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A security system is being developed that analyses the user's brainwaves. The system then determines whether the user is in a fit mental state and grants them access to resources only if appropriate. Such a system might be used to control entry to a building, access to computer resources or even the withdrawal of money from an automated teller machine. It could also have applications in the military, electronic learning, and healthcare , according to research published in the International Journal of Advanced Intelligence Paradigms. Most security systems simply expect a PIN or password while biometric systems look for a fingerprint, a view of the user's iris or retina or some other mundane but unique characteristic. Now, Violeta Tulceanu of the University of Iasi is adding an emotion detector to biometric security. "The true engine of motivation is our capacity to perceive pleasure and fear pain, and thus, reward and punishment," explains Tulceanu. "Our abi...

The study, published this month in the  Journal of Pain and Symptom Management , is among the first to examine the effect of anxiety and depression on survival rates for lung cancer patients. The findings build on similar previous research looking at breast cancer patients, further deepening scientists' understanding of the effect of psychosocial  factors on survival rates for patients diagnosed with cancer. "The question of whether anxiety and depression affect survival in cancer patients has been of interest to scientists for decades, but long-term research has been limited," said Andrea Vodermaier, the study's lead author and postdoctoral research fellow in the UBC department of psychology. "Our study confirms that there is indeed a link for lung cancer patients, and that it's important for health-care providers to treat not only their tumour but also focus on the full emotional experience of the patient." For the study, researchers followed 684...