Eye Scanning Lie Detector

University of Utah researchers have developed a new tool that could potentially detect when someone is lying.

The technology, called Ocular Motor Deception Detection software, or OMDD, is a retinal scanning device that is not intended to replace the polygraph machine, but would be used to supplement or provide an alternative method.

OMDD was recently featured on a news broadcast on the local FOX news station.

More on the OMDD and its developers can be found in this article

Take a look at Parts 1 and 2 of the newscast below. Part 1 explains the OMDD technology while Part 2 explores children and when they learn how to lie. Part 2 also features a certain study that we blogged about a while ago, that investigated if children are good liars

3 thoughts on “Eye Scanning Lie Detector

  1. The blog post states that the device is a retinal scanning device. However, nothing I read or watched said this. As far as I can tell (pending correction), it’s a device to measure objects on the surface of the eye (mainly pupil and iris), not the retina.

    I’m an armchair student here, so I don’t know of any research on the connection between telling the truth (or lying), and the characteristics of the human eye (such as pupil dilation, fixation, direction of gaze, etc). Is there independent research to support this methodology?

    Why are they going to Columbia to test this? I’m wondering if they had to go to Columbia to do the testing because this type of activity is illegal in the United States. Federal law specifically prohibits the use of a polygraph in pre-employment testing (with a few exceptions), maybe that’s why they had to go there? Does anyone know for sure?

    All in all, I’m very skeptical that this is a good method of finding the truth, but my knowledge about this device at this time is very limited, so I could easily be wrong.

    Russ Conte

  2. Russ, we got that it was a retinal scanning device from this Fox article: http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-u-of-u-retina-scanning-device-used-as-lie-detector,0,6225130.story

    Yes, we would need to see additional documentation about what research this technology is based upon.

    However, this research is led by Dr. Jon Kircher (http://www.ed.utah.edu/edps/Faculty/profiles/Kircher_John.php) who is a very respectable scientist. We’re willing to bet that this technology is based upon some science that he has conducted, although we haven’t heard for sure or seen the research that backs it up.

  3. Hey i dint see your video. But i was interested whether there is image comparison in this project . And if it is there then have you used matlab for coding???? Although it is a lot research based can you tell me where i can get basic ideas for this project?

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