Why have voice-stress analyzers not gained universal acceptance?

Voice-stress analyzers (VSAs) have not gained universal acceptance primarily because of significant concerns regarding their scientific validity. While proponents suggest that the technology can identify deception by measuring inaudible vocal vibrations known as microtremors, critics argue that the equipment fails to distinguish between stress caused by the act of lying and stress resulting from other factors.1

Because these devices cannot reliably isolate the physiological markers of deception from general high-stress states, their accuracy remains a subject of debate among experts. This lack of consensus mirrors the broader challenges faced by various lie detectors, which often struggle to provide results that are consistently reliable or admissible in judicial proceedings.1