Micro-chipping Grandma?

The title is somewhat tongue in cheek (I use the phrase in my class to be provocative) but it was only a matter of time until the potential of a micro-chip for elders was becoming a reality. This firm already microchips employees. Could your ailing relative be next? in the Washington Post, explains that a firm that already microchips employees is looking to develop “a more sophisticated microchip that is powered by human body heat and includes GPS tracking capabilities and voice activation [and]… [they] acknowledge that the chips will offer a convenient way to track people — especially those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia.”  The chip the company has in mind will do more than just track whereabouts, according to the article. It will have a medical component that will track the wearer’s vitals and notify the wearer’s doctor if something is amiss. These “medical microchips” have proponents as well as detractors as the article explains.

The article offers that only about half of the company’s employees opted for the microchip, and there are other companies using the technology with humans. One expert thinks using microchips with humans is going to be a done-deal, but not for a few decades.  I’m all for the use of tech, but worry about privacy, informed consent and cyber security issues.  Although it requires a chip to be inserted into the body, is it any less invasive than cameras or technology monitoring devices such as those used in a medical cottage or a gps tracker in a cane or shoes? I still hold out hope for privacy….even though it may be eroding.