The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) has called for submissions on a proposal to introduce wireless medical implants into the Australian market. Medical Implant Communications Systems (MICS) use an ultra-low- power radiocommunications device inside a medical implant to allow them to be monitored and controlled remotely – which means from within around 2 metres of the patient.
The ACA has proposed the devices operate in the 402-405 MHz band, which it said "is a part of the spectrum that has characteristics favourable to the transmission of radio signals into the human body". I can definitely see the advantages of these products: the ability to control an implant without slicing into a patient has some obvious pluses.
I can also see some problems. Overseas MICS products share the spectrum with meteorological satellite services, and have therefore incorporated techniques to avoid interference. I can also see the need to have some security within the device – the last thing anyone wants is to be at the mercy of a villain with a special radio device. I know if I had a wireless computer implanted in myself I'd want to have complete control over who accessed it.
Of course, new medical technology rarely stops at therapeutic uses but quickly moves into the commercial and vanity area. For example, the technology described here has some remarkable similarities to RFID tags, which also allow the transmission of wireless data over short distances and which are hailed by proponents as the "next big thing" in supply-chain efficiency. Many people have already made the leap of putting such a chip in humans for use in confirming their identity and even having it hold credit card details. These sort of chips are already in pets, and now the ACA is proposing to allow similar chips (albeit for medical purposes) in humans.
A lot of people would be opposed to the widespread implanting of wireless chips in humans. Certain religious groups will start using the phrase "mark of the beast" with increasing fervour, people worried about the effects of long- term exposure to wireless radiation will be hard to mollify and privacy advocates would likely have a heart attack. Which, ironically, would expose them to having the wireless chip implanted with their pace maker.
I myself have reservations about the technology, but unfortunately humans are inherently lazy, and the convenience of having all your credit cards and other information contained within you instead of jammed into a wallet will be tempting for a lot of people. And once it becomes widespread, you'll pretty much have to get one.
