System suitable for electronically detecting a human profile
Field of the invention.
The present invention relates to a system suitable for electronically detecting a human profile, in particular a system suitable for detecting abnormal psychophysical conditions in persons accessing or stopping in places of high requirements of security.
State of the art.
At present all the available technologies suitable for the above performances are oriented to avoid the danger of terrorism attacks or criminal acts by identifying explosives and weapons adapted to perpetrate criminal acts.
Thus, we see that sensitive sites such as airports, railway stations, banks, courts, embassies, theaters, places of worship, etc., are watched by staff trained in the use of metal detectors and/or X-ray devices to check persons, baggages, bags and cases.
In the case of sites particularly sensitive in terms of security, also used are equipment and animals able to detect, at the olfactory, the presence of hazardous material, specifically of explosives and drugs.
In recent decades, found that the above means have very limited effectiveness, many security services, making use of the US (FBI) experience in this field, started to support said staffs by highly trained operators, called profilers, charged to monitor persons accessing to sensitive sites and to detect any abnormal or psychophysical, suspicious behavior .
Disadvantages of the prior art.
The disadvantages of all of said instruments come from various factors:
The metal detector can not detect non-metallic weapons (knives or daggers ceramic and plastic guns) and explosives (TNT, RCX, TATP, HMTD, C4, Semtex, etc ..).
- The explosives detectors do not detect weapons of any kind, but only agents or detonating explosive.
- The disadvantage of the profiler is the "human" factor that involves a subjective behavior reading, fatigue, distraction, etc.
The purpose of the invention.
The electronic detection system of abnormal psychophysical conditions in persons that access to places with high requirements of security according to the present invention has the purpose of:
- allow an objective filter of persons who access to a sensitive site and this being not related to the presence of objects made to harm, but related to the psychophysical states characteristic of all those who, as detailed below, are about to commit a crime;
- overcome the disadvantages of the technique and conventional technology.
Background of the invention.
The invention stems from the results of studies and experiences that permitted to establish that a person that is going to carry out a terrorist attack or any other criminal act is subjected to that emotional state that in medicine is defined as a state of "acute stress".
The acute stress triggers operations and mechanisms to put a person in a position to deal with the situation at hand, respond to stimuli, emergencies and dangers; in practice, the state of acute stress in a person is automatic and essential for the attack and defense, and, on a physical level, involves a strong production of adrenaline that is manifested by increased sweating, heart and respiratory rate and of the vascularization in the muscles, as well as with the dilation of the retina.
By exploiting these knowledges, the invented system, as characterized in the claims, is arranged as an assembly of sensors, already known and used in the medical field, adapted to detect the following psychophysical states:
- heart rate, - blood pressure,
- body temperature,
-espiratory rate,
-level of sweating,
-dilation of the retina,
- voice stress,
these sensors being incorporated, all or in part, in a suitable support and connected with an electronic processor which analyzes each signal supplied by the sensors and transfers it to a screen in the form corresponding to the intensity of the anomaly in the psychophysical state detected in a person.
For ease of expression, we will call sensor/s also the camera/s comprised in the system.
According to the system, each sensor transmits to the screen a signal indicating the degree of anomaly of a person observed. In particular, the signals detected by said sensors are in turn transmitted to the electronic processor which, thanks to a dedicated software, processes each received signal and compares it with reference values and, in the case the anomalies detected exceed in quantity and intensity a programmed value, recalls the need to deepen the control of the person by the security staff. A person observed could reveal one anomaly only, more anomalies or all anomalies of psychophysical states mentioned above and show the intensity of each anomaly. Consequently, the indication that will be supplied by the software, each read on a suitable screen, will be expressed with numbers or conventional colors or signs depending on the intensity of the detected anomalies, in other words, each sensor will detect different degrees of the anomaly "felt" and the screen will send a signal proportional to the degree "felt" and will be the software system to judge whether one, some or all the "felt" anomalies are such that, taken together, have to provide an alarm to the security staff.
Such a system can be used in all sites that require a high level of safety, such as those mentioned above, and also in any point of an area with strong influx of people where their protection and that of the structures is necessary.
In the invented system, a person that leads to one of these sites is obliged to pass adjacent to a tower element or "totem" and undergo the detection of the aforementioned psychophysical states.
Alternatively, the system is embodied on a portable element so that any person can be controlled manifestly or covertly in any point he is.
In a first embodiment, said system comprises:
- a support on which are installed the following devices,
- a handlebar with two handles, challenged simultaneously from a subject, one provided with a sensor that detects the frequency of the heartbeat and the other provided with a sensor that detects the sweating,
- a thermal sensor that tracks the body temperature (which, if abnormal, can indicate the presence of bacterial infections),
- a sensor of the respiratory rhythm,
- a blood pressure sensor,
- an optical telecamera for the analysis of the dilation of the retina;
- a sensor of voice alteration (voice stress),
and also it comprises a electronic processor which, thanks to a dedicated software, processes each signal received by the sensors, compares it with reference values and transmits it to a separate screen that indicates, in correspondence with each sensor, the intensity of the anomaly detected which will be expressed with numbers or conventional colors. In a second embodiment, the system comprises only one part of the abovementioned sensors, for example, the heartbeat sensor, the sensor of the sweating and the sensor for the analysis of the behavior of the retina.
The sensors in the handlebars are associated with an automatic cleaning device which, passing periodically on the sensors, removes any traces of sebum and of organic substances due to the contact of the hands of parties controlled.
In a third embodiment of the system, a portable element incorporates equipment having functions identical to those performed in the said support, in particular, all or part of the sensors mentioned above, an electronic processor and a screen, so that any person can be controlled manifestly or covertly anywhere he is.
In a fourth embodiment of the system, the support on which are installed the equipment comprises a metal detector as auxiliary device in the control system of the persons to be observed, the signals emitted by the metal detector being independent from the above mentioned equipment or, in certain cases, fall among those developed by the electronic processor.
Advantages of the invention.
The advantages of the present invention are to detect electronically in transit zones and / or sensitive areas:
- Psychophysical anomalies which are signs of acute stress state,
- Psychophysical alterations caused by use of psychotropic substances and narcotics,
- Physical anomalies which are signs of infection and/or diseases.
Detailed description of the invention.
The invention will now be described in detail with examples of embodiment and the help of the drawing in which - Fig. 1 is a first elevation view, the
- Fig. 2 is a second elevation view and
- Fig. 3 is a diagram.
Fig. 1 shows a support in the form of a turret or "totem pole" 1 in front of which a footboard F is arranged on which a person controlled arises for a few seconds for gripping a handlebar provided with two handles 2, respectively bearing a sensor 2a that picks up the heartbeat and a sensor 2b that detects the sweating, and to be observed by:
- A temperature sensor 4 that tracks a diagram of the body temperature of the person (an abnormal body temperature can be caused by dangerous bacterial infections, Ebola etc ..);
- Two optical telecameras 5 that analyzes the dilation of the retina of both eyes;
- A voice sensor 6 that detects the alteration of the tone of voice (voice stress). The handlebars, the sensors and the telecameras above mentioned (SI - S6) are carried by an element 7 adapted to be moved manually or automatically along the front wall of the turret 1 with its wings 8 engaged in two opposite lateral guides 9 so that the sensors and telecameras are positioned at a height suitable for the height of the person observed. An electronic processor which processes the signals from sensors and a screen that shows the levels of any anomalies detected are separated from the support 1 and are not shown.
Fig. 2 shows a bat 10 with handle 11 provided with a screen 12 which shows the values of the signals transmitted by the sensors and by a tele camera similar to the corresponding devices which accompany the element 7 of the turret 1 of Fig. 1: a thermal sensor 4, a telecamera 5, a sensor 3a which detects the heartbeat and two sensors 3b which detect the sweating and a voice sensor 6. In the handle 11 of the bat 10 is housed a battery adapted to power the sensors 3a, 3b, 4, 6, the telecamera 5, the electronic processor 13 and the screen 12.
Fig.3 shows that each of six sensors (SI - S6) of the group of sensors incorporated in a "totem pole" 1 or in a bat 10 transfers its signal to an electronic processor 13 which analyzes the received signal, evaluates the intensity thereof, identifies it with a number or a conventional color corresponding to the intensity detected and transfers it thus in a corresponding box of the screen 12.