IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 32

commentary

Sharon Rose Bradley-Munn

RFID Implant
Developments

rom a feminist pers-
pective, author Donna
Haraway makes  in -
ference to a type of
teleology within tech-
nology itself that displaces the focus
of the ideological historical culmina-
tion back to the actual technology.
Concerning cybernetics as a steer-
ing mechanism, Haraway writes [1]:

F

Where Are We Headed and Why?

The second leaky distinction
is between animal-human
(organism) and machine. Pre-
cybernetic machines could
be haunted; there was always
the spectre of the ghost in the

An implant device is an inanimate
object, void of spirit, and has no
motive or underlying teleology
residing within the technology itself.

machine. This dualism struc-
tured the dialogue between
materialism and idealism that
was settled by a dialectical
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MTS.2016.2554420
Date of publication: 2 June 2016

32

progeny, called spirit or his-
tory, according to taste. But
basically machines were not
self-moving, self-designing,
a u t o n o m o u s . T h ey
c ou ld no t a c h ieve
ma n's d rea m, only
mock it. They were not
man, an author to him-
self, but only a carica-
ture of that masculinist
reproductive dream.
To think they were oth-
erwise was paranoid.
Now we are not so sure.
Late twentieth-century
machines have made
thoroug hly a mbigu-
ous the difference between
natural and artificial, mind
and body, self-developing
and externally designed, and
many other distinctions that
used to apply to organisms
and machines. Our machines

IEEE Technology and Society Magazine

are disturbingly lively, and we
ourselves frighteningly inert.
Haraway's statement directs us
to investigate technologies, such
as radio-frequency identification
(RFID) implant developments, and
ask where are we headed and why?
Are such devices being designed and
engineered to replace former infra-
structures that have been in place to
help monitor, control, and assist the
activities of the general populace? It
is my opinion that when reflecting
on RFID implants, or other body-
intrusive devices, we do not switch
the emphasis to the technology
itself, as implantable devices are in
a rapid state of change with a utility
that are both universally adaptable
and individually exclusive. In addi-
tion, the implant device itself is not
to blame for negative social implica-
tions that might ensue. It is an inan-
imate object, void of spirit, and has
∕

june 2016



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016

IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - Cover1
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - Cover2
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 1
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 2
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 3
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 4
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 5
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 6
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 7
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 8
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 9
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 10
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 11
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 12
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 13
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 14
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 15
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 16
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 17
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 18
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 19
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 20
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 21
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 22
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 23
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 24
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 25
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 26
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 27
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 28
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 29
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 30
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 31
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 32
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 33
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 34
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 35
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 36
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 37
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 38
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 39
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 40
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 41
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 42
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 43
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 44
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 45
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 46
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 47
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 48
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 49
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 50
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 51
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 52
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 53
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 54
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 55
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 56
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 57
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 58
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 59
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 60
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 61
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 62
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 63
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 64
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 65
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 66
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 67
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 68
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 69
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 70
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 71
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 72
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 73
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 74
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 75
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 76
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 77
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 78
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 79
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 80
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 81
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 82
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 83
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 84
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 85
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 86
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 87
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - 88
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - Cover3
IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - June 2016 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_september2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_june2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_march2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_december2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_september2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_june2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_march2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_december2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_september2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_june2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_march2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_december2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_september2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_june2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_march2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_december2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_september2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_june2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_march2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_december2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_september2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_june2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_march2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_winter2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_fall2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_summer2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_spring2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_winter2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_fall2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_summer2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_spring2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_winter2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_fall2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_summer2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_spring2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_winter2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_fall2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_summer2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_spring2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_winter2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_fall2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_summer2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/technologysociety_spring2013
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com