Thousands of people around the world are getting RFID implants

Implanted electronic tags might sound futuristic or dystopian depending on the situation but it turns out this is a practice in which some are already participating. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on one man who has several such implants and uses them for things like unlocking doors at his apartment, office and a parking lot gate. Other tags store information, one with business contact information and another with personal information. The newspaper quotes an estimated figure of 30,000 to 50,000 people in the world using these kind of implants.

Is this really the future we're headed toward? It's hard to say how popular this kind of procedure will become, but it's certainly more invasive than a simple wearable device. Many wearables makers are already envisioning a future in which electronic tags can be used in lieu of business cards with the tap of a smartwatch or smart ring. If millions of people are still willing to wear glasses instead of contacts or getting laser eye surgery, it's a good bet that many people will prefer to stick with accouterments over implants.

It's a good time to be in the RFID business, though. These electronic tags have proven useful in all kinds of products. Whether subdermal or not, RFID tags will likely play an ever larger role in the future for things like security and basic electronic information exchange. Possible uses right now are seemingly endless. Possible medical uses have some people especially optimistic about the use of RFID implants. They could be used to identify people with certain conditions that could be critical to paramedics and first responders. They could also be used in hospitals to confirm identities when performing procedures, possibly reducing medical malpractice.

The most practical thing about implanted RFID chips, besides the convenience, is that they can't be switched or mixed up. In hospitals, this could be a more critical feature than for the average consumer. Many people likely still cringe at the idea today, but if this becomes normalized, it could become much more common in younger people. Adults today might not feel like they're missing much by sticking to RFID wristbands or NFC rings, though. Those remain good options too.