But what I can tell you is
that the test subjects were average Joes living in the D.C. area who
thought they were attending something like a technology expo; in order
for the experiment to work effectively and to get the testing subjects
to buy in, the cover story had to be convincing.
While
the 144 test subjects thought they were merely passing through an
entrance way, they actually passed through a series of sensors that
screened them for bad intentions.
Homeland
Security also selected a group of 23 attendees to be civilian
"accomplices" in their test. They were each given a "disruptive device"
to carry through the portal -- and, unlike the other attendees, were
conscious that they were on a mission.
In order
to conduct these tests on human subjects, DHS had to meet rigorous
safety standards to ensure the screening would not cause any physical
or emotional harm.
So here's how it works. When
the sensors identify that something is off, they transmit warning data
to analysts, who decide whether to flag passengers for further
questioning. The next step involves micro-facial scanning, which
involves measuring minute muscle movements in the face for clues to
mood and intention.
Homeland Security has
developed a system to recognize, define and measure seven primary
emotions and emotional cues that are reflected in contractions of
facial muscles. MALINTENT identifies these emotions and relays the
information back to a security screener almost in real-time.
This
whole security array -- the scanners and screeners who make up the
mobile lab -- is called "Future Attribute Screening Technology" -- or
FAST -- because it is designed to get passengers through security in two
to four minutes, and often faster.
If you're
rushed or stressed, you may send out signals of anxiety, but FAST isn't
fooled. It's already good enough to tell the difference between a
harried traveler and a terrorist. Even if you sweat heavily by nature,
FAST won't mistake you for a baddie.
"If you
focus on looking at the person, you don't have to worry about detecting
the device itself," said Bob Burns, MALINTENT's project leader. And
while there are devices out there that look at individual cues, a
comprehensive screening device like this has never before been put
together.
While FAST's batting average is
classified, Undersecretary for Science and Technology Adm. Jay Cohen
declared the experiment a "home run."
As cold
and inhuman as the electric eye may be, DHS says scanners are unbiased
and nonjudgmental. "It does not predict who you are and make a
judgment, it only provides an assessment in situations," said Burns.
"It analyzes you against baseline stats when you walk in the door, it
measures reactions and variations when you approach and go through the
portal."
But the testing -- and the device
itself -- are not without their problems. This invasive scanner, which
catalogues your vital signs for non-medical reasons, seems like an
uninvited doctor's exam and raises many privacy issues.
But
DHS says this is not Big Brother. Once you are through the FAST portal,
your scrutiny is over and records aren't kept. "Your data is dumped,"
said Burns. "The information is not maintained -- it doesn't track who
you are."
DHS is now planning an even wider
array of screening technology, including an eye scanner next year and
pheromone-reading technology by 2010.
The team
will also be adding equipment that reads body movements, called
"illustrative and emblem cues." According to Burns, this is achievable
because people "move in reaction to what they are thinking, more or
less based on the context of the situation."
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