Big Brother and The Mark Of The Beast
The key to the future lies in the micro-chip embedded in this man's
hands
CONRAD WALTERS
June 5, 2010
Mr Chips ... Amal Graafstra has programmed the locks in his life, such
as those on his house, to recognise the radio frequency identification
chips implanted in the webbing of his hands.
Mr Chips ... Amal Graafstra has programmed the locks in his life, such
as those on his house, to recognise the radio frequency identification
chips implanted in the webbing of his hands. Photo: Ben Rushton
A small microchip is blurring the line between humans and technology,
writes Conrad Walters.
WHEN Amal Graafstra wants to check email, he signs on to his computer
with a flick of the wrist. Inside the webbing between his thumb and
forefinger, a microchip the size of a grain of rice verifies his
identity through an electronic reader and unlocks the PC.
The IT expert can unlock his car or start his motorcycle the same way.
But the ''killer app'' comes into play when he returns from work,
perhaps with groceries in each hand. ''As soon as I stand by the door,
I can just nudge my hand against the reader panel, which is right by
the doorknob, and it unlocks,'' he says. No fumbling or juggling, no
aiming a key in the dark. He simply walks in.
Mr Graafstra is among a small number of hobbyists - estimated to be
fewer than 300 worldwide - who have radio frequency identification
(RFID) chips implanted in their bodies.
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Mr Graafstra, who lives in the US state of Washington, is in Australia
to discuss his experience as part of a three-day conference at the
University of Wollongong next week exploring the relationship between
humans and technology.
RFID chips gained widespread acceptance in the 1990s when they were
first used to identify pets. But in 2005 Mr Graafstra applied the
technology to himself so he could stop carrying keys for work and home.
He underwent a five-minute procedure by a cosmetic surgeon to become
microchipped and then programmed the locks in his life to recognise his
chip.
He has been a lightning rod for how others respond to the idea of
microchipping humans. Some see his action as ingenious; others see
conspiracies and cite the Book of Revelations. Early on, unsolicited
publicity for his work prompted an email that said: ''You are the
devil's mouthpiece.''
But Mr Graafstra is no proselytiser for microchip implants. He believes
biometrics - iris scans, voice patterns, even the way people walk -
will prove superior for verifying identity.
What interests him is creating a dialogue on technology and its uses,
which is why he will be at the International Symposium on Technology
and Society.
The conference organiser, Katina Michael, an associate professor in the
school of information systems and technology at Wollongong, predicts
RFID technology - implanted or worn - will become part of daily life.
In the US, VeriChip Corporation has approval from the Food and Drug
Administration to implant microchips in humans. Its chips hold a
16-digit number that can link with medical records to identify an
Alzheimer's patient who has become lost or warn that an unconscious
patient is allergic to penicillin.
Dr Michael acknowledges RFID chips bring benefits and admires Mr
Graafstra's ingenuity, but she points out that he alone decides how his
chip is used. She harbours concerns that microchips implanted by
corporations offer little control for other implantees, particularly
chips capable of storing greater amounts of information.
Unlike Mr Graafstra, she says, people who have been chipped may have
little say about what data is collected and how it is used. And
recently, concerns have emerged that a coating on microchips could
prove cancerous.
''The dangers definitely outweigh the benefits with regard to
commercialised applications,'' she says.
''When we're talking about opting in to an application such as an
implant from a commercial vendor, you've lost your freedom.''
Related Link:
World Report-1 - Mark of The Beast Technologies
http://www3.telus.net/thegoodnews/worldnews.htm