'Pacemaker'-like GPS Device for Humans

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.

Comments

Re:You might call me paranoid...

[Eudial]

Well, if you were to make it out of a thin, soft plastic material, and make the wires extremely thin, it wouldn't show up on x-ray. it would, however show up on ultrasound.

Re:Big Brother is watching!!

[dazed-n-confused]

I don't have a problem with convicted criminals being implanted, and their movements tracked for a certain amount of time, it'll reduce the prison populations and, hopefully, ensure convicts don't commit more crimes because theyd be found out easier.

Then you might enjoy this breaking news from the BBC:

Tagged youth jailed for killing

A teenager has been given three years detention for killing his girlfriend, a crime he committed while wearing an electronic tag.

The case is bound to renew debate into the effectiveness of tagging.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 16 at the time of the crime.

Curfew

He had denied murdering the 19-year-old woman, who also cannot be named, but was convicted of her manslaughter.

She was found shot in the chest in a block of flats on the Stockwell Gardens estate in south London in September last year.

The youth was under supervision in the community on an electronic tag when he shot her dead.

The judge called it a "tragic accident".

Your comments?

Won't Work for Tracking Crooks

[John Murdoch]

Hi!

We explored the issues involved with tracking humans for a client a couple of years ago. Bottom line: you can only track humans who a) know they are being tracked, and b) are willing to participate. The converse is true: you cannot track someone who is not willing to participate.

The crucial point is this: it is possible to do field trials with willing subjects, to demonstrate the feasibility of receiving signals. However--it is child's play to defeat the system. And a tracking system that can be defeated is substantially worse than no system at all.

How GPS works
Most geeks understand the idea behind GPS, in the sense of determining position based on comparing the time signatures broadcast from multiple satellites. What many people don't realize is how low the signal strength actually is: it's actually not much stronger than background radiation. GPS works because DSPs can dig the signals out of that background radiation and get the data. Key point: Very Weak Signal.

Result: It's easy to defeat
Because the GPS signal is so weak, you lose GPS lock (the ability to receive signals from enough satellites) all the time. You lose it going into practically any building; you lose it in tunnels; you can frequently lose it in urban areas (like Manhattan). As a consequence, GPS chipsets simply store (and report) their last known good position. That's usually a good thing. If you're tracking a convict, it could be a very bad thing.

A very bad thing: here's why
A while ago we were contacted by a government official with a specific challenge: in the official's words, "In 40% of all homicides the victim has an outstanding Protection From Abuse order against her attacker." I don't know how accurate that figure is--but it's a compelling number. What the official wanted to do was put a GPS tracking device on people (99% men) with current PFA orders. Great idea!

Except...it is brutally easy to defeat the GPS tracker. Just wrap the device with aluminum foil--or simply cover the GPS antenna with aluminum foil. The GPS unit will simply lose lock--and keep recording your position as the last known good (LKG) position. You can then travel across town, secure in the knowledge that the device cannot report your actual location and warn your ex-wife. And after you've successfully beaten her to death, you'll be able to present the county's own data to demonstrate that while the crime was in progress you were at home--because the GPS unit thinks you're still at the LKG point.

Bottom line:
Great idea. (And I'll elaborate in another message.) But not a viable idea for tracking perps.