Future Attribute Screening Technology
Encyclopedia
Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) is a program created by the Department of Homeland Security. It was originally titled Project Hostile Intent
. The purpose is to detect "Mal Intent" by screening people for "psychological and physiological indicators" in a "Mobile Screening Laboratory".
The DHS science spokesman John Verrico stated in September 2008 that preliminary testing had demonstrated 78% accuracy on mal-intent detection and 80% on deception. However, this was not a controlled, double-blind study, and researchers from Lawrence University and the Federation of American Scientists have questioned its validity without further evidence.
The system measures pulse rate, skin temperature, breathing, facial expression, body movement, pupil dilation, and other "psycho physiological/behavioral patterns" to stop "unknown terrorists". The technology would mostly be used at airports, borders, and special events.Fox News reported that the mobile units transmit data to analysts, who use "a system to recognize, define and measure seven primary emotions and emotional cues that are reflected in contractions of facial muscles." The system is named MALINTENT. Results are transmitted back to screeners.
DHS produced a 'privacy impact assessement' in 2008. It described the system as comprising:
Due to the ability of the system to 'read people's thoughts', it is potentially in violation of privacy laws such as the Fourth
and Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
. Of particular note is radio host Alex Jones' broadcast which emphasises the controversial nature of the program.
Project Hostile Intent
Project Hostile Intent is an ongoing project of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Human Factors Division. It has been renamed to Future Attribute Screening Technology...
. The purpose is to detect "Mal Intent" by screening people for "psychological and physiological indicators" in a "Mobile Screening Laboratory".
Background
The program was under the Homeland Security Advanced Research Agency and the Science & Technology Human Factors Behavior Science Division of DHS. In a meeting held on July 24, 2008 the DHS Under Secretary Jay Cohen stated, the goal is to create a new technology that would be working in real time as opposed to after a crime is already committed.The DHS science spokesman John Verrico stated in September 2008 that preliminary testing had demonstrated 78% accuracy on mal-intent detection and 80% on deception. However, this was not a controlled, double-blind study, and researchers from Lawrence University and the Federation of American Scientists have questioned its validity without further evidence.
The system measures pulse rate, skin temperature, breathing, facial expression, body movement, pupil dilation, and other "psycho physiological/behavioral patterns" to stop "unknown terrorists". The technology would mostly be used at airports, borders, and special events.Fox News reported that the mobile units transmit data to analysts, who use "a system to recognize, define and measure seven primary emotions and emotional cues that are reflected in contractions of facial muscles." The system is named MALINTENT. Results are transmitted back to screeners.
DHS produced a 'privacy impact assessement' in 2008. It described the system as comprising:
- A remote cardiovascular and respiratory sensor to measure heart rate and respiration
- A remote eye tracker
- Thermal cameras that provide information on the temperature of the skin in the face
- A high resolution video for looking at facial expressions and body movements
- Audio system for analyzing changes in voice pitch
- Possibly other sensors, perhaps pheromone detection
- Anonymized aggregate results of the scanned information
Organizations involved
- BattelleBattelle Memorial InstituteBattelle Memorial Institute is a private nonprofit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle is a charitable trust organized as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio and is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the...
, Aberdeen, MD, Columbus, OH.- $1,356,690 DHS contract in 2007
- Farber Speciality Vehicle (trailer builders)
- Draper Lab, Boston, MA
- Navy Research Laboratory - working on a FAST related project
Controversy
Other researchers such as Tom Ormerod, from the Investigative Expertise Unit at Lancaster University, argue that ordinary travel anxieties could cause false positives. "'Even having an iris scan or fingerprint read at immigration is enough to raise the heart rate of most legitimate travellers,' says Ormerod." Others noted that the basic premise may be flawed. Steven Aftergood, a senior research analyst at the Federation of American Scientists, stated "I believe that the premise of this approach — that there is an identifiable physiological signature uniquely associated with malicious intent — is mistaken. To my knowledge, it has not been demonstrated." The Nature article in which he was quoted went on to note that Altergood is concerned that the technology "will produce a large proportion of false positives, frequently tagging innocent people as potential terrorists and making the system unworkable in a busy airport."Due to the ability of the system to 'read people's thoughts', it is potentially in violation of privacy laws such as the Fourth
Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the Bill of Rights which guards against unreasonable searches and seizures, along with requiring any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause...
and Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
. Of particular note is radio host Alex Jones' broadcast which emphasises the controversial nature of the program.
See Also
- Backscatter X-rayBackscatter X-rayBackscatter X-ray is an advanced X-ray imaging technology. Traditional X-ray machines detect hard and soft materials by the variation in transmission through the target. In contrast, backscatter X-ray detects the radiation that reflects from the target...
- Dr. Lawrence FarwellLawrence FarwellDr Lawrence Farwell is the inventor of brain fingerprinting which uses a technology that he developed, MERMER. He was formerly a research associate at Harvard University and is currently the chairman and Chief Scientist of Brain Fingerprinting Laboratories, Inc.TIME Magazine named Dr...
- Fourth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionFourth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution is the part of the Bill of Rights which guards against unreasonable searches and seizures, along with requiring any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause...
- The Minority Report
- Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response teamVisible Intermodal Prevention and Response teamA Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response team, sometimes Visible Intermodal Protection and Response is a Transportation Security Administration program. Various government sources have differing descriptions of VIPR's exact mission...
(VIPR)
External links
- DHS project site
- DHS public relations video on FAST, vimeo.com, retr May 2011