Homeland Security Developing ‘Hostile Intent’ Technology

By Jennifer Anderson

The United States Department of Homeland Security announced in April that it is developing human factors technology able to screen people at borders for hostile intent. The tool will help screeners identify people who should not be allowed to enter the country,

The novel program, named “Hostile Intent,” is geared towards detecting and gauging physiological and behavioral indications of deception and bad intentions. These include signs of nervousness, such as body head, perspiration and certain facial movements.

Some 400 million people cross the US border every year, according to the Department, and most of them have no hostile intent whatsoever. Because it is non-invasive, the technology is expected to be able to screen travelers without slowing down traffic or inconveniencing them

“It’s a game-changer,” says Sharla Rausch, division director for human factors at the at the department’s Science and Technology Directorate, which is developing the program. It “would help us get at the unknown threat without inconveniencing the good guy.”

Source: Department of Homeland Security