RFID Lowdown: Tagged

November 02, 2006

Tagged - You're It

With online forums existing for pretty much any topic these days, it's not surprising that there's one called Tagged, for RFID implants. There are less than 800 members, but there are nearly 3,000 posts regarding RFID implants, including a sizable number containing technical info. Besides the list of members who have been tagged (some of whom have been prominently featured in the media, and some who are soldiers, if I've understood their post correctly), there are also tips on what activities you can and cannot do with a chip.

I came across the forum link, as well as that of AR+RFID Lab (a collective of artists using RFID), while reviewing an older article about artists and RFID at Wired - some of whom are implanted as well. But these aren't the only non-industrial uses of RFID out there. There's also one form of Parkour (Jackie Chan-like urban acrobatics), Pac-Lan and La Fuga, all of which are outdoor activities involving two or more participants. The RFID-enabled form of Parkour is competition, so there is more than one participant. Regular Parkour might be performed by one person. (One member of the Tagged forum mentioned that he gave up martial arts before his implant but does Parkour.)

Then there are video games including Snakes and Ladders and Mattel's Hyperscan hybrid video games platform. There are even children's dolls, for example Naoru-kun from Bandai, who are best known for their Tamagotchi electronic toys.

So there are people - albeit a very small segment of society - who are happy and proud to have a microchip implanted on them, typically between the webbing of thumb and forefinger. And there are still others using RFID in innovative ways in daily life. Acceptance of these uses of radio frequency technology might be an indication that a younger generation will actually welcome ubiquitous RFID into their lives.

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November 2, 2006 in Application | Permalink