'Pacemaker'-like GPS Device for Humans 348
LunarFox writes "Applied Digital Solutions has announced successful field trials of a prototype GPS device that can be implanted into humans. The device, which is internally rechargable, can wirelessly transmit location, movements and vital signs via the Internet, storing the info in a database. It's said to be the size of a pacemaker, but they intend to miniaturize it to one-tenth that size. You may recall this company as having designed the 'Digital Angel,' and 'Verichip,' a ricegrain-sized RFID chip like injectable pet tracking ID chips. This same company apparently made several denials in 2002 that their product(s) would be anything but externally worn. (like a wristwatch) Many other related links can be found at WorldNetDaily." On one hand the potential cool uses astound me, while the possibilty of abuse frightens me. A lot.
BigBrother (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:You might call me paranoid... (Score:1, Interesting)
You've got to wonder... (Score:5, Interesting)
I could understand if this was one of those long-sighted DARPA projects that hails from an unlimited budget and a mandate to invent, but a company like this has shareholders to whom they must justify their actions. So what's the immediate market for this device? Even with the "War On Terrah" progressing at a rapid pace, I can't see implanted GPS's being compulsory anytime soon.
So who's got ideas for the potential use/market for these devices? Paranoid parents wanting to know their children's location at all times? A replacement for medic-alert type bracelets or similar? I somehow can't see this returning on its initial investment in terms of sales, given the risks associated with anaesthetics/implantation in non-subcutaneous tissues weighed against such a trivial funcionality gain.
Mapping (Score:3, Interesting)
This approach is being used ... (Score:5, Interesting)
This approach is actually being used by some telephone companies here in Denmark. They can track you, and when you're at home they'll give you a low minute rate.
zUh... High-Risk Countries??? (Score:4, Interesting)
What the hell is a "high-risk" country and why would they want such device?
Via the internet! (Score:2, Interesting)
I hardly think anyone's building a device a tenth of the size of a pacemaker that will continuously transmit "ASL"-data (or whatever) to a satellite, or even the cell phone network. Bluetooth, WLAN, whatever, yea, but I don't expect to see anyone being tracked across the Austalian outback with one of these anytime soon.
As for the plus side:
Finally - a rational use for that aluminium foil beanie. Now *that's* newsForNerds/stuffThatMatters.
Re:BigBrother (Score:4, Interesting)
If you do, you already have this sort of thing. Sure, you need to hold the card 6 inches from the panel for it to open the door, however it can register the presence of a card over a much longer distance. So, that ID badge you already carry could be doing just this sort of thing. It all depends on how the system was configured.
But, this isn't all that new anyway. Mobile phones have been able to do similar things for quite some time. Take this high profile rape case [bbc.co.uk] in the UK, where a couple were cleared of criminal charges using mobile phone location evidence.
Hell, while we are talking about the complete loss of privacy in todays society, I might as well throw in this link [cryptome.org] to an official European Union report into the routine monitoring of the internet and telephone networks by Echelon [echelonwatch.org].
This new thing isn't anything to fear. You should be scared already.
Re:kidnapping of the future: (Score:4, Interesting)
Where it could be really usful is with carjacking, since they are so small could contain thier own power, you can stick large amounts of them in a vehicle.
Wildlife? (Score:3, Interesting)
There Is at least one already... (Score:4, Interesting)
This guy [gadgeter.org] has his GPS cellphone periodically sending a single UDP package with his coordinates to his server, that builds a http-GET you can click to locate him on MapQuest.
Pretty neat.
Re:Hello people, wake up (Score:3, Interesting)
I have an old-ass StarTac without any of these fancy GPS features, and I intend on keeping it that way. Having used 911 a small number of times on this phone has required me to give a very detailed description of where I was...no GPS baby!
Of course, if you want more anonymous location without the monthly bills...get yourself a ham radio license and go that route...and you'll get to use up to 1500 watts PEP on most bands.
Great solution for pedophiles !! (Score:3, Interesting)
In the UK, convicted pedophiles are held on a nation wide sex register for life. When ever they move town they have to register their whereabouts with the police. Despite this, many of them re-offend and the cost is sometimes a childs life and devastated family/community.
So it strikes me that this would be a great help in the battle against habitual pedophiles. If on release from prison they were legally chipped and their location tracked 24hrs, then the incidents of death by re-offenders should drop dramatically.
And yeah I know, its a breach of human rights, blah blah. But IMO, anyone who sexually violates a child for their own gratification forfeits their claim to the rights that the rest of us enjoy. And there are millions of parents all over the world who'd sleep better at night.
Macka
Re:Not necessarily without their permission (Score:3, Interesting)
If they implanted it, one of the conditions would be that you check in, where they could verify that it was still implanted, using one mechanism or other.
If you remove it, you either have to run or show up and fail the GPS placement test. So you're caught, with some lead time. So we can't do that.
If you shield it all the time, they are going to throw you back in the clink. So you're caught, maybe with lots of lead time.
If you shield intermittently, they are going to send someone to look for you whenever you fall off their map. If they think you're abusing the system, you end up back in jail. So you're caught maybe with no lead time.
I think the best bet would be to weaken the battery so that it retains less charge, giving you some 'free time' before you have to go back to your induction mat, or a way to burn out the induction charge system in the GPS, causing the whole unit to fail after charge is depleted. It leaves you with total innocence - "What!?! I didn't know walking under those high-voltage lines would kill my unit. They're on my way to work - I have to pass them." And if they start talking about replacing it numerous times, you'll have all sorts of human rights groups up in arms about cruel and unusual punishment (if the constitution is still in place in the US). That could take it to the point where they can't require it as a condition of parole, which puts us back where we are today, which sounds better than that dark world...