Wouldn’t the body reject them, and/or get infected around the implant area?

  • teft@lemmy.world
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    21 days ago

    We already implant subdermal RFID chips in animals and people. You just put the chip inside a non-biologically reactive substance and it’s fine.

    The bigger problem is scanning distance. You’re limited to only a dozen meters or so if you’re not using an active RFID with battery. ~100 meters with a battery but then you have to change the battery every now and then.

    • Brkdncr@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      I’ve had a toll pass device for 10 years. It gets scanned at 80mph or more and hasn’t needed a new battery yet. The newest models are the size of a credit card.

      • teft@lemmy.world
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        21 days ago

        Yeah but radio doesn’t like meat shields being in the way. The frequencies normally used in RFID only penetrate a few cm into people.

        I guess we could always advocate for RFID tattoos if we really wanted to get this going.

          • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world
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            21 days ago

            Yeah, it goes through just about any material. I used to keep one under my seat on my motorcycle. So it would scan through me, the rubber/foam/whatever seat and into the metal box under my ass. That was 10+ years ago in the Orlando area, I can’t imagine they have gotten less accurate

      • Lookorex@lemm.ee
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        21 days ago

        I just got one that’s literally a sticker stuck to the inside of my windshield

  • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.org
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    21 days ago

    With present tech, I don’t think so unless the area where you’re being tracked is full of equipment that can read the tags (think big RFID readers like you see on the exits of stores). Unless the tracker implant is fairly large to be able to contain/harvest power to power their own active transmitter. Then it would probably be noticeable or at least uncomfortable.

    I’m basing this on the fact that we chip pets with passive tags, and those don’t seem to suffer any kind of rejection/infection.

      • fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        21 days ago

        Depends, what do you define as 5g? There’s multiple 5g frequencies.

        There’s 5g that’s basically just 4g with some extra toppings (low band). I don’t really consider this 5g just because there isn’t any appreciable difference to the end user.

        There’s the mid band which gets pretty good range, and much better speeds.

        Then there’s the mmWave (high) bands which are VERY short range, but insane speeds.

        https://www.rfwel.com/us/index.php/5g-nr-frequency-bands

        But in cities basically all towers have been upgraded from 4g to the low band 5g. I almost never see my phone connected to good old 4g unless I’m way out in the middle of nowhere. (USA)

        • Brkdncr@lemmy.world
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          21 days ago

          OP is asking if it’s possible to track someone.

          I’m suggesting that passive rfid is possible with transmitters, and there are 5g towers in lots of places, enough to track a person if a government was inclined. I see them every block in many city business centers.

          • fuckwit_mcbumcrumble@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            21 days ago

            Aa key trait of RFID is that it’s passive and only has a range of inches to maybe 5 feet. Even mmWave towers are typically out of that range, plus it needs active power. Tracking someone using their (actively powered) phones cell signal is incredibly easy, even with 4g. It’s shifting through all the data that’s hard and time consuming.

            Identifying someone using 5g’s radio frequencies would technically quality as Radio Frequency IDentification. When people talk about RFID they’re typically referring to those passively powered key cards. Those key cards barely work when they’re an inch away from the object, let alone 5 feet away plus 0.5 cm of RF absorbing skin.

  • palordrolap@fedia.io
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    21 days ago

    Many materials are biologically inert. Titanium, for example, is often used for replacement joints and doesn’t need anti-rejection drugs. They autoclave or otherwise sterilise things during the operation, so the infection risk is pretty much the same as for any other kind of operation.

  • edgemaster72@lemmy.world
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    20 days ago

    I think this is asking if something seen in movies could happen in real life, but I first read it as getting something implanted when going to see a movie and couldn’t figure out why no one was asking why you would do this.