InfraMation 2010 Proceedings 2010-131 IR Remote Sensing to Measure Human Being Stress Level. Marcos Leal Brioschi, Jorge Eduardo Fouto Matias, Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira, Jose Viriato Vargas. Sao Paolo University Hospital – Neurology and Psychiatry Department. Parana Federal University – Mechanical Department and Surgery Post-Graduation Department. InfraredMed - Medical Infrared Imaging Diagnostic, Brazil. www.infraredmed.org ABSTRACT The authors used non invasive remote passive IR imaging for measurement of human vital signs to detect altered physiological status, defined as physiological stress. By mean of statistical signal processing an automated system detect the level of physiological stress, analyzing different human being functional variables as breathing, supra-orbital artery pulse, cold nose, ears and hands, dry mouth, flushing and moving of the face. Breathing causes noticeable changes in temperature at the nasal area, which appear as periodic changes in the face IR image. The supra-orbital arteries of the face produce time-varying heat patterns which yield information about the cardiac cycle, called pulse. Ears, nose, hands vasoconstrictions and dry mouth diminish the IR radiation proportionally to the elevation of the stress level, contrary the hyper-radiation occasioned by the vasodilatation of the face. Results on human normal subjects and exposed during a television reality show were provided and validated against standard approaches for physiological parameters measuring. The proposed method has medical, traffic accident and public security applications as non-contact vital signs monitoring, driver's stress detection and intent identification at a distance. So it is ready to be used at airports, and health screening, police departments, elder care, workplace preventive care, and vehicles dashboards. It also detects "hostile thoughts" by screening suspicious people at checkpoints. INTRODUCTION Among the neurological effects that can be monitored by IR imaging some authors describes sympathetic nervous response to mental stress. IR imaging has numerous potential clinical applications in psychiatry both as a diagnostic as well as therapeutic tool (using biofeedback). IR can as well effectively monitor mental stress induced by deception (“lie detection”). Since sympathetic vasoconstriction or vasodilatation are much more sensitive manifestations of mental stress than perspiration, remote monitoring of subjects by IR (which also readily measures heart rate) is likely to be a far more effective “lie detector” than the best of polygraphs. The purpose of this project was to detect malicious intent or "hostile thoughts" by screening people at border posts. It is a new technology that works in real time as opposed to after a crime is already committed. The IR screening technology that started with fever screening was now developed to measures pulse rate, skin temperature, breathing, facial expression, body (head) movement, and additional cues to see if you are a terrorist, or have intentions of causing harm. The technology is already to be used at airports, border posts, public places and special events (stadiums, government departments). METHOD AND RESULTS Stress has been defined as a state that occurs when a living being is required to make abnormal or extreme adjustments, in either its physiology or behavior, in order to cope with adverse aspects of its environment and management; therefore, measuring stress is central to the assessment of human being welfare. Both the behavioural and physiological systema are involved in the response to stress. Factors that may influence a behavioural response include the individual´s characteristics, previous experience, and the nature and severity of the stressor. However, the measurement and interpretation of some behaviours can be subjective and the variation in responses can be misleading. For example, on man may act aggressively in defence whereas another man