Brain Electrical Oscillation

Signature Profiling (BEOS)

Presented By-
Pravesh Charan
Contents
 Introduction
 Historical Perspective of BEOS.
 Objective of BEOS
 Legal Status of BEOS in India
 Methodology
 Stages of BEOS Profiling
 Probes & Event Markers
 References
 Introduction
Understanding the human brain with respect to different experiences acquired by them is a very complex
phenomenon.
Retrieval of information from memory takes place for two different processing requirements.
 Knowing - It is a process of acquisition or sharing knowledge or information with others.
 Remembrance – It is essentially a conceptual process which allow us to build knowledge base in the
brain. Remembrance is that of autobiographic episodes, and episodes are encountered in life by each,
which is called experience.
 Knowing is the ‘factual recollection’ (Semantic) whereas Remembering is the feeling i.e. located in the
past (Episodic).
BEOS is a scientific tool which measures the changes in activity of the brain associated with a presence of a
knowledge provoked by a probe when he suspect does not has to offer an answer or response.
Historical Perspective of BEOS
BEOS profiling is a technique primarily developed as a
forensic tool for deception detection in suspects which was
developed and tested by Dr. C. R. Mukundan. Analysing the
electrophysiological data recorded from scalp of a subject,
the test is expected to provide information on the presence of
“experiential knowledge” of participation in any act. The
scientific basis of the test uses the distinction between
recognition using familiarity or knowledge and remembrance
of experience from autobiographical memory of the
individual.
 Objective of BEOS
 This technique is based on the principles of encoding, storage, and retrieval of memory
from the brain.
 To exonerate innocent person who may be suspected to have been involved in the crime.
 To identify individuals who are perpetrators to the crime with certainty.
 To differentiate the actual perpetrator of the crime from those who may have only
conceptual knowledge of the crime.
 Legal Status of BEOS in India
According to the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, Evidence means and includes all statements which the
Court permits or requires to be made before it by witnesses, concerning matters of fact under inquiry;
such statements are called ‘Oral’ evidence as well as all documents produced for the inspection of the
Court; such documents are called ‘Documentary’ evidence. The development BEOS technology has
revolutionized the causes of crime investigation in the country and has obtained laurels and
recognitions by the Judiciary and Investigating agencies.
For the Conduction of BEOS a court order with the expressed consent of the potential subject is
necessary.
The informed consent of the subject is obtained twice. Once in court, when the subject is informed
about the BEOS procedure in brief, and once more when the subject is brought to the forensic
laboratory for the test.
With regards to Article 20(3) (Right against self-incrimination) of the constitution, BEOS is not in conflict
with the provisions of this article, as the subject is not required to respond to any questions in any way.
With regards to Article 21 (Right to life& personal liberty) of the constitution, the BEOS procedure is a
noninvasive technique that does not involve injecting any medicine into the subject.
 Methodology
The BEOS profiling is carried by using EEG with 30 cephalic channels and 2 eye
movement channels. The hardware and the software for data acquisition and
analyses were developed by Axxonet System Technologies.
 Informed Consent is to be taken.
 Interview with Investigating Officer.
 Interview of the Suspect.
 Designing of Probes with relevant Event Markers.
 Audio Recording of Probes in the VASP System.
 Final BEOS Recording which is to be done in Neuro Signature System (NSS).
 Stages of BEOS Profiling
 Stay calm with eyes closed.
 No need to respond to the probes.
 Remain alert and listen to the probes as the suspect will be asked for recall them later on.
 Inform examiner if the test needs to be paused.
 Instructions regarding posture.
Electrical Oscillations from the brain are picked up by using electrodes placed at standard position
such as FP1, FP2, AF3, AF4, F7, F3, F8, F4, FT7, FT8, FC3, FCC4, T3, T4, C3, C4, TP7, CP3,
TP8, CP4, T5, T6, P3, P4, O1, O2, Fz, Cz AND CPz respectively.
 Probes
Probes are basically short statements which is used to stimulate the brain of the subject for the purpose of eliciting the evoked and
induces response, which can be linked to the content of a particular scenario. These are designed for cueing the remembrance of
specific possible experiences as derived from the information of the case acquired from investigators and interview of concerned
persons. The contents of Probes are associated with various aspects of crime investigation & controlled situations

 The probes are arranged sequentially and systematically.

 Designing of the probes are based on some set criteria i.e., they should be arranged within the time limit of 3 to 4 sec.

There are actually 4 types of Probes.

 Neutral Probes – These are essentially short semantic processing sentences without any personal references.

 Control Probes – It verifies autobiographic episodes in the life of the subject tested, which are expected to produce expected
remembrance and associated electrophysiological changes.

 Target “A” Probes - These lists of probes are designed in different scenarios which form the activities of the suspect/subject
prior to, during and following the crime investigated.

 Target “B” Probes – It refer to the version of activities and participation as claimed by the I.O. , which he may believe would
prove his or her innocence.
S.No Recall References ID Probe Content

1. Reference To Time of Action (Time Recall) TR During his birthday party

2. Reference to Place of Action (Place Recall) PR We were sitting in the Park.

3. Presence of Visual Mental Imagery V Imagine a Red Rose.

4. Presence of Motor Mental Imagery M I was driving Fast.

5. Reference to Person Involved (Witness Recall) WRV (WR) An unknown person

stabbed him.

6. Reference to Personal Condition, Emotional State PSR I was suffering from

Personal State Recall Typhoid.

7. Reference to Personal Physical Appearance PAR I was wearing blue pants.

Condition.

8. Reference to another Person Condition. TSR He was suffering from

“It is essential to tell the truth at all times. This will reduce life’s pain. Lying distorts
reality”.
- John Bradshaw
 References

 Kacker P. (2018). Experiential knowledge of positive and negative experiences on remembrance and neural response using neuro signature
system. J Clin Psychiatry Cog Psychol 2018;2(1):19-25. [10]

 Koutstaal, S.M., Thompson, W.L., Sukel, K.E., Alpert, N.M. (2005). Two groups Memory repeat: Evidence from PET. Cogn. Affect Behav.
Neurosci., 33, 710-26.

 Kuchinke, L., Jacobs, A.M., Grubich, C., Vo, M.L., Conrad, M., Herrmann, M. (2005). Incidental effects of awareness of single word
processing. An Fmri study. Neuroimage, 28, 10222-32.

 Lipton, J. P. (1977). On the psychology of eyewitness testimony. Journal of Applied Psychology, 62(1), 90- 95.

 Loftus, E. F. (1979). Eyewitness testimony. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

 Loftus, E. F. (2019). Eyewitness testimony. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33(4), 498-503.

 Mukundan CR. (2008). BEOS Profiling in Crime Investigation. Abstract, the Annual Conference of Division of Forensic Psychology. British
Psychological Society, 24-26. 14.

 Mukundan CR., et al. (2017). Brain Electrical Oscillations Signature Profiling (BEOS) for Measuring the Process of Remembrance. EC
Neurology 8.6, 217-230.