Dubai Police map brainwaves to solve murder mystery

Dubai: Dubai Police implemented ‘Memory Print’ technology to solve a mysterious murder in a warehouse, an official said on Monday. According to Dubai Police, a smart analysis device can measure brainwaves when the suspect sees the tools used in the crime or upon seeing the crime scene. The device triggers accurate mapping and analysis of the tools or the crime scene in the suspect’s memory.

Forensic experts in Dubai Police managed to use the technology in solving a murder at a Dubai warehouse when a worker killed his manager over a heated argument. Lt Colonel Mohammad Al Hammadi, Director of the Criminology Section at the Forensic Science and Criminology Department at Dubai Police, said that ‘memory print’ technology was used to solve the crime when the suspect was shown the tools used in the crime.

“A person’s memory stores actions from one’s daily life. Brainwaves are electrical impulses created in the brain and these impulses are stimulated upon seeing a familiar scene or object. We can measure [those waves] to identify how much the person knows about a tool or a scene,” Lt Col Al Hammadi said. He said that it is called ‘P300 wave’. The P300 wave is an event-related brain potential measured using electroencephalography.

“We used the technology in a murder at a warehouse. We showed the crime scene pictures to the workers and one of the suspects remembered the crime tools as per the analysis from the [brain mapping] device,” added Lt Col Al Hammadi. “Experts showed them [the workers] pictures related to the crime, which only the person who committed it would know. After the session, the [brain mapping] device helped identified the main suspect who then admitted to have committed the murder.”

Brainwave mapping device

“The suspect remembers the details on seeing the pictures [of the murder weapon or the crime scene] and these cause an increase in the rate of the brainwave. The suspect can’t control the increase of the brainwave rate. After one year of studies and examining the device, Dubai Police implemented it in solving murders,” Lt Col Expert Al Hammadi explained. He said the new technology will support other forensic evidence in many cases presented to prosecution and courts.

Meanwhile, Major General Dr Ahmad Al Mansouri, Director of Forensic Science and Criminology Department at Dubai Police, praised the Emirati cadres in his department who worked hard for one year on many experiments to check the efficiency of the brainwaves device. “Dubai Police are keen to use latest smart technologies like artificial intelligence in police investigations. It helped to solve mysteries and present solid evidence to public prosecution and courts,” Maj Gen Al Mansouri said.