Swaranjali Agrawal

Professor Catherine Thomas

English EN1101

21 November 2014

Microchip Implantation in Humans: Coming Soon?

With the advancement in the technology during the last decade, we are moving into a whole new world of technological innovation. There was a time when people could never expect to have a wireless device. But now life without cellphone is nearly impossible. The cellpone in today’s world has become a person’s best companion. See, what the change technology brought into our lives. This paper deals with another technological innvoation that is microchip implantion in human beings. My goal in this paper is show the why the chip implantation in human beings is useful and how the RFID technology can change our lives?

A human microchip is an identifying integrated device which can be implanted in the human body. It is encased in a silicate glass and a bit bigger than a rice grain. The chip needs to be injected under the skin of the hand (Wikipedia, 2014). It typically contains a unique identification detail number which can be connected to the information contained in the external database. It is basically a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder. RFID is the wireless use of electromagnetic fields to transfer the data for the purposes of identifying and tracking tags attached to the objects or animals or human beings (Ibid).

In 1998, Professor Kevin Warwick became the first person to be implanted with a microchip, commonly know as RFID chip. The implantation allowed him to interact with “intelligent” buildings (Ibid). For instance, by using the chip, he could open the doors which previously needed a smart card swipe. He could switch on the lights simply by entering the room. Recently, a British researcher Mark Gasson did the same experiment with a bit advanced version of the transponder. He could unlock his smart phone just by holding it (Spector, 2014).

There are innumerable practical uses of RFID chip implantation technology in human beings which would make it a huge success in coming times. Currently, in various countries, the chip implantation is used only for medical purposes. For instance, thousands of Americans already have implanted medical devices such as pacemakers, which are inserted into the chest to treat abnormal heart rhythms and cochlear implants, which help deaf people to hear (Ibid).

Presently, implantable chips are used in the hospitals in some developed countries like America and Australia. The patients are injected with the microchips under the skin of their hands with all the medical history stored in it. So, in the event of any emergency, say, when the patient is unconscious or during the accidents, the implant can be used to retrieve the medical information. Since the microchip is connected to the external database, the information can be updated from time to time. This technology is very helpful in keeping an eye on a patient suffering from diabetes or Alzheimer’s (Gaughan, 2014).

A microchip contains a 16-digit unique ID number which can be transmitted when a hand held chip detector is passed within a few inches of the implant. And, as soon as the detector detects the number, all the patient’s medical history is displayed on the computer screen which makes treatment fast and easy.

Presently, chip implantation is used by the farmers. They inject the chips into the bodies of their farm animals and it becomes easy for them to keep the counting and whereabouts of their animals. The farmers record all kind of information using this technology such as age, sex, medical conditions, number of eggs laid (for birds) or quantity of milk given

(for cows, buffaloes or goats) etcetera. Also, the chips are injected into fruits and vegetables to pull up the information on when they were harvested or the temperature of the truck when they were shipped (Ibid).

RFID technology works just like a bar code scanner. The difference between the two is that the bar code scanner can detect only one product number at a time. But, RFID detector can detect hundreds of numbers at the same time. The application of this feature is useful for teachers and professors. There would be no need for them to take manual attendances. Attendance would automatically be recorded if the student is present in class. Also, RFID can transmit a person’s ID as soon as he passes through security checkpoint or walks into a football stadium. Another practical application of this technology is that it would be very useful for the business persons to maintain their inventory. Inventory generally contains hundreds of products. So, keeping a record of all of these would become easy for workers and help them increase their efficiency.

In the future, it is highly likely that the implantable chip can come up with an inbuilt GPS system which will enable the individuals to be physically located by latitude, longitude, altitude, speed and direction of movement (Wikipedia, 2014). For instance, it would become very easy for the parents to keep track of their kids’ whereabouts. The technology will lead to reduction in kidnappings and murders because tracing the victims would become fairly easy. Also, escaped prisoners can be located and rearrested easily.

Keeping in view the pace of technological developments taking place these days, the day is not that far when the entire world would become a cashless society. In other words, RFID would not just be helpful in location, identification or emergencies for humans but it can used as an intagible credit card. The microchip can be connected to the bank account and the receipts and payments of money would become so much easier. There would be no need to carry a bunch of cards including Credit cards, Debit Cards, Drving License, Voter’s ID or Aadhar Card. Surely, the RFID technology has a few disadvantages as it is not well developed. If the transplant is not taken care properly, the chip may get displaced and migrate within the body. Anti- RFID advocates cite veterinary and toxical studies carried out from 1996 to 2006 that found lab mice and rats injected with microchips sometimes developed cancerous tumors around the microchips as evidence of a human implantation risk (Lewan, 2007). But the cases of such situation are very rare. The technology, till date, is prone to being hacked. In other words, someone can secretly scan a person’s microchip and used the information in a negative way. But, as stated earlier, with the pace of technological development, scientists would surely come up with a way to make the RFID technology strong and secure.

Works Cited

Gaughan, Richard. "Advantages & Disadvantages of RFID Technology in Humans." Science. N.p., 1 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://science.opposingviews.com/advantages-disadvantages-rfid-technology-humans-18010.html>.

Lewan, Todd. "Chip Implants Linked to Animal Tumors." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 8 Sept. 2007. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090800997_pf.html>.

"Microchip Implant (human)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microchip_implant_(human)>.

"Radio-frequency Identification." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 Nov. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification>.

Spector, Dina. "Microchips Will Be Implanted Into Healthy People Sooner Than You Think." Business Insider. N.p., 8 Aug. 2014. Web. 19 Nov. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.in%2FMicrochips-Will-Be-Implanted-Into-Healthy-People-Sooner-Than-You-Think%2Farticleshow%2F39895285.cms>.

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