on EEG signals, the
system doesnt require the testee to issue
verbal responses to questions or stimuli.
Brain fingerprinting uses cognitive brain
responses, brain fingerprinting does not
depend on the emotions of the subject nor
Brain
fingerprinting
is fundamentally
is it affected
by emotional
responses.
different from Polygraph (lie-detector)
which measures emotion-based
physiological signals such as heart rate,
Also,
unlike
testing, it does not
sweating,
andpolygraph
blood pressure,
attempt to determine whether subject is
lying or telling the truth

ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPH
Y
Electroencephalography (EEG) is
the measurement of electrical
activity produced by the brain as
recorded from electrodes placed
on the scalp.
So called scalp EEG is collected
from 10s to 100s of electrodes
positioned on different location at
the surface of the head. EEG
signals (in the range of milli VoltsmV) are amplified and digitalized
for later processing.
The data measured by the scalp
EEG ared used for clinical and
research purposes

Role in Criminal Proceedings

The application of Brain Fingerprinting testing in a
criminal case involves four phases:
1. Investigation
2. Interview
3. Scientific Testing, and
4. Adjudication
The first phase is undertaken by a skilled
investigator, the second by an interviewer who
may be an investigator or a scientist, the third
by a scientist, and the fourth by a judge and jury.

PHASE 1: Investigation

Before a brain fingerprinting testing can be

applied, an investigation must be undertaken to
discover information that can be used in the test.

PHASE 2: Interview of
Subject
Once Evidence has been accumulated through
investigation, the interview with the suspect may
help to determine which scientific tests to
conduct, or how to conduct the tests.

PHASE 3: Scientific Testing with

BEOS
The input for this scientific procedure is the probe
stimuli, which are formulated on the basis of the
investigation and the interview.

The output of this scientific procedure is a

determination of Information Present or
Information Absent for those specific probe
stimuli.

PHASE 4: Adjudication of Guilt or

Innocence
The adjudication of guilt or innocence is the
exclusive domain of the judge and jury.

Science provides evidence, but a judge and jury

must weigh the evidence and decide the verdict.

APPLICATIONS
The various applications are as follows:
Test for saveral forms of employment, especially
in dealing with sensitive military and foreign
intelligence screening.
Individuals who were Information Present and
Information Absent.
To detect symptoms of Alzheimers Disease,
mental depression of other forms of dementia
including neurological disorders.
Criminal cases
Counter Terrorism
Security testing

ADVANTAGES
The various advantages are as follows:
The rate of error is extremely low, virtually
non-existent and clear standards
governing.
Record of 100% accuracy.
Identifies the criminal quickly and
scientifically.
Provide immediate scientific result.
Reduced cost and complexities.
Support the right to speedy and fair trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain fingerprinting is a
revolutionary new scientific
technology for solving crimes,
identifying perpetrators, and
exonerating innocent suspects,
with a record of 100%
accuracy inresearch with US
government agencies, actual
criminal cases, and other
applicatiobs

The Technology fulfils

an urgent need for
governments, law
enforcements agencies,
corporations,
investigators, crime
victims, and falsely
accused innocent
suspects

REFERENCES
1)
2)

3)

4)

5)
6)

Farwell LA, Donchin E. The brain detector: P300 in the detection

of deception. Psychophysiology 1986; 24:434
Farwell LA, Donchin E. The truth will out: Interrogative
Polygraphy (Lie-Detection) with event-related brain potential.
Psychology 1921; 28:531-541
Farwell LA, Inventor. Method and apparatus for multifaceted
EEG response analysis (MERA). US Patent 5, 363, 858. 1994
Nov15
Farwell LA. Two new twists on the truth detector: Brain-wave
detection of occupational information. Psychology 1992;
29(4A):S3.
Farwell LA, Inventor. Method and detection for truth detection.
US Patent 5,406,956. 1995 Apr 18.
Picton TW. Handbook of Electroencephalography and clinical
neurophysiology: human event-related potentials. Amsterdam: