Concealing contraband isn’t just a serious crime. It’s also a test of sheer nerve. Even in our high-tech age, a cool head remains a key ingredient in the smuggler’s art. The ability to look innocent even when very guilty can boost the chances of deflecting the attention of customs officials and other border control agents.

But what if involuntary, almost imperceptible body movements gave the game away? What if technology could identify the likelihood of guilt from the smallest changes in facial expression or the slightest alterations in body temperature?

This research project is probing the technical and operational viability of just such an approach. Investigating the potential to detect physiological processes that could indicate guilty intentions, 

it plans to develop new anti-smuggling techniques for trial at real-life border controls.

In the context of national security, invasive technology is accepted because the worst-case scenario would be infinitely worse. These technologies though often filter into everyday life where their application has a far more questionable presence. What would it mean to introduce such technology into the family home : when an electronic device can know more about your partner’s state than you do? Or can predict an incoming bout of misery through statistical analysis of accumulated data.

Scientific Partners: Prof Reyer Zwiggelaar, Dr Richard M.Turley and Dr Bashar Al-Rjoub