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BRAIN FINGERPRINTING

Pranab Chatterjee

Second Professional M.B.B.S.


Batch 2005-2007
Medical College, Kolkata
pranabchatterjee@hotmail.com
INTRODUCTION
• Dr. Lawrence Farwell was the inventor of
the Farwell Brain Fingerprinting
Technique (known as MERA=Multifaceted
Electroencephalographic Response
Analysis)
• According to Farwell:
– “It is a scientific method to identify the criminals
and clear the innocent with extremely high
accuracy by measuring the electrical brain
responses.”
DEFINITION
• IT IS A CONTROVERSIAL TECHNIQUE
WHICH IS ADVOCATED AS A WAY TO
IDENTIFY A TERRORIST OR CRIMINAL
BY MEASURING THE “BRAINPRINT” OF
THAT PERSON WHEN SHOWN A
PARTICULAR WRITING OR IMAGE
THAT HE IS PREVIOUSLY FAMILIAR
WITH.”
HISTORY
Dr. Emmanual Donchin and his then graduate student
Dr. Lawrence Farwel worked on the diagnostic tool
“Guilty Knowledge Test” that measures brain
activity like regional blood flow by event related
functional MRI (fMRI) with increased activity in the
anterior cingulate cortex, superior frontal gyrus and
left premotor and motor cortex.
Thus, Blood Oxygen Level Dependant MRI (BOLD
MRI) distinguished between deceptive and truthful
responses.
BASIS OF FARWEL BRAIN-FINGERPRINTING
• A sequence of stimuli (words, pictures and sounds)
are flashed on a computer screen for a fraction of a
second.
• There are three types of stimuli:
– TARGET: Information known to the suspect=
establish baseline MERMER/P300 for information
known to be significant to the suspect
– IRRELEVANTS: information with no relevance to the
incidents in question=do not elicit MERMER/P300 to
establish baseline for information not significant to
the suspect
– PROBES: non-target stimuli relevant to the incident
in question=elicits MERMER/P300 in persons
involved
EXPLANATIONS
• In a person with extensive knowledge of
the relevant incident there will be eliciting
of MERMER/P300 to the probe stimuli as
in the case of target stimuli
• In a person with no knowledge of the
relevant incident there will be response
similar to the irrelevant stimuli
EX-PLANATIONS
• P300:
– It’s a positive change in the neural activity elicited
exactly 300 milliseconds after the stimulus with
special significance has been flashed. Response
occurs UNCONSCIOUSLY.
– It is one aspect of a larger brain wave response
called MERMER (Memory and Encoding Related
Multifaceted Electroencephalographic
Response). MERMER is more accurate as it
measure P300 in addition to other brain waves
elicited by the stimuli.
MEASUREMENT
• The waves are measured non-invasively
through a patented headband equipped
with sensors.
• It determines as “Information Present”
or “Information Absent”.
• At no time in the test there is seen biases
and emotional responses affecting the
results of the test and /or its presentation.
INTERPRETATIONS: EXAMPLES
INFORMATION/PRO INFORMATION INFORMATION
BES PRESENT ABSENT

Crime related Participation in crime Non-participation

Known to members of Affiliation in the said No affiliation


a particular organisation
organisation

Pre-crime data Identification of Non involvement in


terrorists before they crimes
strike
ADVANTAGES
• 99.9% accuracy, quick and scientific, time taken for
test only 10 minutes.
• Uncovering of criminals, espionage agents,
terrorists, with less expenses and material
resources.
• Innocent subjects are freed from facing stressful
interrogations-which is a violation of human rights.
• Has no effect whatsoever by emotions unlike the
polygraph tests which have effects by emotions.
• Non-invasive and non-testimonial.
100% SUCCESS RATES SEEN:
• FBI studies
• US Intelligence studies
• US Naval Studies
CASE STUDIES
• JAMES GRINDER:
– 5TH August, 1999, James Grinder, serial killer
incriminated
• TERRY HARRINGTON:
– In 2000, freed after 24 years of imprisonment.
Landmark trial where the Judge admitted that the
procedure fulfilled al the four criteria set down by the
Supreme Court.
• JIMMY RAY SLAUGHTER CASE:
– Has been selected for retrial based on the evidence
given by the Farwel Brain Fingerprinting results. The
results were being awaited

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