Pentagon’s Laser Can Identify People From Far Away By Just Their Heartbeat

Much like how our fingerprints are different from each other, so are our cardiac signatures. They can be used to identify individuals and Pentagon has developed something which can even do that from a distance. A new device has been developed for the Pentagon which can identify people based on their cardiac signature.

The device detects a person’s unique cardiac signature using an infrared laser. It can work at 200 meters currently but it would be possible to use it over longer distances with a better laser. Jetson, which is what this device is called, users laser vibrometry to detect the surface movement that a heartbeat causes.

It can pick up the cardiac signature through normal clothing such as a shirt and jacket but won’t work with thicker clothing such as a winter coat. A special gimbal has been added to Jetson so that the invisible laser spot, which is about the size of a quarter, can be kept steady on a target.

A return usually takes about 30 seconds so the device is only effective when the target is standing or sitting, at least for now. Steward Remaly of Pentagon’s Combatting Terrorism Technical Support Office says that under good conditions, Jetson has an accuracy of 95 percent.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Military
Tags: pentagon