2.1 Uberveillance
RFID implants, also known as uberveillance, are defined as an omnipresent electronic surveillance, which utilize technology that makes it possible to implant devices into the human body to track the who, what, where, when, and how of human life (Michael & Michael, 2009). In 2004, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) of the United States approved an implantable chip for use in humans in the United States. The tiny RFID chip, which is implanted in the body, can be smaller than the size of a grain of sand. The implanted chip is being marketed as a potential method to detect and treat diseases, as well as a potential lifesaving device. If a person was brought to an emergency room unconscious, a scanner in the hospital doorway could read the person's unique ID on the implanted chip. The ID would then be used to unlock the medical records of the patient from a database. Authorized health professionals would then have access to all pertinent medical information of that individual in a database including medical history, previous surgeries, allergies, heart condition, blood type, and diabetes, to care for the patient appositely.
Technological developments are reaching new levels with the integration of silicon and biology; implanted devices in humans can now interact directly with the brain (Gasson, 2008). Implantable devices in humans for medical purposes are often believed to be highly beneficial in restoring functions that were lost. Such current medical implants include cardiovascular pacers, cochlear and brainstem implants for patients with hearing disorders, implantable drug delivery pumps, implantable neurostimulation devices for patients with urinary incontinence, chronic pain, or epilepsy, deep brain stimulation for patients with Parkinson’s, and artificial chip-controlled legs (Capurro, 2010).