Lies in the eyes?

Travellers with harmful intentions may someday soon have their eyes give them away, thanks to new AI technology which detects and analyses involuntary eye movements. On the other hand, innocent travellers wrongly accused can be quickly exonerated.

Converus says its EyeDetect system is the first technology to successfully detect deception in 15 to 30 minutes by analysing involuntary eye behaviors, such as pupil dilation, eye movements and other features. Examinees simply sit in front of a computer and answer true/false questions.

The company says EyeDetect is currently 86 percent accurate and backed by nine peer-reviewed research studies. Its decision model uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to continually improve accuracy over time. It’s currently used by more than 500 customers in 40 countries worldwide to test potential and existing employees for involvement in serious crimes, drug use, sabotage, espionage, terrorism and other criminal and unethical behaviors.

“It’s time for the world to rethink the technologies used to enhance border and airport security,” said Converus CEO Todd Mickelsen. “This technology is already proven and ready now for implementation.”

Coverus says the technology is in use by over 500 federal agencies with its international customer base including Midas, Colombia’s air force, the Ministry of National Security of Jamaica, Experian, FedEx, McDonalds and Samsung.

By monitoring eye behaviour during a true/false test, EyeDetect can be used by governments to screen airport employees and security personnel for a potential insider threat. It can also help identify travellers with terrorist affiliations or those involved in drug trafficking, the company says, adding that besides using EyeDetect to screen airport employees and security personnel for a potential insider threat, it can help identify travellers with terrorist affiliations or those involved in drug trafficking.

“We’ve created EyeDetect tests covering almost any topic or situation you can imagine, including bribes, counterfeiting, cybercrimes, stealing and more,” said Mickelsen.

Mickelsen also points out that EyeDetect can exonerate those who might appear suspicious but are actually innocent. For example, if illegal drugs were placed in a traveller’s luggage by someone else, EyeDetect can help prove the traveller is innocent. For those who may have lost their identification while travelling, Converus’s companion product, IdentityDetect, can verify a person’s identity within minutes.

“The whole idea is to make travel safer and easier for all with more trustworthy, user-friendly technologies,” said Mickelsen.

Because the EyeDetect test is automated, Mickelsen says it’s 100 percent unbiased and doesn’t care about a person’s race, gender, age or religion. “All it cares about is if you’re being truthful or deceptive,” said Mickelsen.