Contrary to what most people believe, a lie detector doesn’t really detect lies. Rather, it records body functions that cannot be controlled by the conscious mind, such as heart rate or skin conductivity. That means it follows the belief that when people lie, their heart rate accelerate and they generally sweat more. This is why innocent people may often fail a polygraph test and smooth liars get away with it.

Researchers at Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania may have changed the way people view lie detection tests with the Functional Near-Infrared Sensor (fNIR). This headband sensor will rely upon changes in the blood volume and oxygen levels in the brain, which show the brain activity. A person experiences greater blood oxygenation while lying, as shown during the researchers’ experiments of subjects during poker games. 20 of 21 of the subjects were ‘caught’ by the fNIR which is a much higher result than that achieved by a polygraph.

The fNIR can also be used to differentiate between guilt, anxiety, and fear and is intended for use as an educational and medical device to monitor attention and memory. However, the fNIR is still in experimental stage and requires more research before it can be made available for use.

Via: TheFutureOfThings