Big Brother wants to smell your fear

Stephen C. Webster
Raw Story
Wednesday, April 1, 2009

If you know someone who’s not yet been taken aback by the ever growing police surveillance complex, show ‘em this.

From the Sunday Times:

LAW enforcement agencies are seeking scientists to develop an artificial nose that can detect the smell of fear as terrorists pass through security at airports.

The US Department of Homeland Security is advertising for specialists to devise airport scanners that will sniff out “deceptive individuals”.

[...]

Homeland Security wants a device that automatically compares odours with scents collected from crime scenes and held in a “smell bank” which, like DNA or fingerprints, could be used in court.

Last week officials said they only wanted to explore the possibilities but scientists are already predicting that it is only a matter of time before police will be able to sniff out crime artificially.
One bright spot for scent libertarians: the Times says “Lopez’s Glow range and Chanel No 5″ mask natural smells and confuse detector dogs, so they’ll likely prove a large tripping point in the development of such a thing as an artificial nose.

It also says the nose could theoretically detect the smells of certain diseases or disorders, like cancer or depression.

Always a double-edged sword, this tech-knowledge of our’s. *sigh*