Reading machine of terrorism

US scientists have found a way to help them discover the time, place, and method of conducting terrorist attacks in the future.

A terrorist attack in India in 2008. Photo: scrapetv.com

New techniques not only help officials prevent terrorist attacks before they happen, but can also help police prevent many other criminal acts. In addition, it helps police investigate criminals after they cause a crime.

Discovery News said Northwestern University scientists in the United States use brainwave reading technology to analyze the intentions of those who intend to attack terrorism.

In the article published in the journal Psychophysiology , the team said they invited 29 students to participate in a test in which volunteers had to imagine they were about to perform a terrorist attack.

The team divided students into two groups. A group plans to travel, while the other group plans to terrorize. Then they wear hats with electrodes to monitor brain waves and see images of many cities, methods of terrorism and related images.

"We asked the students to choose a reason to carry out the terror. Then they sat on the chairs and looked at the screen so we could put the electrodes on their heads , " J. Peter Rosenfeld, a expert of Northwestern University, said.

Electrodes on the P300 brain wave meter. This type of brain waves automatically responds to stimuli that begin at the junction between the apex and temporal lobe and spread to the rest of the brain. When the wave hits the cortex, the electrodes will record the signal. The more strongly the subject reacts to a specific stimulus, the clearer the P300 wave.

When the series of images was shown, scientists found a link between the strongest brainwaves and the criminal plan. For example, when students observe the image of the city planning to attack, the P300 waves are quite strong. This wave is weaker when they observe images that are not related to the terrorist plan. Scientists compare the intensity of all brain waves to find out who is planning to attack, location, time and method of action.

In the group of students planning to travel, P300 brain waves are not as strong as terrorist groups.

Rosenfeld said, if the team tracks real terrorists, the P300 wave is even more obvious. In the experiment, students only planned terrorism for 30 minutes. And terrorists actually spend days, weeks and even months planning attacks. This also means that their P300 brain waves will be stronger.

When planning to attack, terrorists also plan to defend. That's why the P300 wave can be defeated. By creating a strong reaction to an image unrelated to the attack plan, they could trick the brainwave recorder. In the near future, there is little possibility of this new technology being applied to prevent terrorist attacks. But now, it opens up many prospects for future security.