Microchips in humans?

Question

Uses? Pros and cons?

Answer 1

Aside from implanted devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators, which can be interrogated using magnetic readers, I know of no common practice for implanting chips.  Visual translators for the blind and auditory translators for the deaf are on the horizon.

I think that in some way, this can be beneficial, such as keeping identifying information, a health history and a list of medications, which is the biggest problem when patients come to the emergency department unresponsive.

The drawbacks are lack of privacy as I'm sure that doctors wouldn't be the only ones interested in knowing your identifying information or medical background.  This is the reason for the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which has caused a HUGE fuss over privacy law in medicine.

Other fun uses would be radio frequency signals to open your front door or unlock/start your car or tune your TV to your favorite station or personalize a shopping experience by leading you to your favorite store.

More advanced chips could store information for you brain or analyze visual or auditory information to the finest detail, but these are not yet plausible as the above.

I guess it really comes down to how much do you really want your car, your house, your mall, your doctor, your nosy nextdoor neighbor, your government, or big business to know about you.

Answer 2

It's all about control...and evil.  There is nothing good about them.  Eventually all will have to have them to either buy or sell.  The person who has access to all the information will have the power to rule the world, and it will be used for evil purposes, as man is corrupt..