Advanced scientific detection of deception-ERP augmented polygraphy

Abstract

The authors address the current state of polygraphy and the application of the brain's field potential data, specifically event-related potentials (ERPs), and pupillometrics to advanced scientific detection of deception and polygraphy. In the scientific detection of deception, the evoked potential of interest is commonly referred to as the P300. One means of assessing the efficacy of ERP augmented polygraphic systems is through the use of visual stimulation in the expanded guilty knowledge test process. In this empirical test configuration, multiple data channels are incorporated into the system, including eye movement and pupil diameter, as a control over the countermeasures, in the visual domain allowing for the correlation of ocular data, P300 response and those autonomic responses administered in conventional polygraphy, which include respiration, galvanic skin response, and pulse. Postprocessing of the data was performed by subjecting the collected information to a 7-Hz Fourier filter to remove the high frequency components of the data. Upon review and analysis of the data, some of the individual trails appeared to contain the P300 signal. Although these results were encouraging, the findings at this point are inconclusive, thus warranting additional study. >