Encoding identity in the marmoset.

Hippocampal cells integrate multisensory input to represent the identity of others.

Human genomic 'bycatch' threatens privacy.

Environmental and microbe studies net human DNA that can reveal health, identity.

A descriptive study on misidentifications of a person as a familiar person in an everyday situation.

The purpose of this study is to show the characteristics of person misidentifications, that is, experiences in which persons are misidentified as known persons. A total of 121 participants were asked how many times they misidentified persons in the last year and details of a recent person misidentification were recorded through a traditional questionnaire. Additionally, they answered questions in a diary method questionnaire, about the details of person misidentification each time they experienced it, during the two-week survey period. The questionnaires revealed that the participants misidentified both known and unknown persons as familiar persons approximately six (traditional questionnaire) or 19 (diary method) times a year on average, regardless of whether they expected the persons to be there. They were more likely to misidentify a person as a familiar than as a less familiar person. It was also shown that the similarity of the faces of the person actually seen and the person they were mistaken for was not as high as the similarities of build and clothing. This study is expected to provide suggestions for models of person identification and enhance the research on errors.

3D Bitemark Analysis in Forensic Odontology Utilizing a Smartphone Camera and Open-Source Monoscopic Photogrammetry Surface Scanning

Abstract Bitemark analysis is a challenging procedure in the field of criminal case investigation. The unique characteristics of dentition are used to find the best match between the existing patterned injury and the suspected perpetrator in bitemark identification. Bitemark analysis accuracy can be influenced by various factors, including biting pressure, tooth morphology, skin elasticity, dental cast duplication, timing, and image quality. This review article discusses the potential of a smartphone camera as an alternative method for 3D bitemark analysis. Bitemark evidence on human skin and food should be immediately recorded or duplicated to retrieve long-lasting proof, allowing for a sufficient examination period. Various studies utilizing two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) technologies have been developed to obtain an adequate bitemark analysis. 3D imaging technology provides accurate and precise analysis. However, the currently available method using an intraoral scanner (IOS) requires high-cost specialized equipment and a well-trained operator. The numerous advantages of monoscopic photogrammetry may lead to a novel method of 3D bitemark analysis in forensic odontology. Smartphone cameras and monoscopic photogrammetry methodology could lead to a novel method of 3D bitemark analysis with an efficient cost and readily available equipment.

Online Boosting-Based Target Identification among Similar Appearance for Person-Following Robots.

It is challenging for a mobile robot to follow a specific target person in a dynamic environment, comprising people wearing similar-colored clothes and having the same or similar height. This study describes a novel framework for a person identification model that identifies a target person by merging multiple features into a single joint feature online. The proposed framework exploits the deep learning output to extract four features for tracking the target person without prior knowledge making it generalizable and more robust. A modified intersection over union between the current frame and the last frame is proposed as a feature to distinguish people, in addition to color, height, and location. To improve the performance of target identification in a dynamic environment, an online boosting method was adapted by continuously updating the features in every frame. Through extensive real-life experiments, the effectiveness of the proposed method was demonstrated by showing experimental results that it outperformed the previous methods.

Identity Recognition in Sanitary Facilities Using Invisible Electrocardiography.

This article proposes a new method of identity recognition in sanitary facilities based on electrocardiography (ECG) signals. Our team previously proposed a novel approach of invisible ECG at the thighs using polymeric electrodes, leading to the creation of a proof-of-concept system integrated into a toilet seat. In this work, a biometrics pipeline was devised, which tested four different classifiers, varying the population from 2 to 17 subjects and simulating a residential environment. However, for this approach to be industrially viable, further optimization is required, particularly regarding electrode materials that are compatible with industrial processes. As such, we also explore the use of a conductive silicone material as electrodes, aiming at the industrial-scale production of a toilet seat capable of recording ECG data, without the need for body-worn devices. A desirable aspect when using such a system is matching the recorded data with the monitored user, ideally using a minimal sensor set, further reinforcing the relevance of user identification through ECG signals collected at the thighs. Our approach was evaluated against a reference device for a population of 17 healthy and pathological individuals, covering a wide age range (24-70 years). With the silicone composite, we were able to acquire signals in 100% of the sessions, with a mean heart rate deviation between a reference system and our experimental device of 2.82 ± 1.99 beats per minute (BPM). In terms of ECG waveform morphology, the best cases showed a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.91 ± 0.06. For biometric detection, the best classifier was the Binary Convolutional Neural Network (BCNN), with an accuracy of 100% for a population of up to four individuals.

Electrical Impedance of Upper Limb Enables Robust Wearable Identity Recognition against Variation in Finger Placement and Environmental Factors.

Most biometric authentication technologies commercialized in various fields mainly rely on acquired images of structural information, such as fingerprints, irises, and faces. However, bio-recognition techniques using these existing physical features are always at risk of template forgery threats, such as fake fingerprints. Due to the risk of theft and duplication, studies have recently been attempted using the internal structure and biological characteristics of the human body, including our previous works on the ratiometric biological impedance feature. However, one may still question its accuracy in real-life use due to the artifacts from sensing position variability and electrode-skin interfacing noise. Moreover, since the finger possesses more severe thermoregulatory vasomotion and large variability in the tissue properties than the core of the body, it is necessary to mitigate the harsh changes occurring at the peripheral extremities of the human body. To address these challenges, we propose a biometric authentication method through robust feature extraction from the upper-limb impedance acquired based on a portable wearable device. In this work, we show that the upper limb impedance features obtained from wearable devices are robust against undesirable factors such as finger placement deviations and day-to-day physiological changes, along with ratiometric impedance features. Overall, our upper-limb impedance-based analysis in a dataset of 1627 measurement from 33 subjects lowered the classification error rate from 22.38% to 4.3% (by a factor of 5), and further down to 2.4% (by a factor of 9) when combined with the ratiometric features.

Estimator variables can matter even for high-confidence lineup identifications made under pristine conditions.

OBJECTIVE: According to the pristine conditions hypothesis, high-confidence identifications will be "remarkably accurate" when identification procedures (i.e., system variables, e.g., fair filler selection, double-blind administration, unbiased lineup instructions) are optimal, even if estimator variables (e.g., weapon presence, lighting, distance) are suboptimal (Wixted & Wells, 2017, p. 10). This has led some to conclude that estimator variables are not of much importance under those conditions. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that when multiple estimator variables are deficient, even high-confidence identifications will be less accurate than they would be when multiple estimator variables are optimal. METHOD: With a sample of 2,191 college students (Mage = 20.14, 73% women), we conducted a strong test of this hypothesis by comparing a situation in which estimator variables were manipulated to produce either very good or very poor memory performance. RESULTS: High-confidence suspect identifications were made significantly less frequently under poor viewing conditions than under good viewing conditions, and these differences are substantial if one assumes low base rates of guilt. CONCLUSIONS: Estimator variables can be important for evaluating even high-confidence suspect identifications and establish some important boundary conditions for the pristine conditions hypothesis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring the potential of cranial non-metric traits as a tool for personal identification: the never-ending dilemma.

Forensic anthropologists tasked with identification of skeletal remains often have to set up new strategies to overcome the limitations of conventional individualizing markers. A sound acquaintance with non-metric traits is essential for a reliable distinction between normal variations and pathological or traumatic conditions, yet the role of cranial variants in the identification process is still somehow ill-defined. One hundred crania (50 males and 50 females) of known sex and age were selected from the Collezione Antropologica LABANOF (a documented contemporary skeletal collection) and non-metric traits were scored as present or absent and by side. The frequencies of 13 traits were used to calculate the compound probabilities to find an individual with an exact combination of cranial features in the worldwide population. The probabilities of the majority of the individuals (53%) are within the 1 out of 10 million-1 out of 1 million interval. However, a fair number of subjects (25%) of the sample have the probabilities falling into the 1 out of 1 billion-1 out of 100 million interval, while the probabilities of a small portion of the sample (10%) are less than 1 out of 1 billion. This pilot study illustrates that some combinations of cranial variants are quite rare and may represent potential evidence to discern presumptive identifications, when an appropriate set of traits is selected and antemortem data are available for comparison. However, further research on larger and various samples is needed to confirm or discard the use of combinations of cranial non-metric traits as individualizing markers.

A multinomial modelling approach to face identity recognition during instructed threat.

To organise future behaviour, it is important to remember both the central and contextual aspects of a situation. We examined the impact of contextual threat or safety, learned through verbal instructions, on face identity recognition. In two studies (N = 140), 72 face-context compounds were presented each once within an encoding session, and an unexpected item/source recognition task was performed afterwards (including 24 new faces). Hierarchical multinomial processing tree modelling served to estimate individual parameters of item (face identity) and source memory (threat or safety context) as well as guessing behaviour. Results show that language was highly effective in establishing threatening and safe context conditions. In Study 1, a fleeting picture stream (1 s per picture) led to poor item and source recognition. Prolonged presentation times (Study 2 with 6 s per picture) improved face memory but no contextual modulation was observed. Thus, incidental face learning was surprisingly poor and rapidly changing contextual settings might have interfered with the accurate encoding of face identity information and item-source binding.

Improving 3D-3D facial registration methods: potential role of three-dimensional models in personal identification of the living.

Personal identification of the living from video surveillance systems usually involves 2D images. However, the potentiality of three-dimensional facial models in gaining personal identification through 3D-3D comparison still needs to be verified. This study aims at testing the reliability of a protocol for 3D-3D registration of facial models, potentially useful for personal identification. Fifty male subjects aged between 18 and 45 years were randomly chosen from a database of 3D facial models acquired through stereophotogrammetry. For each subject, two acquisitions were available; the 3D models of faces were then registered onto other models belonging to the same and different individuals according to the least point-to-point distance on the entire facial surface, for a total of 50 matches and 50 mismatches. RMS value (root mean square) of point-to-point distance between the two models was then calculated through the VAM® software. Intra- and inter-observer errors were assessed through calculation of relative technical error of measurement (rTEM). Possible statistically significant differences between matches and mismatches were assessed through Mann-Whitney test (p < 0.05). Both for intra- and inter-observer repeatability rTEM was between 2.2 and 5.2%. Average RMS point-to-point distance was 0.50 ± 0.28 mm in matches, 2.62 ± 0.56 mm in mismatches (p < 0.01). An RMS threshold of 1.50 mm could distinguish matches and mismatches in 100% of cases. This study provides an improvement to existing 3D-3D superimposition methods and confirms the great advantages which may derive to personal identification of the living from 3D facial analysis.

Eyewitnesses' free-report verbal confidence statements are diagnostic of accuracy.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed recent policy recommendations to collect eyewitnesses' confidence statements in witnesses' own words as opposed to numerically. We conducted an experiment to test whether eyewitnesses' free-report verbal confidence statements are as diagnostic of eyewitness accuracy as their numeric confidence statements and whether the diagnostic utility of eyewitnesses' verbal and numeric confidence statements varies across witnessing conditions. HYPOTHESES: We hypothesized that eyewitnesses' verbal and numeric confidence statements are both significantly associated with identification accuracy among choosers and that their diagnostic utility holds across varying witnessing conditions. METHOD: In the first phase of the experiment, eyewitnesses (N = 4,795 MTurkers; 48.8% female; 50.8% male; .3% other; age M = 36.9) viewed a videotaped mock-crime and made an identification decision from a culprit-present or culprit-absent lineup. We manipulated witnessing conditions at encoding and retrieval to obtain varied levels of memory performance. In the second phase of the experiment, evaluators (N = 456 MTurkers; 35.5% female; 62.7% male .4% other; age M = 36.5) translated witnesses' verbal confidence statements to a numeric estimate and we used calibration and confidence-accuracy characteristic analyses to compare the diagnosticity of witnesses' verbal and numeric confidence statements across the two levels of memory performance. RESULTS: Witnesses' verbal and numeric confidence statements were significantly and nondifferentially diagnostic of eyewitness accuracy for both choosers and nonchoosers, and their diagnostic utility held across variations in witnessing conditions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the applied utility of collecting either verbal or numeric confidence statements from eyewitnesses immediately following an identification decision. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

High-security photoacoustic identity recognition by capturing hierarchical vascular structure of finger.

Currently, most biometric methods mainly use single features, making them easily forged and cracked. In this study, a novel triple-layers biometric recognition method, based on photoacoustic microscopy, is proposed to improve the security of biometric identity recognition. Using the photoacoustic (PA) dermoscope, three-dimensional absorption-structure information of the fingers was obtained. Then, by combining U-Net, Gabor filtering, wavelet analysis and morphological transform, a lightweight algorithm called photoacoustic depth feature recognition algorithm (PADFR) was developed to automatically realize stratification (the fingerprint, blood vessel fingerprint and venous vascular), extracting feature points and identity recognition. The experimental results show that PADFR can automatically recognize the PA hierarchical features with an average accuracy equal to 92.99%. The proposed method is expected to be widely used in biometric identification system due to its high security.

Twenty-five years of unidentified bodies: an account from Milano, Italy.

The identification of decedents has always been a central issue in forensic pathology, for ethical, criminal, and administrative reasons, but today, it needs more attention due to issues related not only to migration but also to the weakening of family ties. This article presents a descriptive study discussing the Italian regulatory situation developed in the last decade to face the many identification issues, with all its improvements and flaws. Hence, data gathered in 25 years of at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Milan and the epidemiology of unidentified decedents are illustrated. Briefly, from 1995 to 2019, the number of unidentified human remains with no identity or requesting verification of identity amounts to 726, i.e., 3% circa of all autopsies performed at the Institute, with an average of 29 individuals per year. In total, 528 (72.7%) individuals were successfully identified, 100 (13.8%) remained without an identity, and 98 (13.5%) individuals remained with suspected yet unconfirmed identities. Percentages for each identification technique are displayed, with insight into the role of forensic anthropology and odontology compared to genetics, and into the misuse of non-scientific methods allowed by Public Prosecutors. All the data is compared, as much as possible, with the very few recent studies concerning the problem worldwide. Finally, the article aims to show the Italian experience in dealing with unidentified bodies, in order to provide food for thought for other countries toward a discussion regarding a global issue which is sometimes taken for granted and underestimated.

Sad expressions during encoding enhance facial identity recognition in visual working memory in depression: Behavioural and electrophysiological evidence.

BACKGROUND: Mood-congruent memory biases are prominently featured in cognitive theories of depression. However, how sad expressions during encoding affect facial identity recognition in visual working memory (WM) and the electrophysiological correlates in depressed individuals are unclear. METHODS: Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 30 depressed participants and 31 controls during a delayed face discrimination task. RESULTS: The depressed participants showed lower discrimination power in facial identity recognition than the controls. However, the depressed participants showed higher discrimination power in facial identity recognition for neutral probe faces preceded by sad expressions than for those preceded by happy expressions, while the controls showed no difference. Furthermore, hits (correctly recognizing studied faces) and associated vertex positive potential (VPP), P3b, and late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes were significantly higher for probe faces preceded by sad expressions than for those preceded by happy expressions in the depressed individuals, whereas the controls showed no differences. No such effects were found for correct rejections (correctly rejecting unstudied faces). LIMITATIONS: The present study is limited due to the relatively small sample size and homogenous university population. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that for depressed individuals, sad expressions during encoding enhanced discrimination power in facial identity recognition, especially correct recognition of studied faces in visual WM, which was associated with an increase in early structural encoding and more late attentional and perceptual resources following facial identity during retrieval, reflecting a mood-congruent memory bias.

Diga-me com quem moras que eu te direi quem és: oscilações na captação de indígenas nos censos demográficos brasileiros / Tell me who you live with and I'll tell you who you are: oscillations in the enumeration of indigenous people in Brazilian demographic censuses / Dime con quién vives y te diré quién eres:  oscilaciones en la enumeración de los pueblos indígenas en los censos demográficos brasileños

Os censos demográficos são uma importante fonte de informações sobre as condições de vida dos povos indígenas no Brasil. Diferentes explicações têm sido dadas para as variações observadas nos volumes de indígenas captados entre os censos. Os motivos para tais oscilações ancoram-se em análises da dinâmica demográfica dessas populações, assim como na influência dos processos de reconhecimento identitário e autodeterminação nos totais enumerados nas pesquisas. Desconhecem-se, contudo, estudos que investiguem o impacto das metodologias de coleta do censo sobre os resultados encontrados para a população indígena. O presente ensaio analisa os resultados dos últimos censos nacionais do Brasil para os indígenas segundo a composição de seus domicílios por cor ou raça dos moradores, assim como por região de residência e localização rural ou urbana dos mesmos. As análises indicam que alterações no formato de realização de entrevistas observadas nos últimos dois censos demográficos possivelmente tiveram impacto no perfil domiciliar dos indígenas captados e, consequentemente, no volume de indígenas recenseados no país. Esse impacto teria contribuído, inclusive, para uma redução daqueles que residiam nas áreas urbanas do país.

Demographic censuses are an important source of information on the living conditions of indigenous peoples in Brazil. Different factors have been pointed out to explain the variations in the volume of indigenous people captured by the censuses, as well as fluctuations in their spatial distribution. These studies focus on analyses of the demographic dynamics of these populations, as well as the influence of the processes of identity recognition and self-determination in indigenous numbers. However, studies into the impact of the census methodology on the results found for indigenous people are unknown. This paper analyzes the results of the latest national censuses in Brazil for indigenous people according to their region of residence, household situation and household composition, indicating that changes in the format of interviews observed in the last two demographic censuses had an impact on the household profile of the indigenous people and, consequently, in the number of those registered in the country. This impact would even have led to a reduction in those who lived in urban areas.

Los censos demográficos son una fuente importante de información sobre las condiciones de vida de los pueblos indígenas en Brasil. Se han señalado diferentes factores para explicar las variaciones en el volumen de indígenas capturados por los censos, así como las fluctuaciones en su distribución espacial. Estos estudios se enfocan en análisis de la dinámica demográfica de estas poblaciones, así como en la influencia de los procesos de reconocimiento de identidad y autodeterminación en la población indígena. Sin embargo, se desconocen los estudios que investigan el impacto de la metodología del censo en los resultados encontrados para los pueblos indígenas. Este trabajo analiza los resultados de los últimos censos nacionales en Brasil para los pueblos indígenas según su región de residencia, situación del hogar y composición del hogar, indicando que los cambios en el formato de las entrevistas observados en los dos últimos censos demográficos tuvieron un impacto en el perfil del hogar. de los pueblos indígenas y, en consecuencia, en el número de inscritos en el país. Este impacto incluso habría llevado a una reducción de quienes vivían en áreas urbanas.

Tattoo in forensic science: An Indian perspective.

BACKGROUND: - Tattoos refer to various skin markings done by impregnating the skin's epidermis with varied pigments. In forensic science, tattoos are considered as secondary identification markers and can be used for positive identification. Indian society is a unique blend of traditional and modern religious and social practices. Thus, traditional tattoos are still prevalent among various tribal societies and scheduled castes spread throughout various parts of India. The tribal tattoos can be used to determine tribal affiliations, that can aid in the process of forensic identification. On the other hand, tattoos comprising Western-influenced designs as well as individuals co-opting traditional designs gradually are becoming more popular in urbanized India. Understanding and documenting the various tattoo patterns prevalent throughout the tribal population and the modern metropolitan cities can help create a reference base line data for future forensic identification.

Cowitness identification speed affects choices from target-absent photospreads.

OBJECTIVE: Three studies examined the influence of a witness's identification speed on the identification decision of another witness. HYPOTHESES: Based on research documenting cowitness effects we expected cowitness speed to affect identification decisions from target-absent photospreads. Without prior research testing the effects of cowitness speed, we did not have a specific prediction regarding how fast (vs. slow) cowitness identification decisions would affect participant-witnesses' identification rates in Study 1. Based on the results from Study 1, in Study 2 we predicted that fast (vs. slow) cowitness decisions would increase choices from target-absent photospreads when the cowitness was known to have made a positive identification. In Study 3, cowitnesses rejected the photospread. Based on the previous studies, we hypothesized that fast (vs. slow) cowitness decisions would decrease choices from target-absent photospreads. However, because a photospread rejection is qualitatively different from an identification, this prediction was tentative. METHOD: In all three studies, participants watched one of 2 stimulus videos with a confederate cowitness. After the video, the confederate made a fast (10 s) or slow (4 min) identification. Participants then attempted an identification from a target-absent photospread. In Study 1 (N = 101), the confederate's decision from the photospread was ambiguous. In Study 2 (N = 200) the confederate announced making a positive identification. In Study 3 (N = 151) the confederate cowitness rejected the photospread. RESULTS: In all 3 studies, participants paired with a fast cowitness made more choices from the target-absent photospread than did participants paired with a slow cowitness. CONCLUSIONS: Fast cowitness identifications increased choices from the target-absent photospread regardless of whether a cowitness's decision was ambiguous (Study 1), whether they made an identification (Study 2), or rejected the photospread (Study 3). Given the effects of cowitness speed on identification decisions, it might be advisable to standardize the duration of identification procedures and inform witnesses of this standardization. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Intranasal oxytocin modulates brain responses to voice-identity recognition in typically developing individuals, but not in ASD.

Faces and voices are prominent cues for person-identity recognition. Face recognition behavior and associated brain responses can be enhanced by intranasal administration of oxytocin. It is unknown whether oxytocin can also augment voice-identity recognition mechanisms. To find it out is particularly relevant for individuals who have difficulties recognizing voice identity such as individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We conducted a combined behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to investigate voice-identity recognition following intranasal administration of oxytocin or placebo in a group of adults diagnosed with ASD (full-scale intelligence quotient > 85) and pairwise-matched typically developing (TD) controls. A single dose of 24 IU oxytocin was administered in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and cross-over design. In the control group, but not in the ASD group, administration of oxytocin compared to placebo increased responses to recognition of voice identity in contrast to speech in the right posterior superior temporal sulcus/gyrus (pSTS/G) - a region implicated in the perceptual analysis of voice-identity information. In the ASD group, the right pSTS/G responses were positively correlated with voice-identity recognition accuracy in the oxytocin condition, but not in the placebo condition. Oxytocin did not improve voice-identity recognition performance at the group level. The ASD compared to the control group had lower right pSTS/G responses to voice-identity recognition. Since ASD is known to have atypical pSTS/G, the results indicate that the potential of intranasal oxytocin to enhance mechanisms for voice-identity recognition might be variable and dependent on the functional integrity of this brain region.