RFID technology for human implant devices

This article presents an overview on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for human implants and investigates the technological feasibility of such implants for locating and tracking persons or for remotely controlling human biological functions. Published results on the miniaturization of implantable passive RFID devices are reported as well as a discussion on the choice of the transmission frequency in wireless communication between a passive RFID device implanted inside human body and an off-body interrogator. The two techniques (i.e.. inductive coupling and electromagnetic coupling) currently used for wirelessly supplying power to and read data from a passive implantable RFID device are described and some documented biomedical and therapeutic applications of human RFID-implant devices are finally reported. (C) 2011 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.