(thirdfactor)
Researchers in the U.S. are working towards a system that can detect if someone is lying as well as if they are angry or drunk by their voice alone, according to a Homeland Security News Wire article.

Among the researchers working on such technologies are Julia Hirschberg from Columbia University and Shrikanth Narayanan from the University of Southern California.

Hirschberg’s work is on a computer program that deconstructs an individual’s speech looking for changes in pitch, volume, pauses and other verbal cues that point towards dishonesty while Narayanan’s work is focused on a program that uses special algorithms to look for pitch, timing and intensity to discern emotions in a speaker’s voice with his other work is on a system that verbally detects drunkenness.

Most look at the potential new technology holding little potential for use in a court setting as even traditional polygraphs are rarely considered as viable evidence, however, there is potential for scanning callers in call centers to better prepare to deal with certain emotions or to determine if an official at a press conference is being honest.
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