Year
1979
Abstract
A method for automatically detecting duress in security personnel has been developed. The method utilizes real-time assessment of physiological data (heart rate) to evaluate psychological stress. Using body-worn tape recorders, field data have been collected on 22 Albuquerque police officers (20 male, 2 female) to determine actual heart rate responses in both routine and life-threatening situations. Off-line computer analysis has been applied to the data to determine the speed and reliability with which an alarm could be triggered. Alarm algorithms relating field responses to laboratory collected baseline responses have been developed. Using the appropriate algorithm, it is probable that a security person's normal physiological responses can be used to automatically, quickly and covertly signal that the subject is experiencing abnormally high psychological stress levels.