Beyond RFID: YOU are the swipe card

The leading Japanese telco, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) has redefined identification security by developing a new hands-free security device that utilizes both touch and the human body's electrical field.

With this technology, no implantation is required. The user has to carry a card or tiny data storage device that can send info through the person's body to a receiver outside of the body via physical contact. No currents are sent into the body; the body acts as a conduit for data transfer.

NTT has already developed technology that allows swapping data as heavy as motion pictures through a handshake, although it has not been put into commercial use.

Here is the original article from the Sydney Morning Herald:

www.smh.com.au...

This technology has the potential to take Big Brother to a new level entirely; whereas technology requiring a chip being implanted would be outright rejected by many, this (unfortunately) seems more innocuous, and therefore more readily accepted.

The worries of privacy exploitation here are just as valid as with the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) as this will be necessary for travel, lawful entry, device activation, purchases, doctor visits, etc. RFID uses radio which can be possibly manipulated or shielded, however this uses your natural electric field. The only way you can turn that off is to die. And if you forget your card, you can forget about leaving your house, let alone starting your car, entering a grocery store, and making an urgent purchase.

So what are your opinions? Is this really our future, or will RFID implanting & RealIDs go ahead?

The Senior Executive Vice President, NTT Communications Corporation, Shuji Tomita, was a member of the Trilateral Commission in 2005. Not sure if his status is still active.

Links mentioning membership:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.fdrs.org...

Here's one of the first people in Australia to willingly inject themselves with a chip. It's currently the top artcle on SMH.com.au -- here's the link:

www.smh.com.au...

He considers this technology a toy and the article is promoting it as such. Many people who read the article will think, 'when this becomes affordable, I should do this - life will be so much easier.'

I'm sure if the NTT technology was readily available he would have went that route, given that it's less invasive. Looks like we'll be seeing this more and more in the coming years.