# Truth machines?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-machines/215971>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 29, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-machines/215971 "2003-11-29T22:11:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-machines/215971/1 "2003-11-29T22:11:35Z")

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Just now I’ve seen a link on another message board ( **Una** ’s) to an [article on new lie detector technology](http://reason.com/rb/rb111401.shtml). One method, whose developer is claiming 100% accuracy, involves recording brain waves to detect “multifaceted electroencephalographic responses (MERMERS)” that are involuntary brain responses to certain stimuli.

Another method being studied uses “Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)” to measure blood flow to parts of the brain, and the researchers claim they’ve identified two areas that receive increased flow when the subjects are lying.

I’m skeptical. The second method doesn’t really sound much different from current polygraphs.

What’s the straight dope on these efforts?

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**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-machines/215971/2 "2003-12-01T12:26:18Z")

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A bump for the workday crew.