ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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This thread concerns me a tad.
Reagan writes:
"Volunteer "polygraph" operators are available free, for the asking, via The
Church of Scientology."
What do you mean? Actual human scientologists want to volunteer in science
museums and perform polygraphs on people? Or they want to donate machines
they've created for such a task? Scientology has no place in science
museums.. the entire establishment is based on science fiction.
I urge any science or technology museum that considers an exhibit on
polygraphs, to contact Alan Zelicoff. Alan works at Sandia Labs in New
Mexico. If you would like his email, please contact me off list.
You can read one of his many articles on polygraphs at:
http://www.csicop.org/si/2001-07/polygraph.html
We also sent out a press release on the subject that you can read here:
http://www.csicop.org/list/listarchive/msg00243.html
I expect the polygraph tests and others like them do something or other, and
may provide some insight into human behavior but they're not science and
they shouldn't be promoted as such within science and technology museums.
The skeptical perspective should be included in any exhibit on this subject.
Amanda
* * *
Amanda Chesworth
Educational Director, Children's Programming
Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
http://www.csicop.org
http://www.inquiringminds.org
http://www.campinquiry.org
The E-meter auditing device is a form of GSR.
Several other things you might consider:
EKG is pretty easy and cheap to pull off --- add some hand grips to a Polar
heart monitor of the type that comes from WalMart.
You may have to provide some clean water so that visitors can get low enough
skin resistance to activate the monitor's circuitry.
These heart monitors go into micropower mode (off) to preserve battery life
unless there is a relatively low resistance path between the two electrodes.
The electrodes on the chest worn part of the heart monitor are fabricated
from conductive polymer wires may be attached either by clamping a small
piece of copper clad circuit board on top of the electrode using binder
clips or by gluing wires on with conductive epoxy.
Another interesting bio-monitoring device which may be used safely in public
is the ultrasound Doppler stethoscope. I found one on ebay for <$200.
Reagan Cole
Durham, NC
-----Original Message-----
>From: Diana Issidorides <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: May 10, 2007 2:40 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Polygraphs in museums
>
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Hi Wendy,
>
>At NEMO, we have two excellent (and popular) polygraph exhibits based
>on GSR measurement, both developed by the Experimentarium in Denmark.
>
>1. In "Measure your Emotions", visitors place their index and middle
>finger on a metal holder that registers GSR while they look at
>different pictures on a computer screen. They are then shown how
>their GSR reacted to each picture and which picture produced the
>highest GSR response.
>
>2. In Read my Mind (for two visitors), an 'interrogator' questions a
>'suspect' whose fingers are similarly placed on a metal holder
>measuring GSR. 'Suspect' is asked to write down (a) 9 numbers and
>think of one of them, or (b) 5 birthdays (one of which is his/hers,
>or (c) 5 names of people (one of which s/he's in love with), and to
>concentrate his/her thinking on that. The interrogator then reads
>aloud the items, while concentrating on the needle of the device
>which registers GSR. It is quite easy to see what suspect is thinking
>of, cause the needle gives a higher reading when interrogator reads
>aloud the item that the suspect has in mind!
>
>Both these exhibits are robust and work well. I suggest you contact
>Nils Hornstrup at the Experimentarium if you want more information.
>
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Good luck,
>
>Diana
>
>– –
>Dr. Diana C. Issidorides
>Senior Scientist & Exhibition Developer
>Science Center NEMO
>P.O. Box 421
>1000 AK Amsterdam
>The Netherlands
>T: +31205313119
>[log in to unmask]
>www.e-nemo.nl
>
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