course material

1. Tracking Technology
Tracking TechnologyTechnology has become an integral part of life in most countries. Not
only does technology improve communication, but it also improves efficiency significantly.
Although different periods have seen the discovery and usage of different technologies, and
varying trends, each technological discovery seems to add value to human life. One such
technology, is tracking technology, which is increasingly becoming popular in the United
States. Tracking technology refers to location of items, data and inventory. There are several
systems that tend to support this system, the most common are geographic information
mostly used for location tracking and capturing geographic information. The second system
is the Global positioning system which has been used for many years to locate satellites and
deduce trilateral data. The third system in the nearly developed Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID), the system assists in locating movement on objects. For a while, the
system was used to locate movement of customer goods, vehicles and cattle using radio
waves. RFID uses passive transmit of data which only transmits when prompted. Currently
research has shown that RFID can also be used to improve human based activities and as a
result the introduction of microchip implant has been introduced. The microchip has been
introduced in the United States and is implanted on the body of the human being. The
tracking technology (RFID) is embedded in the bodies of more than 50 present of
Americans.Statistical evidenceThe tracking technology using RFID systems that requires
microchip embedding on human bodies has been in use in the United States since 2002
when the Vership Corporation which began the idea received the approval from Food and
Drug Administration of the United States. However, embedding did not begin until 2004
when the Verimed concerned that the chip could not cause any serious medical condition
such as cancer. In the year 2012 the Senate Bill 362 allowed that the Georgia Composite
Medical board to supervise the embedding of 16 microchips to United States citizens
(Graafstra 2004).Uses of the Tracking technologyThe tracking technology using the Radio
Frequency Identification Technology involves encasing a silicate glass on the arm or
forehead of the human body. The chip is linked to information on the human personal
identification, medical history and contact information. The chip provides a perfect
relationship between physical issues in real world and digital world essential in the
advancement of technological world. The microchip is currently used in the United States to
provide permanent identification which is essential in trade and recovery of lost items.
Ensuring that personal information is available easily issues such as missing persons cases
and hospital mix-ups will be reduced significantly. The microchip is also commonly used in

2. providing medical history, by ensuring the chip is linked to historic personal information
even on issues such as medical history, health provision will be improved. Issues such as
hospital briefs in cases of patient hospital transfers and delays in health care due to hospital
file search will be eliminated. Further, the microchip is also used in financial sector by
linking it to personal bank accounts. The chip is currently embraced in the health care
sector in the United States but since it allows huge data linkage it can still be used to make
purchases and pay for services after linking it to bank accounts. By providing financial
access easily, previous technologies such as credit cards will be less popular. However, even
though there are several positive uses of the new tracking technology using the RFID micro
chip several limitation on the same have raised great concerns.Impact and Potential
ImpactThe use of tracking technology has had a significant impact in a number of sectors in
the United States. Some of these impacts have come about as a result of the direct benefits
that the technologies offer, while others have come about as indirect benefits that have
come about as a result of the improved efficiency the technology offers. One of the main
areas where the tracking technology has the potential to greatly impact is that of security.
The adoption of tracking technology has greatly improved security, as each individual has a
unique number that they cannot change. Further, it has also made the personal information
readily available, to the extent that accessing personal information regarding any individual
is quite easy. This has the potential to significantly reduce cases of identity theft, while at
the same time reducing the possibilities and opportunities an individual has of adopting
false identities. The impact of the chips on security is significant, as it ensures tracking the
movement of individuals is much easier, an effect that is no doubt bound to improve
security. RFID technology has made the identification of missing persons quite easy,
eliminating the chances of misidentification.The impact that the chips have had, and will
continue to have on the health sector is the most significant. By allowing instant access to an
individual’ s medical history, as provided for by the health care bill, provision of
subsequent care will not only be easier, but also much cheaper. In cases where there is need
for emergency treatment, the available medical histories, as well as the available
information on allergies, are potentially life saving, as they provide paramedics with
baseline information to go on. Furthermore, such information saves time and monetary
resources that could have potentially been carried out to ascertain such information in
cases where previous medical history is not readily forthcoming (Eng n.p).Future
TrendsDue to the relative newness of RFID and other tracking technology, the potential
usages are widespread and it opens up numerous possibilities. Particularly within the
financial sector, tracking technology has and might continue to have a significant impact.
For instance, RFID technology will potentially allow individuals to have direct access to
their finances following a simple wave of the hand, thereby eliminating the need to carry
wallets and ATM cards around. Other areas where RFID technology can be used to
significant effect are the transport and security industry, more so in dealing with terrorism.
In future, identification scanners and machines can be installed ensuring that identity
verification is carried out based on the implanted chips. These identification machines and
systems can then be connected to security databases to help scan for any suspected
terrorists hence restricting their ability to travel using public transport.All in all, tracking

3. technology has had, and will no doubt continue to have significant effects on the American
population. The potential provided by this new technology is immense more so if there is a
widespread adoption of the new technology, such that services are able to be provided
across the board. RFID technology is likely to further improve security, financial services,
and the provision of health services. The adoption of the universal health care bill certainly
raises interesting questions over the effect that the increased adoption of RFID technology
is likely to have on the country and the American population in general, although the
positive impact it is likely to have is unquestionable.Works CitedEng, Paul. Implant Chip,
Track People. 2013. Web.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98077&page=1Graafstra, Amal RFID Toys:
11 Cool Projects for Home, Office and Entertainment (4th ed.). New York City, New York:
(ExtremeTech) Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings. 2004Haag, Stephen and McCubbrey, Donald .
Management Information Systems for the Information Age (4th ed.). New York City, New
York: McGraw-Hill.2004