A History of RFID and NFC Implantation

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About RFID Chips/Tags

The modern RFID chip owes much of its development to a Soviet listening device called The Thing invented by Léon Theremin in 1945. The Thing was a covert espionage tool used to passively convert radio waves to sound if they were at the correct frequency. Because it was a passive listening tool (using no electricity), and dealt with the with radio frequency transmission, it is considered to be a predecessor of RFID technology.

Today, RFIDs are used to transmit small amounts of information over a short distance without direct line of sight between the device and the chip. This allows them to be used as shipping trackers for crates, identifiers for hostile or friendly aircraft, wireless credit card transfer devices, door locks, employer time clocks, automatic charge devices for toll roads, shoplifting deterrents, and pet identifiers containing information regarding owners and medical information.

Modern passive RFID chips are ever-evolving, but have been demonstrated to hold up to 64kb and be over-written up to 100,000 times per memory block, though not necessarily both in the same product.

Since 2010, the Affordable Care Act (also known eponymously as Obamacare) has been rumored to include stipulations that allow the government to implant RFID chips for tracking citizens without their permission. These rumors have been repeatedly disproved.

RFID implants have been a favorite of biohacking and grinding enthusiasts thanks to their passive signal transmission. The struggle to implant reliable power sources and batteries is not yet over, so any device that can easily connect the human body with technology without power limitations is attractive.

RFID implantation in humans was first demonstrated publicly by Kevin Warwick at Coventry University in England. He demonstrated the practicality of RFIDs for personal use by opening university doors and switching on lights with his chip. Amal Graafstra, author of the book "RFID Toys" and founder of the website Dangerous Things is well known in this field for his experiments with RFID implantation, including scalpel implantation and veterinary injection.

Implantation

RFID chips are usually implanted under the skin by use of a needle. The needle is pressed into the skin and the plunger depressed to push out the RFID chip. The implanter needs to pull the plunger back while implanting in order to ensure the chip stays straight and in the space cleared by the needle. If the needle is not retracted while the implanter presses the plunger, it can force the chip into unbroken skin layers, misaligning the chip. Novices should make sure to follow the guide provided on either Dangerous Things or Cyberise.me or have a professional perform the implant for them.

RFID Placement

The best place to implant an RFID in a human being is in the webbing of the non-dominant hand. To find the implant spot, follow the guide provided at Dangerous Things. This spot was chosen to allow the user to manipulate the chip in the most natural way possible (with a wave of the hand). This spot on the hand is also the farthest from major blood vessels and important joints, tendons, and ligaments. The best orientation for the implant is parallel to the bone directly behind the first knuckle on the index finger because it allows for full motion of the thumb.

Coatings

Chips shipped from Dangerous Things come sealed in an implantable case, but for a guide on coating your own chips, visit the section of the wiki dedicated to coatings.

After Care

Like any implant, an RFID chip needs to be left alone for a while after implantation to maintain safety. The more it gets moved, has pressure applied to it, and damages the cut or puncture while it's trying to heal, the more likely it can get infected or simply reject. For more information, visit the section of the wiki dedicated to after care.