Brittish security agencies have always counted on the trained canine to sniff out illegal narcotics, explosives, and human trafficing. Now, however, they are working on two sensor systems that are able to pinpoint criminals that are in a stressful or fear enducing situations. The two sensor devices work in different ways. One uses laser absorption, the other via a portable optical fiber device. Testing is still being done, however the researchers are optimistic that this will give police a much needed advantage for the 2012 London Olympics.

These studies and devices are based off American researchers who collected underarm sweat of skydivers just before they jumped. They found that when other subjects were give the samples to smell, brain scans revealed that the subjects part of the brain used for the fear mechanism responded greatly with the samples. The only thing left, according to the British researchers, is being able to pinpoint the exact chemical released when the subject is fearful, and how to bypass other smells including deoderants and perfumes.

I’d like to be in the room when we’re able to first use this on a drug smuggler and say “I can smell your fear!”

Source: www.popsci.com