How your brainwaves could be used in criminal trials

Developed by the late Peter Rosenfeld, a professor at Northwestern University, the Complex Trial Protocol (CTP) is considered a reliable and sound method for analyzing a specific brainwave, known as the P300. This relatively inexpensive and non-invasive technique could be used to determine if a witness or a suspect recognizes crucial pieces of information in relation to a crime, only known to that person and the authorities. The P300 is an electrical brainwave detectable by placing electrodes on a person’s scalp. It appears on an electroencephalogram (EEG) as a positive or negative deflection (a downward or upward looking curve) about 300 to 600 milliseconds after a person is presented with a novel and meaningful stimulus. This reaction is considered a reliable index of memory recognition. It can show when a person recognises an individual’s name, the sweet taste of chocolate, or the sound of an artist’s voice.