Perhaps it was the plethora of sci-fi movies painting implantable RFID microchips as a means for Big Brother to track your every move. The concept of implantable tracking devices evokes fears of stolen identities, information misuse, and a general lack of privacy. Will better security be the ultimate solution or the Achilles heel to implantable RFID?

Implantable RFID is in wide use today. It is estimated that at least 2 million cats and dogs have been tagged with implants. In fact, as I write this blog, my dog Riley’s HomeAgain Microchip Identification card sits here next to the computer. Despite the wide adoption of implants for animals worldwide, the biggest issue in the United States has been the use of a standardized tagging system. With several different implant manufacturers using proprietary tagging technology, the problem hasn’t been with hackers stealing Fido’s social-security number, but rather the failure to identify lost animals. This has required some shelters to carry more than one reader, or purchase multi-protocol readers – an expensive proposition for some volunteer run organizations.

So what about human subjects? VeriChip was the first company, in 2004, to receive FDA certification to implant their RFID microchips into human patients. Privacy advocate Katherine Albrecht may have said it best, “A man with a chip in his arm may soon find himself wondering whether that cute gal on the next bar stool likes his smile or wants to clone his VeriChip. It gives new meaning to the burning question, 'Does she want my number'?" Since FDA approval, a whole host of problems has prevented the widespread adoption of VeriChip's implant:

• Availability of Information – VeriChip uses a proprietary web-based interface. Therefore, availability of patient information is not always guaranteed – a major concern for an emergency room environment.
• Health Risks – given the fact that chips make use of some metals, there have been reports of incompatibility with these implants and MRI devices. VeriChip therefore does not recommend that chipped patients undergo an MRI unless they are fully conscious. There are additional reports that these implants assist in sarcoma formation and are also possibly linked to the development of fast-growing, lethal cancers. Incidence of malignancies has been reported in lab rats and has not been extensively studied in human or pet subjects.
• Religious Concerns – many religions oppose implants and body modifications, a major hurdle in the international market.
• Privacy – VeriChip uses a 16-digit identification number which is linked to a patient’s health record. Even if a hacker were to obtain this unique ID, they would need to have gained secure, password protected access to VeriChip’s patient database to make use of the patient information. However, plans on how to clone VeriChip implants are widely available and can easily be found with a quick web search.

Given all of these challenges, it is clear why the adoption of RFID implants has been slow. With the continued development of international RFID standards, and the use of low-cost external tracking devices, such as patient wristbands, RFID may prove to be a more suitable method for tracking patients - which creates lots of questions revolving around the sustainability of the implantable market. It is for these reasons that may have led VeriChip to ultimately announce the sale of its Implantable RFID Business last month. There may be no need to invest in tin-foil deflector beanies after all!

Some commentary from Sean Loving, SkyeTek Founder:

Now there’s a bad idea. When I first heard about the Baja Beach Club application I loved it, but I thought “Oh boy, this is going to freak out lots of people”. Then the Mexican judges started chipping themselves, then came the FDA approval for VeriChip, and recently the chipping of some US officials. I say go ahead and chip yourself if you want - but don’t even think about mandating implants on me, because I promise to take up arms against that kind of nonsense. In my opinion the worst thing about implanting humans with RFID is how it gives fearful people something more to worry about. Indeed, using RFID to track humans really touches a nerve, doesn’t it? For example I recently heard that RFID helped prevent an infant from being abducted from a North Carolina hospital. My first thought was “Hooray RFID”. But after a little research I learned it was the parents that were attempting to “abduct” their own child. Then I thought “Oh no, RFID has now been used to keep a child from its parents”. Alas, it’s no surprise that all these new uses of RFID are bringing such questions and controversy to the spotlight in the public debate over RFID.

Waving your phone over the cash register to pay for your groceries will happen. Uptaking a new song into your iPod by scanning an RFID tag will happen. Having your oven receive cooking instructions from an RFID tag in the food packaging will happen. But although implanting RFID in humans is unfortunately already happening, I am not concerned that this is a sign of Armageddon. As a member of the world society, I do agree completely that we should not allow ourselves to trick ourselves into fulfilling the prophecy of Revelation 13:16-18, as some of the anti-RFID Christians warn. And although Revelation, like all good prophecies, has deep meaning and wisdom, fear not people of Earth because RFID is not the mark of the beast. For soon enough there will be DNA scanners that can access the unique code that God put into each of us. And so this debate will shift again, this time with new Bible verses as supporting evidence.

No, I am not afraid of the end of the world, but I am concerned that more fear than good will come from the reckless use of RFID. In my opinion RFID scanners, like DNA scanners or the Internet or any technology, should be used for the good of people. So I want to shift the debate away from how we can outlaw RFID, to a more pragmatic debate on how we can best utilize this simple but powerful technology. The SkyeTek inbox is open for suggestions. As an industry leader, SkyeTek is unique among other RFID technology providers because we focus on humane, positive uses of RFID, intentionally attempting to avoid and prevent the misuse of the technology. Beyond the mundane applications like manufacturing and inventory control, some of my favorites so far have been ScripTalk the talking Rx pill bottle reader for the blind, the various children’s museums like EdVenture and the Exploratorium and Wiley’s Woods, and the DR-1000 that was designed to assist caregivers in eliminating mistakes at the hospital bedside.