Second Version Preliminary test protocol
The
first preliminary test protocol is now revised and here is the 2nd version, still a draft and open for more improvements. Changes have been made based on our productive discussions here on the Forum.
*Several Forum members pointed out that a total viewing time of four hours is too much.
*Checking for scar won't be part of verifying number of kidneys.
*1 in 700 is born without a kidney.
*10 minutes to see each volunteer is suggested.
*The volunteers will be seen one at a time.
*The curtain can be adjusted to the height of each person. Head and neck of volunteers is not seen.
*Ultrasound to check for number of kidneys.
*Volunteers wear their own clothing, preferably a cotton shirt.
*I pick only one volunteer as the one I think is missing a kidney.
*If I pass it is not evidence but makes me ready for the official IIG test.
*JPL's wife is willing to participate as the person who is missing a kidney.
*The test will take place in San Diego, California.
*Not all volunteers need to arrive at the same time. They can arrive closer to when it is their time to be seen.
*Volunteer's number written on their wrist.
*Involve local Skeptics in the test, contact two San Diego Skeptics groups and invite IIG to take part in this test.
*Two sets of attending Skeptics if the test is too long for them to attend.
*I will have minimal contact with JPL and his wife before the test. If San Diego skeptics are involved, JPL and his wife will be in contact with them about the test.
*Before beginning the test I confirm that the conditions around the test are acceptable to my performance.
*All nine two-kidney volunteers are women and should be similar to JPL's wife.
*The nine are prepared that one might have an ultrasound after the test.
The second version of the preliminary test protocol:
The Preliminary kidney detection test will take place in San Diego, California, on a date and in a location to be determined later. The claimant contacts San Diego Skeptics to ask if they would like to be involved in the test, and the IIG can be involved as much as they want.
The test uses ten volunteers: one of whom is JPL's wife who is missing a kidney, and nine other volunteers who all to their knowledge have both kidneys. The nine two-kidney volunteers are all women and if possible they have similar characteristics to JPL's wife in terms of age and appearance.
Each of the ten volunteers is randomly assigned a number from 1 to 10. A permanent marker is used to write that number on the wrist of each person.
The volunteer numbered 1 takes a seat at the volunteer's area. An opaque fabric screen is attached to the ceiling and its height is adjusted to the height of the seated volunteer so that the head and neck of the volunteer can not be seen. The volunteer's chair is turned sideways so that the back rest is facing to the left and the back of the volunteer can be seen from behind.
Volunteers are wearing their own everyday clothing however this should be a thin shirt, preferably made of cotton. Once the volunteer is seated and settled in, the claimant enters the room and has a seat a few feet behind the volunteer. There may be no speaking during the test.
The claimant has 30 minutes to look at the volunteer and has paper and can take any notes that she wishes during the test. Regardless of which of persons she detects might be the one missing a kidney the claimant will look at all ten volunteers. If she finishes seeing a volunteer earlier than 30 minutes and wishes to proceed to the next volunteer, she will announce that. That way, the viewing part of the test will take at most five hours but will most likely be significantly less than that.
The claimant leaves the room once she has finished with looking at a volunteer, the first volunteer leaves and the next volunteer takes their place.
Claimant keeps all papers of all ten volunteers until after all ten volunteers have been seen. Once all ten have been seen, the claimant is then given 30 minutes to review her papers and to transfer an answer onto an answer sheet. The answer sheet is collected by a skeptic.
JPL's wife should bring medical documentation that she has had a kidney removed, otherwise we can simply confirm that she is married to JPL. All nine volunteers who are meant to have both kidneys are prepared that one of them might be asked to undergo an ultrasound examination to verify the number of kidneys, if they are the person chosen by the claimant, since some people are born with one kidney without knowing it.
