Among the tragedies that Hurricane Katrina brought was the realization that it would be easier for some people to reconnect with their dogs than their grandmas. A veterinarian can access ownership information on a dog that has been implanted with a microchip; an ailing woman in a nursing home might not remember her own name, let alone the names of her loved ones.
However, implanting chips into humans is hugely controversial-and rightly so. There are easier, less-intrusive ways to access critical information from people who cannot identify themselves-a bracelet or necklace can contain that information, and the wearer easily can remove the tag.
But tracking technology is here to stay. And rather than focus on all of the devious and sinister scenarios that could take place using the technology, I’ve been thinking bout the good that can come from RFID, GPS, Near-Field Communications, Zigbee, Bluetooth and the rest of the alphabet soup that has the potential not only to change the wireless industry, but the basic way people live. (Hence, I think an argument could be made that it is humane to implant a chip in a person suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. But that’s a debate for a different day.)
To date, businesses and governments have been using RFID technology mostly to track shipping pallets and using GPS signals to track trucking fleets and increase business efficiency.
But think about the possibilities when tracking technology comes into the home. Forget about a refrigerator that automatically tells the grocer to add milk to your shopping list, I want a way to track my car keys. And cell phone. And cordless phone and eyeglasses and iPod. Any small item, especially small electronics valued at a couple hundred bucks or more, could carry an RFID tag or similar tracking function. Indeed, one example is a high-end watch with an RFID tag that would store proof-of-purchase information and an assurance the watch is genuine. Of course, one would need a reader to track the assets in the home, and that would have to be fairly inexpensive. And equally important, the proper privacy and security measures would have to be in place. (It would be in poor taste to use the technology to see if your houseguest’s watch is the real thing or a fake.)
RFID proponents believe they can achieve the magic price point of 5 cents per tag. Five cents! Think of the productivity that could be achieved from men and women who weren’t distracted wondering where they placed their car keys. Now that’s money well spent.
