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Subject: [humanmarkup-comment] Fwd: FW: Writing Style As A Biometric
Same as previous post. Rex >Subject: FW: Writing Style As A Biometric >Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 22:27:31 -0700 >Thread-Topic: Writing Style As A Biometric >Thread-Index: AcJHjwjbwbtRzWTlTx+XopON7bufPgBRGMDP >From: "Monica Martin" <mmartin@certivo.net> >To: <rexb@starbourne.com> >X-Rcpt-To: <rexb@starbourne.com> >X-DPOP: DPOP Version 2.4a >Status: U > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Henry J. Boitel > Sent: Mon 8/19/2002 8:32 AM > To: BIOMETRICS@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM > Cc: > Subject: Re: Writing Style As A Biometric > > > > Nicholas, > > I do not think the article relates to handwriting. It relates >to the content > of the writing. There is a substantial body of literature on >the issue of > being able to identify handwriting to a particular person and on >the separate > question of inferring certain states of mind from variations in >the same > person's handwriting. > > I think many recognize handwriting as a biometric >characteristic. See the BC > Website at http://www.biometrics.org/html/research.html > > And see: Science and NonScience in the Courts: Daubert Meets >Handwriting > identification Expertise. Saks & Risenger, Iowa Law Review >(1996) > http://www.law-forensic.com/handwriting_2.htm > > Best wishes, > Henry > Henry J. Boitel, Esq. > New York > > Nicholas Orlans wrote: > > > Henry, > > Yes there is a considerable history and body of work >surrounding > > signature analysis---both static analysis and dynamic aspects. >Static > > handwriting is of course more susceptible to forgery or >obfuscation. > > When signature samples are collected with live capture devices >the > > manner of production (writing behavior, or style if you will) >provide > > additional information that turn out to be somewhat >distinctive. Timing, > > velocity, acceleration, and pressure (and sometimes other >derived > > attributes) are the basis for classification. Gender and some > > psyhological traits reportedly can be inferred through >handwriting > > samples ... presumable in context of other information and >with > > limitations. > > > > Gopal Gupta and Rick Joyce [GUPTA97] used the following six >features as > > a basis for their engineering experiments on Signature >analysis: > > 1. Total time > > 2. Number of velocity sign changes in the x-direction > > 3. Number of velocity sign changes in the y-direction > > 4. Number of acceleration sign changes in the x-direction > > 5. Number of acceleration sign changes in the y-direction > > 6. Total pen-up time > > > > Three sample companies that are in market, there may be others >(and I > > have no first hand knowledge with their current products) > > > > http://www.cic.com/ > > http://www.silanis.com > > http://www.valyd.com/ > > > > [GUPTA97] G. Gupta, A. McCabe, A Review of Dynamic Handwritten >Signature > > Verification. James Cook University, Townsville, Austrailia. >1997. > > > > "Henry J. Boitel" wrote: > > > > > > An FBI investigator appears to be claiming that the writing > > > style (i.e., use of language) of the Anthrax terrorist may > > > be "as unique as DNA", for the purpose of identifying him. > > > > > > Is he describing a behavioral biometric, and is there a body > > > of scientific precedent that supports his view? > > > > > > Assuming that writing style can provide strong evidence of > > > identity against some persons (something like missing a > > > certain finger or having a certain tattoo or a certain > > > scar), is writing style capable of being used to identify > > > most of the population, so as to elevate it to the level of > > > being a biometric? > > > > > > Can writing style survive conscious efforts to distort it? > > > > > > The following article is from the BBC Aug. 18, 2002 > > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2196008.stm > > > > > > Henry J. Boitel, Esq. > > > New York > > > > > > Sunday, 18 August, 2002, 02:37 GMT 03:37 UK Anthrax killer > > > 'is US defence insider' > > > > > > An FBI forensic linguistics expert believes the US anthrax > > > attacks were carried out by a senior scientist from within > > > America's biological-defence community. > > > > > > Professor Don Foster - who helped convict Unabomber Ted > > > Kaczynski and unveiled Joe Klein as the author of the novel > > > Primary Colors - says the evidence points to someone with > > > high-ranking military and intelligence connections. > > > > > > Speaking about the investigation for the first time, Prof > > > Foster told the BBC he had identified two suspects who had > > > both worked for the CIA, the US Army Medical Research > > > Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and other > > > classified military operations. > > > > > > Controversially, Prof Foster says the killer is likely to be > > > highly patriotic individual who wanted to demonstrate that > > > the US was badly prepared for an act of biological > > > terrorism. > > > > > > The weapons-grade anthrax was posted in letters just days > > > after the 11 September terror attacks, leaving five people > > > dead, 18 injured and 35,000 forced to take precautionary > > > antibiotics. > > > > > > The professor says he does not believe the killer will > > > strike again as he has achieved his goal. > > > > > > He explained: "To that end his misplaced patriotism has > > > worked. Today millions of government dollars have gone into > > > research and anthrax antibiotics are now available to the > > > public." > > > > > > Agency rivalry? > > > > > > However, he fears the investigation is now being hampered in > > > its gathering of vital documents that could lead to the > > > killer. > > > > > > Prof Foster says investigators need examples of the suspects > > > writing to analyse their style and use of language - which > > > the professor believes is as unique as DNA and could unveil > > > the perpetrator. > > > > > > He said: "It's very frustrating. Ordinarily with the FBI if > > > there's some documents needed - known writings - boom, > > > they're on my desk the next day. > > > > > > "My two suspects both appear to have CIA connections. These > > > two agencies, the CIA and the FBI, are sometimes seen as > > > rivals. > > > > > > "My anxiety is that the FBI agents assigned to this case are > > > not getting full and complete co-operation from the US > > > military, CIA and witnesses who might have information about > > > this case." > > > > > > Killer 'diverting suspicion' > > > > > > Prof Foster was given four letters recovered by > > > investigators to analyse for clues to the killer's identity. > > > > > > "As I worked through these documents it became apparent that > > > USAMRIID was ultimately the best place for the FBI to begin > > > looking for a suspect," he said. > > > > > > All of the letters contain the following messages "Death to > > > America" and "Death to Israel". All were dated 11 September, > > > a clear reference to the terror attacks. > > > > > > But while investigators searched for links between the > > > anthrax attacks and al-Qaeda, Prof Foster immediately > > > suspected that dating the letters 11 September was merely a > > > ruse to throw the authorities off the scent. > > > > > > He says: "When an offender gives you some piece of > > > information that's just completely unnecessary and that, in > > > this case, is inaccurate, it becomes immediately suspect. > > > > > > "It becomes a statement of 'Here's what I want you to > > > believe about this document'." > > > > > > Prof Foster also says the killer seems to have tried > > > implicating two former USAMRIID scientists who had left the > > > laboratory in unhappy circumstances by posting the letters > > > from near their homes in New Jersey. > > > > > > He says only someone in contact with a senior insider at > > > USAMRIID would have known how the two scientists left the > > > lab and that they would then be likely targets for the FBI > > > investigation. > > > > > > He says: "They are looking at someone who's a little bit > > > higher up the food chain, who would have to have access to > > > personnel information." > > > > > > Deliberate mistakes > > > > > > The professor also identified a number of mistakes and > > > misspellings in the letters which he suspects are a > > > deliberate ploy to confuse investigators. > > > > > > The author of the anthrax letters tells his victims to take > > > penicillin. Not only is penicillin the wrong antibiotic to > > > take, the killer also misspells the word. > > > > > > Prof Foster says: "You mean to tell me this guy is dealing > > > with anthrax, a trillion spores a gram, and he thinks > > > penicillin is going to be the antibiotic of choice? > > > > > > "There's something very fishy about that misspelling there, > > > that this particular word should be misspelled and it should > > > be misspelled in such an unconvincing way. > > > > > > "It looks like an attempt on the offender to say 'Hey, don't > > > think I'm a scientist, don't think I know anything about > > > antibiotics'." > > > > > > The FBI have placed a number of scientists under intense > > > scrutiny and recently questioned US scientist Dr Steven > > > Hatfill in connection with the attacks. > > > > > > Dr Hatfill strenuously denies any involvement in the attacks > > > saying: "I have never worked with anthrax; I know nothing > > > about this matter." > > > > > > The FBI's investigation continues. > > > > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > The preceding was forwarded by the Biometric Consortium's >Electronic > > > Discussion Group. Any opinions expressed here do not >necessarily > > > reflect those of the Biometric Consortium. Further >distribution > > > is prohibited. > > > > > > Problems and questions regarding this list should be sent to > > > BIOMETRICS-request@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM. > > > > > > To remove your name from this list please send the command > > > "SIGNOFF BIOMETRICS" to <LISTSERV@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM>. >Please > > > do not send the "SIGNOFF BIOMETRICS" command to the >BIOMETRICS list. > > > > > > To update membership information (new e-mail address etc.), >please send > > > a message to <bailey@biometrics.org> providing the updated >information. > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > -- > > > > |---- Nicholas Orlans ** The MITRE Corporation ** >703.883.7454 ----| > > -- > This is a communication between or relating to an attorney and >client. It is > intended to be privileged, confidential, and proprietary to the >fullest > extent permitted by law. If it should come into the possession >of any third > party, it should immediately be disposed of in a manner that >insures its > confidentiality, and the contents should not, to any extent, be >disseminated > to anyone. Henry J. Boitel, Attorney at Law. > Phone: (516) 594-1234 Fax: (516) 536-8766 Electronic >Mail: > boitel@mindspring.com > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------- > The preceding was forwarded by the Biometric Consortium's >Electronic > Discussion Group. Any opinions expressed here do not >necessarily > reflect those of the Biometric Consortium. Further distribution > is prohibited. > > Problems and questions regarding this list should be sent to > BIOMETRICS-request@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM. > > To remove your name from this list please send the command > "SIGNOFF BIOMETRICS" to <LISTSERV@PEACH.EASE.LSOFT.COM>. Please > do not send the "SIGNOFF BIOMETRICS" command to the BIOMETRICS >list. > > To update membership information (new e-mail address etc.), >please send > a message to <bailey@biometrics.org> providing the updated >information. > >------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- Rex Brooks Starbourne Communications Design 1361-A Addison, Berkeley, CA 94702 *510-849-2309 http://www.starbourne.com * rexb@starbourne.com
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