Lawrence Farwell

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Dr. Lawrence Farwell (Larry Farwell) is an American scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur. He invented brain fingerprinting and the first EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI). He discovered the P300-MERMER brain response and applied it in forensic neuroscience, brain-computer communication, and other fields.

In addition to his brain fingerprinting research at the CIA[1][2][3] and the FBI[1][2][4] and elsewhere and his publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals, he has applied brain fingerprinting to detect the presence or absence of concealed crime-relevant information stored in the brains of suspects in criminal cases, and has testified as an expert witness on this science in court.[5] He holds patents on brain fingerprinting,[6][7] the P300-MERMER,[8] and applications of this technology in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive deficits.[9] He has conducted and published research on neuroscience, psychophysiology, physics, mathematics, and the relationship between consciousness and matter.

Acknowledgements

TIME Magazine named Dr. Lawrence Farwell to the TIME 100: The Next Wave, the 100 top innovators who may be "the Picassos or Einsteins of the 21st century." [3]

Scientific Discoveries and Inventions

Dr. Farwell’s scientific discoveries and inventions are in the field of neuroscience, psychophysiology, and in particular electroencephalography (EEG). He invented and developed the technique of brain fingerprinting, which applies EEG and event-related potentials (ERPs) in the detection of concealed information stored in the brain. [1] [2] [4] [6] [7] [8] [10] [11]

Brain fingerprinting and Dr. Farwell’s expert-witness testimony on it have been ruled admissible as scientific evidence in court in the US.[5][12] He applied brain fingerprinting to prove that the record stored in the brain of Terry Harrington did not match the record of the murder for which Harrington had been convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Harrington was ultimately released. Dr. Farwell applied brain fingerprinting to prove that serial killer J. B. Grinder did have the record of the murder of Julie Helton stored in his brain. [13] Grinder confessed and was sentenced to life in prison.

Farwell stated: "From a scientific perspective, we can definitively say that brain fingerprinting could have substantial benefits in identifying terrorists or in exonerating people accused of being terrorists."[14]

Dr. Farwell and his colleague Emanuel Donchin invented the first EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI), which used electrical brain responses to communicate directly from the human brain to a computer and speech synthesizer.[15]

He invented a method for applying EEG and event-related potentials in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive deficits.[9]

Dr. Farwell conducted research on the relationship between consciousness and matter in collaboration with his father, University of Washington physics professor George Farwell.[16][17] They used nuclear physics apparatus measuring alpha particle decay of plutonium to scientifically investigate the interactions between consciousness, matter, and quantum-mechanical processes. He wrote a book on modern neuroscience, modern physics, and the role of consciousness in the universe entitled How Consciousness Commands Matter: The New Scientific Revolution and the Evidence that Anything Is Possible.[18]

Education

Larry Farwell earned his BA from Harvard University and his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.[3]

Career

Dr. Farwell has served as a research associate at Harvard Medical School and as a consultant to the CIA.[3] He has conducted laboratory and field brain fingerprinting research at the CIA [1][2] and the FBI[1][2][4] and elsewhere.

Dr. Farwell founded Brain Fingerprinting Laboratories, Inc. where he is Chairman and Chief Scientist. The company was started in Iowa and later moved to Seattle. Farwell founded Brainwave Science, LLC, a joint venture with Brain Fingerprinting Laboratories, Inc. and Government Works, Inc., a federal contractor in Boston. In August, 2012, Brainwave Science launched the commercialization of Farwell’s brain fingerprinting technology through Government Works, with Dr. Farwell as chief scientist.

Personal

Larry Farwell has a black belt in kung fu and has taught in Song's Kung fu Academy under former world champion Grand Master Keychun Song.[3] He is a teacher of Transcendental Meditation, and spent several years with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He has performed with the swing/Lindy hop dance troupe Swingphoria, specializing in aerial moves.

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Farwell, LA; Richardson, DC; Richardson, GM (2012). "Brain fingerprinting field studies comparing P300-MERMER and P300 brainwave responses in the detection of concealed information". Cognitive Neurodynamics. doi:10.1007/s11571-012-9230-0. ISSN 1871-4080. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Farwell, LA (2012). "Brain fingerprinting: a comprehensive tutorial review of detection of concealed information with event-related brain potentials". Cognitive Neurodynamics 6 (2): 115–154. doi:10.1007/s11571-012-9192-2. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Dale, S.S. (2001). "THE BRAIN SCIENTIST: Climbing Inside the Criminal Mind." TIME Magazine, Nov. 26, 2001, pp 80-81.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Farwell, LA; Smith, SS (2001). "Using brain MERMER testing to detect concealed knowledge despite efforts to conceal". Journal of Forensic Sciences 46 (1): 135–143. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Harrington v. State, Case No. PCCV 073247. Iowa District Court for Pottawattamie County, March 5, 2001.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Farwell, L.A., inventor. U.S. Patent #5,363,858: Method and Apparatus for Multifaceted Electroencephalographic Response Analysis (MERA), Nov. 15, 1994
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Farwell, L.A., inventor. U.S. Patent #5,467,777: Method for Electroencephalographic Information Detection, Nov. 21, 1995.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Farwell, L.A., inventor. U.S. Patent #5,406,956: Method and Apparatus for Truth Detection, April 18, 1995.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Farwell, L.A., inventor. U.S. Patent # 7,689,272: Method and Apparatus for Brain Fingerprinting, Measurement, Assessment and Analysis of Brain Function. Issued 3/30/2010.
  10. ↑ Farwell, LA; Donchin, E (1991). "The truth will out: interrogative polygraphy ("lie detection") with event-related brain potentials". Psychophysiology 28 (5): 531–47. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1991.tb01990.x. PMID 1758929. 
  11. ↑ Farwell, LA; Richardson, DC (2013). "Brain fingerprinting: let’s focus on the science—a reply to Meijer, Ben-Shakhar, Verschuere, and Donchin". Cognitive Neurodynamics 7 (2): 159–166. doi:10.1007/s11571-012-9238-5. 
  12. ↑ Farwell, L.A.; Makeig, T.H. (September 2005), "Farwell brain fingerprinting in the case of Harrington v. State", Open Court 10 (3): 7–10 
  13. ↑ Dalbey, B. (1999). "Brain Fingerprinting Testing Traps Serial Killer in Missouri." The Fairfield Ledger. Fairfield, Iowa, August, 1999, p 1.
  14. ↑ "New 'Brain Fingerprinting' Could Help Solve Crimes". ABC News. Retrieved 26 December 2013. 
  15. ↑ Farwell, LA; Donchin, E (1988). "Talking off the top of your head: toward a mental prosthesis utilizing event-related brain potentials". Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology 70 (6): 510–23. doi:10.1016/0013-4694(88)90149-6. PMID 2461285. 
  16. ↑ Farwell, Lawrence A.; Farwell, George W. (April 1995), "Quantum-Mechanical Processes and Consciousness", Bulletin of the American Physical Society 40 (2): 956–957 
  17. ↑ Bodansky, David; Halpern, Isaac; Henley, Ernest (May 2004). "Obituary: George Wells Farwell". Physics Today 57 (5): 75–76. doi:10.1063/1.1768680. 
  18. ↑ Farwell, Larry How Consciousness Commands Matter: The New Scientific Revolution and the Evidence that Anything Is Possible. Sunstar Publishing, 1999, ISBN 1-887472-24-X.
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