Method and System for Rapidly and Passively Identifying Changes in Number of Open Pores in the Skin of an Individual

• US 20100191077A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: O'Kane, Barbara L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,663,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/306
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/164 Lie detection

Abstract

In one aspect, there is disclosed a system and method for rapidly and passively identifying changes in the number of open pores in the skin of an individual in response to a stimulus without contacting the individual. This is accomplished by using a thermal camera that is sensitive in the mid-wave or long-wave infrared (3-5 or 8-14 μmeters) to observe and/or count the number of skin pores opening in response to questions being asked of the individual.

Claims

1. A method for a rapid and passive identification of changes in the number of open sweat pores in the skin of an individual, comprising:

disposing a thermal camera at a predetermined location;

focusing the thermal camera on at least a portion of a predetermined skin surface of the individual so as to provide a thermal image without contacting the individual;

displaying the thermal image to enable real time viewing of the pores on the portion of the predetermined skin surface;

interviewing the individual presenting a stimulus; and

detecting the opening of pores on the portion of the predetermined skin surface in response to the stimulus.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal camera is disposed at a predetermined location so that the thermal camera is hidden from the view of the individual.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined skin surface is a portion of the face.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulus is selected from a group consisting of one or more questions, pictures, video or audio recordings to be presented to the individual.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulus is a series of questions being asked the individual.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a computer with an electronic display and a storage medium and coupling the thermal camera to the computer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an automatic pore counting means.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein displaying the thermal image comprises displaying the thermal image on the computer'"'"'s electronic display.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the computer is a laptop.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising providing a temperature and humidity sensing device to enable monitoring of the temperature and humidity in the vicinity of the individual and coupling the sensing device to the computer.

11. The method of claim 6 further comprising providing a microphone to enable recording the audio of the interview and coupling the microphone to the computer.

12. The method of claim 6 further comprising providing a color video camera to enable recording the video of the interview and coupling the color video camera to the computer.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the thermal camera is a FLIR midrange camera.

14. The method of claim 6 comprising providing an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code is operable to enable recording on the storage medium of the thermal images, the video and the audio of the interview.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said application program code is operable to enable selectively providing an event marker at a selected location of the recording to identify the occurrence of the opening of the pores.

16. The method of claim 6 comprising providing an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code is operable to enable selectively configuring the operation of the thermal camera.

17. The method of claim 6 comprising providing an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code is operable to enable selectively configuring the operation of the video camera.

18. The method of claim 6 comprising providing an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code is operable to enable selectively configuring the operation of the microphone.

19. A method for a rapid and passive determination of whether an individual is withholding information comprising:

providing a thermal camera to measure the number of open sweat pores in the face of the individual;

requesting the individual to supply information; and

observing the increase in the number of open pores in the skin of that individual in response to the request for information.

20. A system for a rapid and passive identification of the changes in the number of open sweat pores in the skin of an individual in response to a stimulus comprising:

a thermal camera;

means for focusing the thermal camera on at least a portion of a predetermined skin surface of the individual so as to provide a thermal image without contacting the individual;

a display to show the thermal image to enable real time viewing of the opening of pores on the portion of the predetermined skin surface; and

means for identifying the opening of pores on the portion of the predetermined skin surface as an response of the individual exposed to a stimulus.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the stimuli is one or more questions presented to the individual.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising a computer.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the computer has an electronic display and a storage medium.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising a means for coupling the thermal camera to the computer.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the computer is a laptop.

26. The system of claim 22 further comprising a temperature and humidity sensing device to enable monitoring of the temperature and humidity in the vicinity of the person.

27. The system of claim 22 further comprising a microphone to enable recording the audio of the interview and means for coupling the microphone to the computer.

28. The system of claim 22 further comprising a color video camera to enable recording the video of the interview and means for coupling the color video camera to the computer.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the thermal camera is a FLIR midwave camera.

30. The system of claim 22 comprising an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code operable to enable recording on the storage medium of the thermal images, the video and the audio of the interview.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said application program code is operable to enable selectively providing an event marker at a selected location of the recording to identify the occurrence of the opening of the pores.

32. The system of claim 22 comprising an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code is operable to enable selectively configuring the operation of the thermal camera.

33. The system of claim 22 comprising an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code is operable to enable selectively configuring the operation of the video camera.

34. The system of claim 22 comprising providing an application program code disposed on the storage medium of the computer, said application program code is operable to enable selectively configuring the operation of the microphone.