Applications for the World's Smallest RFID Chip

Inject them into the bloodstream and map the entire body. James

Would you say in medical applications then?

...Inject them into the bloodstream and map the entire body...

Already "there" for the last five years or so:

http://www.givenimaging.com/Cultures/en-US/given/english

You swallow it, and it transmits low rate video out to a recorder, all the way through your digestive system. It even has a LED flash to illuminate your guts as it travels through. Well, it's a start, isn't it?

You are refering to a wireless camera passing through the digestive system. It is very different tha RFID in the bloodstream.

You are on the right track. RFID is already used in US hospitals to store retrievable patient information. Case in point:

According to a recent yahoo news article, "VeriChip Passes Significant Milestone: Over 500 Hospitals Have Now Agreed to Adopt VeriMed Patient Identification System." http://www.raidersnewsnetwork.com/articles/biz-yahoo-com-prnews-070313-nytu043a-html--v-1

After spending some time years ago writing for Biophotonics International, I am always curious to learn about how nanotechology becomes biotechnology. And, how biotechnology goes on to become nanotechnology.

Will RFID powder become the next bio and nanotechnology? How?

The Federal Government wants to use these RFID chips for "National security" purposes. When the "national ID card" comes out (May 2008 was to lbe fully implemented though postponed due to State resistance and budgeting), they also want to implant Americans with these tracking devices if you will in order to "KEEP EVERY BODY SAFE." What a crock of crap. I would agree with the previous corresponders quote "always be aware of new technology." This is a device for tyrannical control. So be careful how you interpret what the government says about these Radio Frequency chips. And by all means, DO NOT have one implanted into you.

You gotta be kidding. There will be no "choice" when it comes to the government's decision to implant, not only Americans". The person delivering the implant or who has already implanted you, is not even aware of their participation. RFID are the new atomic bombs of Wars gone by. Who would have said "Yeah, drop them things!" Not one of us, even the builders and developers of "THE BOMB" necessarily wanted it's devastation enacted; but when we allow our government to grow as it has uncontrolled this is to be expected. The majority of our population "voters" believe the hyperbole regarding "medical uses". Scientist are forced to use their quest for advancement any way directed because the money necessary for our technology to evolve does not and will not come from the private sector. So we sell out science for "control", because we can't prove in the genesis that it will develop into a "profitable commodity". If one is given a choice, of course DO NOT ALLOW IMPLANTATION,,,down the road, any social contract made regarding such can always change, depending on who's making the rules for the next 4 years!

Roxane

As I understand it the purpose of the blog is to discuss how small these devices can get not what rights will be violated by the government's use of them. I have no tolerance for posters who insist on ranting about pet peeve issues as GUEST. I am only to happy to answer posters who have signed up and are willing to contribute as team members. I have no respect for those who wish to post anonymously.

So how small can they get? I think ultimately the size will not be restricted by mechanics (the ability to make tiny parts) but by the power requirements. They are radio devices and as such need a certain amount of power and must produce a certain amount of wattage. Even if we are talking microwatts we are still dealing with 24/7 operating time. Even if we want to have RFIDs in our bloodstream ( and make no mistake it will become a status symbol) How many will want even tiny batteries in their blood stream? So I figure they will need a way to get power from the body whether it be electrical or possibly generated from blood flow. Otherwise they are destined to be very temporary devices and as such may still have some good uses.

Probably not a good idea to discriminate against guests. They have some good input as well. There is nothing wrong with being "anonymous." It is one of the luxerious freedoms that we can enjoy. Everyone has the right to free speech on the blog as well. People are just refering to the applications of these devices. Also, It is a good thing to be informed on how our government is presently utilizing new technologies(ethically or unethically), so try to be a little more open minded.

Thank you everyone for your interesting points of view and comments. I am always interested in hearing what people think about how science is changing our worldview.

And what a fascinating thought, the human body as a provider of electricity to power RFIDs in the bloodstream! I am curious as to how they would be considered a status symbol, and also if you think powder RFIDs are technically feasible within the bloodstream.

Would the RFID powder penetrate tissue and permanently locate in the brain? Please elaborate on the science behind your facts/theory.

Jules

Let us separate the discussion into two different uses of the RFID as it has appeared in this blog.

1. A Personal I.D. chip that will rob citizens of their privacy.
2. A product ID code for tracking shipments from factory to warehouse and beyond.

I have a good bit of experience in the warehousing industry and I won't bore you with the dry details of how the RFID is the answer to the warehousing industries current problems but suffice it to say the importance of RFID to warehousing and product distribution is what has garnered most of the research and development money to date.

So the true RFID chip is nothing but a radio version of the standard 12 digit barcode. Once they become common they promise change the way we shop, live, and do business. I have no doubt they can be made as small as 20 microns.( 20u is the size of each transistor on the latest round of CPUs) Motors are in development now at that size and I read an article miniature robots in development to inject drugs at specific sites in the body. In the case of RFID though I must ask why? How small is too small for their effective operation? Each will be programmed with different barcode # so why complicate matters by reducing the size so much that handling becomes an expensive and awkward task?

Socially how do they become status symbols? Well anyone who is anyone will want to lay claim to their kitchen telling them when they need to order food items or maybe even placing the orders for them and the food gets delivered. Or maybe they say to their friends "shopping is so easy now I just sync my cell phone with my kitchen and then when I get to the store it navigates me to all the items I need. The other personal ID chip will come into play here as well as many maybe even most people will be glad to give up their privacy for the convenience of a personal shopping experience where the store has read your food or other product favorites and makes suggestions to you of items you are known to like now being on sale.

It sounds to me like you are saying the RFID could be used for a POS system, as in the retail industry. Like you said, replacing the barcode. That would certainly help contain inventory within the warehouse industry and continue to drive the market.

If an RFID can be created at 20 microns, and RFID's are currently used within some participating hospitals to store patient data in hospitals as I mentioned earlier, and RFID tags have been used for quite some time to tag animals, where do you think this biotech nanotechnology will go within the next five years?

Although I don't see a problem with tech adacing to the point of making nano sized RFIDs I have to step back and say why? As a designer I know the smaller I want to manufacture something the costlier it becomes. I design something at the appropriate size and materials to build good branding and make the best profit.

The only application in biotech I can see that might want very small RFIDs would be for implants which currently have their IDs engraved or molded in depending on the product. It would certainly help coroners to be able to ID a body pre autopsy.

Otherwise patient ID tags only need to fit inside their wrist band and medication tags to fit under the insert of the bottle lid.

Where will it all lead in 5 years? I believe they will become as common as email.

They will be cheap enough to be incorporated into most products so they will change the retail industry forever. The single biggest reason they exist is because warehousing industry needs them so badly. New warehouses open every day and to keep labor costs low unskilled uneducated workers are the rule. That of course poses quite a problem in tracking product from the receiving dock to the loading dock. There are so many places to lose a pallet in a large warehouse. There are so many locations that contain wrong product or no product because of the use of unskilled labor and poor upper and middle management.

Enter the savior RFID enabling the product to be tracked accurately even with unskilled labor. If the product is not lost you can see increased revenue from filling orders to your retail locations that otherwise would be delayed.

I also think it will be a boon to the manufacturing of the future. Lean MFG. With Lean you try to keep warehousing and transportation costs low by manufacturing to order. It depends on more organized processes to keep delays to a minimum and costs low as well.

I think we could start another whole blog on manufacturing of the future. I see some very exciting new branches in the development path ahead and it will be interesting to see where it will lead. Is importing from China going to increase or will it and other outsourcing be dropped in favor of a new style of local manufacturing that most people think I am crazy for believing in. Is the key to future of MFG in the past? Will advances in machining and CAD/CAM usher in a new era of craftsmanship not with saws and chisels but with small scale CNC and router setups?

I see a great future for all of RFID technology (big and small) significantly improving Supply Chain Management where: goods (and animals) will be accurately tracked, theft will be mitigated, automatic inventory will take place, goods will be re-ordered before they run out from the display floor shelves, medications will be more-accurately dispensed in hospitals, and baggage will be better-tracked at airports.

Some people who work in high security areas will allow human tagging to insure proper entry, and tracking within the facility. A few brave souls will have their children and pets tagged for locating purposes. The Department of Homeland Security may advocate RFID tags being added to passports, for added security. Security Badges and Credit Cards will contain more sophisticated tags that convey greater information about the bearer. With proper tagging, the TV Remote Control and car keys will be easier to find. Food items will be automatically inventoried within the home pantry, and the staple items will automatically be re-ordered, just-in-time, so as not to create a storage space problem.

Medical use will see telemetry-type tags entering the gastro-intestinal track to telemeter such parameters as acidity, and glucose levels (among other parameters) in various locations in the body. Telemetry-type tags can wirelessly monitor the current, and voltage flowing along Extremely High Voltage power transmission lines, at various locations, without presenting any risk to the instrumentation. Ruggedized tags will wirelessly monitor parameters within dangerous locations, such as a nuclear power station.

However, I do not envision RFID Tags (of any size) entering the blood stream. The body's very fine capillaries are too vulnerable to foreign particles creating a clogging condition that might be detrimental, or lethal. For instance, there are medical theoreticians who believe the clumping of the red corpuscles in the fine capillaries of the brain (and eyes) is the major cause of inebriation (and bloodshot eyes) from excessive alcohol consumption. This suggests a possible mechanism for brain damage (and eye damage), if moderation is not exercised.

Dick, K2RIW

I agree, there is money to be made in RFID technology. What would you suppose is the purpose of the race for the smallest RFID chip? 20 microns is pretty small.

Jules

The technology is not that new.

About 8-10 years ago I was working on a project for a dairy farm. (The client unfortunately passed away and the project was abandoned)

The following is a condensed representation of a thick report

A RFID tag (at that stage about 1.5mm x 12mm) is injected in the neck each cow.

Sensors connected to a central computer were place at strategic points.

Feeding:

The cow is recognised and optimum (or experimental) feed is mixed and dispensed in small quantities and repeated until the maximum is reached or the cow leaves the point.

Milking parlour:

The cow is recognised The exact data and location of everything is retrieved from memory, the milking machine is adjusted and fitted (after wash etc). The production is recorded.

Possible future use.

If the RFID tag is combined with the smart card. A tag could be implanted on the back of the hand. When a person visits a shop the products he takes from the shelves could be registered on the implanted tag. The moment the person leaves the shop the Tag implanted on his forehead can be accessed and the correct amount could be deducted directly from his bank account. (Zero effort – zero cash society)

Following that line of thought:

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47853

Mass chipping doesn't seem too far away. I guess the next question is, who will take the chip and for what reason?

Jules

Thanks Photonic for the news link. I got a lot out of it. Thanks also to Dick and Hendrik for contributing. The interactive dialog is very welcome to keep the subject active.

I recently read an article in Spectrum (the IEEE magazine) about Amal Graafstra who has had an rfid in the webbing between his thumb and index finger since 2005 He also mentioned a Kevin Warwick ( a cyberneticist) who was implanted in 1998.

I currently enjoy the convenience of using an RFID keytag to enter the front door to my house feel it would be a great idea to get rid of all my keys and have access to virtually anything I have which needs some kind of locking device. That includes my laptop and my car (unlocking and starting).

The only problem I have with the whole idea of chipping is from an industry standpoint. If there is not a firm push for standardization of the technology we could end up with the same mess we have with our other small electronic devices such as cell phones and mp3 players and PDAs etc.. The cell phone market is a total mess. Technologically we could wear our cell phones as our watch. Cell phones could easily be that small if we used them for what they are really for communication. We need only a very small display for caller ID etc. We can use command by voice and dial by voice to take care of the communicating part. So why are cell phones getting larger rather than smaller? Do we need to watch TV and movies on our cell phones?

Apply the same ideas to RFID tags how many of them do we want implanted in us to do the jobs we want them to? I personally will only want one all purpose device. One which I can program and control to some extent.

I don't see a problem with MRIs for strictly ID tag chips as they have no powersource built in and in fact are magnetically activated. Amal's device seems to be mostly glass and plastic. The only metal part the antenna can be made of any number of non ferrous metals.

Oh by the way the nay-sayers and the conspiracy lunatics who say we will lose our privacy? What privacy? Privacy is like the dinosaurs extinct. Why should we worry about what the government can do to us as a result of getting tagged there hands are already tied by the need to get warrants for invading our privacy through probable cause etc.. no we need to worry about the advertisers who have no such impedance to invading our lives, We will probably open ourselves up to a new level of Spamming if we are not careful.

Rollin, I agree with you wholeheartedly about our lack of privacy. Anytime you use a credit card, telephone, email, e-pass (driving), airport, IM, cell phone, etc, your actions are tracked. The latest thing is advertisers locating and "spamming" yourcell phone...while you are shopping. I've been watching that for a while...curious to see when it will be implemented.

So here's my beef: Why create an RFID tag that is 20 microns? What use is that?

And yes, this discussion is fascinating! Thank you all for contributing, because I'm having a blast and learning a lot from your input.

Jules

It is great to meet people who love good intelligent discussion. In a country where we get more food to eat than we can possibly use, I find the general public to be suffering from philosophical malnutrition. Many of us watch our diets and spend hours in the gyms and yet ignore our mental health. How do we exercise our mental faculties to stay robust and vigorous? This is a good place for me. I get to be involved with my peers and colleagues in keeping sharp and assuring that I will not suffer as the general public does from mental stagnation.

To answer your last question if I can, (why develop 20 micron and smaller RFID Tags), I can see only 2 reasons.

1 Espionage and I'll stop there on that one.

2.nanobot tagging. As we develop tiny nanobots for medical use we will want them to be tagged so we can more easily retrieve them later. Also we will not want them hanging around inside us when their job is done so we will want to have a running inventory of them during any operation they may be assigned. We would not want the nano surgeon leaving tiny scalpels and drug injectors inside us like they already do with the big ones.

Now let's get back to the more realistic and immediately useable grain of rice sized RFID Tags. It hit me while I was reading a robotics mag. This morning another great use for RFID Tags which could help police and soldiers do their jobs. Design pistols and assault weapons that have RFID Tags built into the hand grip to key a gun to its assigned user who will have an RFID Tag in his/her hand. The gun cannot be operated by anyone but the assigned user and perhaps would be rigged to taser anyone who tries to fire the weapon.

Since we can never have any real gun control through legal means maybe we could get manufacturers to take responsibility and develop guns that only work for the authorized buyer. And please before we get started on battling over the hot topic of gun control ( and I have been on both sides at various times in my life) it is about to become a non issue. Soon anyone who wishes and who has the knowledge to use a good CAD program and 3000 – 5000 dollars to invest will be able to make any kind of weapons they want cheaply and effectively. A person will not even need much engineering skill if they can download many of the 3D models from clubs or MFGs. 3 axis CNC machines are getting that cheap. I can buy one now for $6800 and use Solidworks and Mastercam to make the design and prepare it for machining. The CNC machine can be operated with a minimal amount of mechanical aptitude. In 5 years I expect prices on these and better machines to drop drastically, and while that will mean an end to the concept of gun and nuclear device control it can also be great for our country in getting back lost production dollars. To expand on that idea I think we will need a new blog.

I apologize my friends for being so long winded on this subject.

I have heard from reliable sources that a bank implanted RFID's into some of there staff for security reasons.

The eventual use of the RFID may be as described in a paraphrased version of something written almost 2000 years ago.

A DNA coupled RFID implanted in a person could be triggered by a TV to interrogate the behaviour of a person while a specific image is televised.

If the person worship the image as will be prescribed he will be permitted to trade, if you don't or fake it:= sorry no transaction allowed.

Catch "Kitchens of the Future" on food network to see how Microsoft and IBM plan to use RFID to turn us into technology dependant lifeforms.

How soon do you expect this to happen?

Jules

I expect the early adopters to plunk down considerable change to get into the ground floor in 2-3 years. As for the rest of us about 5 years.

This is an interesting article. Seems like medical science is already creating an environment in which RFID tracking may be necessary within the body. By tracking the nanofactory, it could be replaced when it "wore out."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070320125351.htm

Jules

Even though I am ready and willing to adopt some bionic enhancements to my body now, I would be so very wary of adopting nanonic ones. Who will make sure of the quality control of these tiny units. Remember the only two strengths nanos have are their networking capability and their numbers. because of their tiny size none can do much so we will need to use them by thousands and millions to accomplish goals. We will need some excellent failsafe mechanisms and superior quality control and testing before I will consider them safe to use in the numbers we will need to use them. After all if one nano breaks it's no big deal but if you have a million of them and a malfunction or defect arises you could well be buggered as the Brits would say.

But I am ready for having a small bluetooth receiver implanted into each ear or maybe each temporal bone for convenient cell phone and mp3 reception. Them I can wear my cell phone, watch, mp3 player on my wrist and always work totally hands free.