21 replies to this topic

[abminara]

Hello. I'd like to share an idea I got when coming from work in a bus and getting lost by choosing a wrong one.

Nowadays you often hear in the news that more and more people (unfortunately, usually - children) are being lost (or kidnapped). So, the idea is to install a small device into human body. The device will be sending radiosignals periodically to the satellite, which can thus trace the location from which it was sent. Of course, it will need charging periodically - that's why it should have a small solar battery on it (s it does not require much energy to operate). The device should be installed in a place on human body that gets alot of solar light, but also somewhere where it is invisible (for the sake of beauty and protection). The organ that gets and collects most of the light is a human eye. I suppose, with modern technology it will not be a big problem to install a microscopical device in there.

Now, as the sattelite gets the signal, it has to send it somewhere. IMHO there should be 2 "keys": 1 will be given to any police officer, that can type in the unique combination that corresponds to the ID number of the person's device to ge the information about their location. The other one should be given only to the parents of the person that can potentially be "lost" (which is everyone). They can only view their childs' location, unlike the police. It should be mandatory that the parents have to keep the "key" up till their child is 18 (an age at which we become more or less ready for real life, can fight for ourselves, and don't have stupid ideas like running away from home, as you will probably be paying for your own at that time). After 18 the child could ask the parents the key back to destroy it, or give to someone else he wishes to (fiancee? wife? boss? brother? sister?).

Thus the advantages:

- A lot of protection from kidnapping
- More safety and thus freedom

Now, the bad parts:

- Surgery (probably should be done at the time of birth, when senses are not that mature)
- Cost for project development
- Cost of the sattelite launch and programming
- Cost of materials

Any ideas? This could really save a lot of lives...

[FLaKes]

That is something that has been thought of many times, the idea that I have heard for powering it was the own body's energy. It is enough to power a small chip. I really doubt that it could be surgically implanted into someone at birth because of growth. The chip would make the skin stretch in some way or another, its the same reason why some people have to wait until their 20's to get certain surgeries. Its until the person has grown fully. I personally would not like a chip like this ever created, I feel like its going to reduce peoples freedom. Believe me that there is something like this being made already, I wouldnt doubt the governments see lots of advantages in them.

[Forbez]

Disadvantagess:
- Lose of privacy
- Hackers can locate ANYONE
- Easier for celebs get be found
- Easier for anyone to be found
- Will cost BILLIONS

We ment to be living in a free world, and you want everyone chip. Isn't that just a lost of your freedom?

[galexcd]

I think before we even start to develop anything like this we need to think of what is moral and what crosses past the barrier of being amoral. These little children who's parents will force to have this "installed" in them will have no privacy unless they have it removed, but then what hospital would remove it? This isn't a necessity to the patient's health and therefore no insurance will cover it forcing the subject to pay for the procedure him or herself, not to mention dangerous. If these things are going to go into peoples' eyes, there is a great risk of blindness. Who is to blame when a concerned parent has this done to their son or daughter, and the procedure goes wrong? What if that child will never see again? I think people aren't ready yet for such an invasion of privacy.

[Saint_Michael]

Sadly this kind of technology is being developed and right now there are several prototypes being tested, both for medical purposes ad tracking purposes. The problem of course is what everyone else is saying and that is the moral amd privacy issues; although. the hacking one of these devices is a bit interesting, but since this devices will never become a requirement in this country I wouldn't worry about it. Of course I would think a kid should carry a cell phone with GPS technology and it will, or at least I think it will be helpful when trying to find a child.

[bishoujo]

Other than infringement of privacy and other points that other people have stated, I believe all that charging, signaling and stuff may also result in some health damages. I don't know much about all this technological stuff, but I do believe that it may emit some form of infrared radiation, which, though may be insignificant in small amounts, could cause permanent damage when it gets built up over the years. If the device is carried externally, like a handphone with GPS, then that might be more feasible.

[HoRuS]

There is allready plans for implementing chips into a human body, as I recall they will be placed just below your knuckles.
It is said you can pay with it, be localized, registered etc.
but also it will be easier to track down what we do and influence our behaviour.

Cats and dogs allready need to have one, humans are next if it's up to the governments.
I personally will reject any chip inside my body, I love my privacy at times as well as my free mind.

[galexcd]

HoRuS, on Sep 17 2007, 05:37 AM, said:

Cats and dogs allready need to have one, humans are next if it's up to the governments.

Cats and dogs don't "need" them, yet, but you can have a chip installed in them, but these are not GPS chips, (they might sell some kind of GPS chips for your pets but its not too popular) the kinds of chips they are putting in pets right now store the information of the owners, kind of like a digital dog tag.

[abminara]

Well... As I can see, the discussion in here can be linked to the ACT PATRIOT - personal safety vs. privacy. What would you like? That somebody always knows where you are, and what you are doing, what are yo reading, watching, to whom are you writing e-mails, etc., or 3000 innocent people die because of some extrimist that really thinks that this mass destruction is going to help move his ideas forward? I personally have difficulty answering this question myself. I really want to quote: "Give me my liberty, or give me death!" but on the other hand... is it really worth it? I am probably being monitored right now being an alien in the US, some person in FBI national security office is probably reading this message right now and laughing. But on the other hand - that's done only for my own safety and safety of tons of other people.

P. S. Hi, FBI agent

P. P. S. As for celebs - I don't care. The "Star Desease" had to be cured somehow some time anyway. As for the hackers... Yes, I really did not think of that.

[shadowx]

Quote

What would you like? That somebody always knows where you are, and what you are doing, what are yo reading, watching, to whom are you writing e-mails, etc., or 3000 innocent people die because of some extremist that really thinks that this mass destruction is going to help move his ideas forward?

If this question means that because everyone is "tagged" then so will extremists and thus we would know exactly what when and where they are planning, that just wouldnt work. If youre an extremist willing to kill yourself then youd be willing to take out your eye, or hand, or other chip cntaining area of your body, or to blast it with an EMP or otherwise disable it.

The chips would only prevent or solve the more minor offences and not mass terrorism, nothing will stop terrorism except the end of mankind. On a less philosophical note i think a better solution would be to have "chipped" jewellery like rings, earrings, bracelets etc... that are just safety accessories, that way your child or whoever could wear one on a night out etc.. so if they were abducted or anything they could be tracked and when they get home or when they want privacy they just turn it off or take it off. Easy!