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Last update - 00:00 09/05/2008
Israel startup uses behavioral science to identify terrorists
Tags: hitech, Israel, startup 

By Guy Grimland

The wave of suicide bombings that swept over Israel in 2003 pushed the founders of WeCu Technologies into searching for a way to identify terrorists before they take action.

Quietly, even stealthily, this unknown company has been working for five years now on one of the more interesting technological innovations to be created in these parts.
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WeCU ("We see you," in case you are unaccustomed to SMS-speak) promises an automated system to detect people with mayhem on their minds. The system integrates methods and doctrines from the behavioral sciences with biometric sensors.

According to the company's founders, in under a minute it can screen an individual, without his or her knowledge or cooperation and without interfering with routine activities, and disclose intentions to carry out criminal or terror activity. It can identify subjects who are not carrying any suspicious objects, do not demonstrate any suspicious behavior, do not fit into a predefined social or other profile and do not arouse any suspicion.

Unlike systems currently in use, such as polygraphs or biometric systems based on identifying an individual under emotional pressure, WeCU does not attempt to determine whether the subject is lying, concealing information, under stress or feeling guilty. Instead, it seeks to identify concealed intentions by uncovering an associative connection between the subjects and defined threats.

Guilt by association

It may sound like science fiction, but the people behind the system are known to be more involved in science fact. The company founders include Prof. Shlomo Breznitz, a professor of psychology whose research specialization is stress situations (and who is also a former Knesset member from Kadima); Dr. Boaz Ganor, founder and executive director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya; WeCU CEO Ehud Givon; and Zipora (Zipi) Alster, an expert in the behavioral sciences. Until recently, the company underwrote its activities on its own, but recently a private investor stepped in with an injection of $3 million.

How does it work? Givon explains: "The technology is patented. We take advantage of human characteristics, according to which when a person intends to carry out a particular activity or has a great acquaintance or involvement with a particular activity, he carries with him information and feelings that are associated with the subject or activity. In effect, his brain creates a collection of associations that are relevant to the subject.

"When this person is exposed to stimuli targeted at these associations - such as a picture of a partner to the activity, items from the scene of a crime that he carried out, the symbol of the organization in whose name he is acting or a code word - he will respond emotionally and cognitively to these stimuli. The response is expressed with a number of very subtle physiological and behavioral changes during the exposure to the stimulus," Givon said.

He noted that in an individual who has not built up such associations, the stimuli will not elicit a significant response.

Fitting the threat

Givon points out that the bank of stimuli included in the system is varied and unpredictable: "Even a skilled, well-practiced suspect who is aware of the system and who tries to prepare for the screening cannot know where the stimuli will come from and how they will appear."

The system consists of three components: Hidden biometric sensors that measure the subject remotely or during random contact; a system that displays the stimuli; and a computerized data analysis and decision-making system that operates in real time.

The system has been demonstrated to governmental authorities in Israel, the United States and Germany. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security showed particular interest in WeCU. Two research grants have been given to the system, in a relatively rare show of support for the development.

The developers say that mass production of the system is expected within two and a half years. Each unit is expected to cost tens of thousands of dollars.
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  1.   Finally! Identifying the terrorist. 05:48  |  Maureen Ann 09/05/08
  2.   sniff`em out `n snuff `em 05:55  |  Akiva P 09/05/08
  3.   #1Why to pay Tens of Thosands of dollars.To identify a Jew heater 07:41  |  Haham me Bat Yam 09/05/08
  4.   Kinda scary 07:42  |  Lev 09/05/08
  5.   maureen ann 07:58  |  Bruce 09/05/08
  6.   It was well tested... 07:58  |  Webster 09/05/08
  7.   Re Maureen #1...objection...! 08:37  |  Esther 09/05/08
  8.   A money making scheme pandering to security needs 08:39  |  Natallie Durson 09/05/08
  9.   bio-politics 10:01  |  kieran 09/05/08
  10.   Good news for the IDF/Israeli settlers 10:44  |  Palestinian in UK 09/05/08
  11.   Natallie Durson - It will stop terrorists including 11:13  |  a 09/05/08
  12.   #5 Bruce. A little correction. Bob (not Kim) Carr. 12:26  |  Maureen Ann 09/05/08
  13.   #7 Esther. Political correctness. 12:27  |  Maureen Ann 09/05/08
  14.   Regular contributors know which of you have those characteristics 12:32  |  x-ray 09/05/08
  15.   Maureen - you Australians occupied and ethnically cleansed Oz 15:00  |  Tamar 09/05/08
  16.   #1 Australian apartheid against aboriginies 15:05  |  P Singh 09/05/08
  17.   This is so .... 15:22  |  JW 09/05/08
  18.   Outrageous. Zionists will violate the rights of our shahids. 16:00  |  Pssd OFF ARab 09/05/08
  19.   #12 Australia is a real democracy??????? 17:26  |  MJ 09/05/08
  20.   False Positives == Dead Innocent People 18:40  |  Pablo B 09/05/08
  21.   Tamar join us in support of aboriginal rights, and Pal. rights 18:51  |  Pablo B 09/05/08
  22.   Technological Nonesense 18:54  |  ChrisM 09/05/08
  23.   #8 natalie durson 19:12  |  andy 09/05/08
  24.   carter introduced term apartheid arabs don`t understand meaning. 19:26  |  Bat Ye`or 09/05/08
  25.   Can the system identify Jewish terrorist too 20:07  |  El-Birawi 09/05/08
  26.   Sell it to Home Land Security 20:19  |  El-Birawi 09/05/08
  27.   No 8 Natalie 21:44  |  Simon 09/05/08
  28.   Excellent news. Pls Translate the Q&A part 21:58  |  Me-Me 09/05/08
  29.   Jews 22:44  |  Chicago Arab 09/05/08
  30.   #25 only terrorists are muslim 22:47  |  andy 09/05/08
  31.   Insanity 00:20  |  Danite 10/05/08
  32.   maureen ann 02:37  |  bruce 10/05/08
  33.   :machines becoming a god and judging??? 10:24  |  marilyn 10/05/08
  34.   haham me bat yam 3 12:12  |  potobac 10/05/08
  35.   Warfare of the future? 01:18  |  Mace 11/05/08
  36.   response to # 25 09:47  |  Samuel Capsouto 11/05/08
  37.   Sounds like horse crap 11:15  |  Smith 12/05/08
  38.   WeCU 20:02  |  David Garrison 02/12/08
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