A better RFID implant
As everyone one knows, one of the main issues with current RFID/NFC implants is their read distance. For some of us this probably isn't an issue as you use more powerful readers other than just a planer coil on a smartphone.
Personally, I would like my implant to become another seamless interface in my smartphone experience. Much in the same way that an on screen button or gesture would be used. For example, instead of swiping down my status bar and tapping a button to access the flashlight, it would be much cooler to put my phone over the back of my had for a quick second and have it turn on. Turning on your phone's flashlight with your implant can already be done to a degree, but it is just a little to finicky for my taste.
(Admittedly this is a pretty narrow minded example, but bear with me)
Regardless, I think they key to a better read distance is simply location and form factor.
The idea that I have had rolling around in my head is this:
- A flexible RFID that sits under the skin on the back of one's hand
- Could be rolled up inside of a syringe, injected, and then unfurled
- No bigger than a U.S. quarter.
- Cheaper perhaps(???)
Some issues that I see with this are:
- The material in which we could coat the implant in (The age old question) that would be able to be thin, flexible, and tough enough.
- The idea of unfurling under the skin. I am pretty sure I have seen this technique in plastic surgery, but I am no surgeon.
- The connections between the coil and the chip inside of the chip eventually breaking due to repeated flexing.
Any insights in terms of advantages and disadvantages? What about materials and how it could be made? Implant procedure?
Comments
Skin doesn't just fit over our bones and muscle like a latex glove. It's connected. If you start making lots of areas where those connections can't function I suspect your skin isn't going to be happy.
If read distance is important, it's a good goal, consider active implants which broadcast the desired commands. Check out the Misfit Link.
With a flat tag though this would not be an issue, it would be much easier to align.
As far as the issue with skin and bone connection. If feel that if people are implanting devices like the Northstar, this should be too much of an issue.
@AlexSmith I suppose you could just make a small incision and create a pocket for the tag to sit in. How much would something like that cost? I feel like this method could be a viable replacement for the rather pricey glass tags, but at the expense of longevity.
The difference between implanting one Northstar and a "polka-a-dot" array of tags should be obvious. You can cut a few fibers of a rope but when you cut many it loses integrity.
If you want a variety of functions wouldn't it make more sense to have a single tag display a menu of your "Quick Options" on your screen? Every time you open your skin you're risking infection while a software change to your phone is non-invasive. I shouldn't try to draw that line for you so I'll stop myself here.
In terms of price however, 85-100 dollars for an nfc tag is a bit steep for most people. This could be a lower cost alternative.
Or, if you involved the magnetometer and an implanted magnet you could change the angle of your phone in relation to your hand to perform different actions. When the phone is held perpendicular to your thumb it turns on the flashlight, when it's held at an acute angle it launches email, and when it is held at an obtuse angle it launches a browser to this forum. It would require an app to differentiate so it would only work on your phone. I'm off topic.
Price is obviously a consideration. A year ago the thought of spending $100 on an NFC implant was abhorrent to me. It's simply not in some people's budget and that's that. Now that I'm gainfully employed the thought of making an implant when a proven commercial alternative is available seems foolhardy. Expanding the functionality, read range in this case, seems like a worthy pursuit. I would encourage you to buy some ordinary RFID tags: glass ampoules, flat stickers, keychains, and the credit card size ones. Buy a cheap reader and map, in 3 dimensions, what kind of detection field you're getting. You want to answer a few questions. Does the size of the loop affect the read range and by how much? Does the shape affect reading distance or only scannable area? What kind of range is available from the edge of flat tags? What kind of range is available from the top of flat tags? Do the corners of square cards affect the read range?
There are probably papers written on this sort of thing too. I prefer a hands on approach and I like amassing hardware.
I have made some basic android apps so it would be a fun challenge to tackle nfc. I'll do some experiments once I get home with magnets and the magnetometer on my phone once I have time. Im not too sure if a m31 would effect the magnetometer all that much but I could be wrong.
I'll post what I find out eventually(even though I am sure you could for fire it out your own)
Hopefully @AlexSmith will provide me with some more information too.
I would also be curious what kind of readings your phone's magnetometer gets from an m31. Maybe that has to be positioned right under the phone by a couple millimeters. That might make it impossible since different phones have their magnetometers in different places and no one wants to be tied to a single phone model forever.
Keep accurate records!
My phone's magnetometer picks up the magnetic ring I have quite strongly, could you download this app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.chrystianvieyra.android.physicstoolboxmagnetometer and tell me how your magnets show up? If they show up decently, I might see about making a gesture recognition module for an implanted magnet, something that lets you swipe with your magnet to unlock or something like that.
Loop area does increase reading range. Shape itself doesn't really matter that much. Just fiddling with antennas is unlikely to get you best results. The resonating usually need to be well-tuned. Changing loop area or loop count will have tremendous effect on the resonating frequency and thus range. This may happen unintentionally when you deal with flexible tags. Make sure you design them to not deform too much, or at least keep the area somewhat constant.
Thicker wires and well tuned systems can lead to a slight increase in reading range, it's effect is nowhere close to that of the loop-area tho.
What method would you use to implant? Should I make an incision and then suture it up, or does the method of rolling it up in a syringe hold any promise?
What about location? would the back of the hand work the best, or another location? Scaring?
...looks like I am going to be doing a pocket...
LINK