Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Smart Dog Tags
Smart dog tags are coming into greater use in the U.S. Army, according to StrategyPage. Smart dog tags are basically read/write RFID tags that you can wear around your neck.
(Smart dog tags w/RFID reader)
Some sort of "dog tag" or wearable information for soldiers has existed in one form or another for thousands of years; soldiers in ancient Sparta used them. During the Civil War, soldiers pinned paper notes inside their jackets. Manufacturers recognized a market, and started making pins and machine-stamped tags made of brass or lead.
Official U.S. Army dog tags were first authorized in 1906; the information recorded included name, rank, company, regiment or corps. By 1916, two tags were included; one to stay with the body and the other for morgue record-keeping. By WWII, more information, like blood type and medical conditions were added.
Smart dog tags can change all that; tags capable of holding megabytes of data are inexpensive. On such a tag, the entire medical and service history of the soldier could be recorded and worn around the neck.
In 1995, an inventor named Hal Woodward impressed Department of Defense officials with his "digital dog tag"; he called it a Medi-Tag.
The biggest issues with these smart dog tags are 1) toughness and 2) security. The tiny chip in the tag would need to be in a hardened case to survive an explosion that would kill the wearer; metal dog tags can survive explosions, fires because they are simple plates of metal.
The problem of security is greater. The most obvious problem is having the enemy use readers to download information. Another problem is the fact that, if these devices are regular passive RFID tags, any RFID reader could activate them, even if encrypted data could not be read or accessed. I assume that the tags are designed to retransmit energy back to the reader only when an appropriate code has been received. Otherwise, an enemy could position readers in different areas, detecting "smart" tags that were passing through.
This story keeps coming up; see my earlier story Pentagon Asks For Digital Dog Tags. Learn more about smart dog tags here and here.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 11/7/2006)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Warfare ")
'Warrior Suit' Combat Exoskeleton Project Still Alive
'Suited up, you look like a big steel gorilla.'
Sea Drones Attack Russian Fleet
'...autofreighters, and other self-piloting craft.' - Ray Naylor, 2022.
Slaughterbot AI KIller Quadcopter Drones
'The real border was defended by... a swarm of quasi-independent aerostats.' - Neal Stephenson, 1995.
Russia Working On Military Exoskeletons
'...you look like a big steel gorilla...' - Robert Heinlein, 1959.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Proof Of Robothood - Not A Person
'Who are you people? - Show 'em.'
Dancing Robots Taught Dance Moves
'A clockwork figure would be the thing for you...'
Indonesian Clans Battle
'The observation vehicle was of that peculiar variety used in conveying a large number of people across rough terrain.'
The 'Last Mile' In China Crowded With Delivery Robots
Yes, it's a delivery robot. On wheels.
Tornyol Microdrone Kills Mosquitoes
'The real border was defended by... a swarm of quasi-independent aerostats.'
PLATO Spacecraft, Hunter Of Habitable Planets, Now Ready
'I ... set my automatic astronomical instruments to searching for a habitable planet.'
Factory Humanoid Robots Built By Humanoid Robots
'...haven't you a section of the factory where only robot labor is employed?'
iPhone Air Fulfils Jobs' Promise From 2007 - A Giant Screen!
'... oblongs were all over the floor and surfaces.'
ChatGPT Now Participates in Group Chats
'...the city was their laboratory in human psychology.'
iPhone Pocket All Sold Out!
'A long, strong, slender net...'
Did The Yautja Have These First?
What a marvel of ingenuity the little device was!
Jetson ONE Air Races Begin, Can Air Polo Be Far Behind?
'If you're one of those rarities who haven't attended a rocket-polo "carnage", let me tell you it's a colorful affair.'
Will Space Stations Have Large Interior Spaces Again?
'They filed clumsily into the battleroom, like children in a swimming pool for the first time, clinging to the handholds along the side.'
Mornine Sales Robot
'Robot-salesmen were everywhere, gesturing...'
Bipedal Robot Floats Gently While Walking
'a walking balloon proceeded with long strides of its aluminum legs...'
Musk Idea Of Cars Talking To Each Other Predicted 70 Years Ago
'My cars talk to one another.'
