# Would you agree to have a sensor injected under your skin ?



## hollydolly (May 5, 2021)

_The US military's storied DARPA agency is backing development of a sensor meant to be injected under the skin to monitor for COVID-19.

According to the agency — which has backed futuristic endeavors like laser weaponry, flying trucks and robot animals — the sensor continuously monitors vital signs and can flag an infection up to two days before symptoms appear.

The agency is exploring whether the sensor could be given members of the US military. When coupled with a receiver worn outside the body, it can set off an alert when something is wrong, the developers told Insider._

These sensors make it possible to detect, in 'real time' and over long periods of time, changes in the body's chemistry," Jared Adams, chief of communications for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), told Insider in a email.

The sensor is made up of two parts: a small strip of hydrogel injected under the skin. The strip is tiny, about a 10th of an inch in length. (Hydrogel is same type of material that is used in soft contact lenses.)

Then, outside the skin, there is the detector.

The gel is infused with chemicals. Early markers of infection, such as an abrupt change in oxygen levels, trigger a chemical reaction. The strip starts to glow with fluorescent light, which can be picked up by the detector.

_https://www.businessinsider.com/military-sensor-skin-covid-darpa-19-2021-4?r=US&IR=T_


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## Aunt Bea (May 5, 2021)

In some situations, it makes sense to me to use implanted sensors.

It's amusing that pet owners pay to have them implanted in their dogs but are horrified at the idea of having them implanted in themselves.  

I wouldn't consider one to track COVID specifically but I would consider one that could find me if I go missing or alert me to changes in my overall health.  Imagine being able to prevent heart attack or stroke, early detection of cancer, etc... all with a tiny sensor.


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## chic (May 5, 2021)

No. That's not for me.


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## Rosemarie (May 5, 2021)

If it was for my own personal use, then it sounds like a good idea.  The trouble is...this could be yet another way to keep the population under serveillance.


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## Pappy (May 5, 2021)

Not at my age. No.


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## Chris21E (May 5, 2021)

I think not...


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## win231 (May 5, 2021)

Aunt Bea said:


> In some situations, it makes sense to me to use implanted sensors.
> 
> It's amusing that pet owners pay to have them implanted in their dogs but are horrified at the idea of having them implanted in themselves.
> 
> I wouldn't consider one to track COVID specifically but I would consider one that could find me if I go missing or alert me to changes in my overall health.  Imagine being able to prevent heart attack or stroke, early detection of cancer, etc... all with a tiny sensor.


I never had one implanted in any of my dogs, either.


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## Nathan (May 5, 2021)

I think such types of sensors could have a valuable medical use.   

If I had some [serious] medical condition that could be monitored in that fashion, then yes- I'd of course consent to it.


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## Chris21E (May 5, 2021)

win231 said:


> I never had one implanted in any of my dogs, either.



I would not do that to a pet....


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## win231 (May 5, 2021)

Nathan said:


> I think such types of sensors could have a valuable medical use.
> 
> If I had some [serious] medical condition that could be monitored in that fashion, then yes- I'd of course consent to it.


Medical I.D. bracelet or necklace works as well & is faster.  Reading the info on the chip requires finding & using a scanning device.
A Medical I.D. is read immediately.  With some conditions, those extra seconds or minutes can make a big difference in the outcome.


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## win231 (May 5, 2021)

Chris21E said:


> I would not do that to a pet....


Several years ago, I chose a dog to adopt from a shelter.  They told me implanting a chip was required.  On a previous visit to the shelter, I watched the procedure - and the dog screaming & struggling.  I said, "No thanks."
Really stupid of the shelter; my dogs are behind a locked gate, they always have ID collars, and are perimeter trained & won't go past the gate even when it's open.
I won't support ANY type of animal cruelty, & causing unnecessary pain to make a few extra dollars is cruelty.


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## Chris21E (May 5, 2021)

win231 said:


> Several years ago, I chose a dog to adopt from a shelter.  They told me implanting a chip was required.  On a previous visit to the shelter, I watched the procedure - and the dog screaming & struggling.  I said, "No thanks."
> Really stupid of the shelter; my dogs are behind a locked gate, they always have ID collars, and are perimeter trained & won't go past the gate even when it's open.
> I won't support ANY type of animal cruelty, & causing unnecessary pain to make a few extra dollars is cruelty.



They just would not understand....


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## Sunny (May 5, 2021)

No.  Too much opportunity for misuse.


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## Gemma (May 5, 2021)

No.  40% of our Marines declined to get vaccinated for covid-19 and I can't see them accepting a sensor injected under their skin either.  

According to the link you provided,  _"Although it was developed with COVID-19 in mind, it is not sophisticated enough to differentiate that disease from others._


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## AnnieA (May 5, 2021)

Sunny said:


> No.  Too much opportunity for misuse.



Agreed.


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## FastTrax (May 5, 2021)

Hmmmmmmm I guess the Microdot program, forced immunization shots for our little ones, the AmberAlert trackers for our kids, GPS, OnStar, Project Tor and LifeAlert ain't working out too well for the FBI, NSA, CIA and all the other Federal alphabet soup agencies that get paid to protect us taxpaying citizens of America.


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## Nathan (May 5, 2021)

win231 said:


> Several years ago, I chose a dog to adopt from a shelter.  They told me implanting a chip was required.  On a previous visit to the shelter, I watched the procedure - and the dog screaming & struggling.  I said, "No thanks."
> Really stupid of the shelter; my dogs are behind a locked gate, they always have ID collars, and are perimeter trained & won't go past the gate even when it's open.
> I won't support ANY type of animal cruelty, & causing unnecessary pain to make a few extra dollars is cruelty.


"Chipping" a dog needn't be painful, what you witnessed was a botched job.


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## Aunt Marg (May 5, 2021)

Absolutely not, and no pet of mine would ever be subjected to such either.


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## StarSong (May 5, 2021)

Nathan said:


> "Chipping" a dog needn't be painful, what you witnessed was a botched job.


Exactly.  When my dog was chipped he didn't even whimper.  
Lost dogs are easily returned home when they've been chipped, which is why shelters insist on it.  They see A LOT of lost dogs.


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## Nathan (May 5, 2021)

StarSong said:


> Exactly.  When my dog was chipped he didn't even whimper.
> Lost dogs are easily returned home when they've been chipped, which is why shelters insist on it.  They see A LOT of lost dogs.


Our dear friend and founder of Save a Small Dog Rescue inc. chipped our Rusty that we adopted, he was calm even though he had been abused, before being abandoned by his last [so called] family.


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## Ruthanne (May 5, 2021)

I don't believe I'd agree to that.  For one thing who knows how safe those are to have under the skin and what they are made of.  I also just wouldn't want anything under my skin!


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## win231 (May 5, 2021)

StarSong said:


> Exactly.  When my dog was chipped he didn't even whimper.
> Lost dogs are easily returned home when they've been chipped, which is why shelters insist on it.  They see A LOT of lost dogs.


In the past 10 years, I have returned 4 dogs that wandered onto my property.  All had tags with the owner's names, addresses & phones.  Two of the owners were especially grateful because the information on their dogs' chips belonged to previous owners, & the dogs would have sat in a cage in a shelter during the attempt to find the current owners.....IF they were ever found.  I recall one of them moved out of state, which means they might never have been found, in which case the shelter would probably euthanize the dog if no one adopted him.
I adopted 3 dogs that had chips from previous owners; some deceased.
A chip is not useful unless the information on it is current.  Tags are usually current - & don't involve making a hole in the dog or a medical procedure.


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## FastTrax (May 5, 2021)

Nathan said:


> Our dear friend and founder of Save a Small Dog Rescue inc. chipped our Rusty that we adopted, he was calm even though he had been abused, before being abandoned by his last [so called] family.



Very heartwarming story Nathan, thanks for sharing.


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## SeaBreeze (May 5, 2021)

I wouldn't want to get a chip implanted in my body unless absolutely necessary (for some reason), to track something like Covid, no.  I've never microchipped any of my pets either.  The dog I have now is chipped, simply because the breeder did it before we brought him home.  I pay the fee to Home Again, and it is a comfort to know if he does disappear someday, it's possible for someone to identify him and contact me.  So, to me, that's a good thing....love my boy.


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## fmdog44 (May 5, 2021)

I posted this a couple weeks and the story is bout the military and makes very good sence in a military application.


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## Mr. Ed (May 6, 2021)

Implanting any tracking device in one's body would open a huge Pandora's Box of trouble.

Besides, I'm not too keen about extending my life beyond the first wave.


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## JonDouglas (May 6, 2021)

Sunny said:


> No.  Too much opportunity for misuse.


Agreed!


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## JonDouglas (May 6, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> I posted this a couple weeks and the story is bout the military and makes very good sence in a military application.


Not if the enemy figures out how to hack into the device.


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## RadishRose (May 6, 2021)

While I understand what a great life-saver this could be, I also have those same doubts. 

Can I have the flying truck instead?


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## StarSong (May 6, 2021)

win231 said:


> I adopted 3 dogs that had chips from previous owners; some deceased.
> A chip is not useful unless the information on it is current.  Tags are usually current - & don't involve making a hole in the dog or a medical procedure.


It's not difficult to update info on an animal's chips.

The idea is to have BOTH - chips and tags -  on our pets.


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## StarSong (May 6, 2021)

Nathan said:


> Our dear friend and founder of Save a Small Dog Rescue inc. chipped our Rusty that we adopted, he was calm even though he had been abused, before being abandoned by his last [so called] family.


Although it's a couple of hours away from me, I will look into your friend's rescue when I'm ready for another dog - which will be soon, I think.  ♥


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## Nathan (May 6, 2021)

StarSong said:


> Although it's a couple of hours away from me, I will look into your friend's rescue when I'm ready for another dog - which will be soon, I think.  ♥


Laurie is totally committed to the well being of the dogs she rescues.     She frequently has adopters coming from out of the area, on occasion from back East.


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## Pink Biz (May 6, 2021)

*No thanks, next question! *


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## SetWave (May 6, 2021)

Read sometime ago about a company placing chips in employees hands (on a volunteer basis) to be used for entering the building, accessing computers and buying snacks from the machines. Very disturbing that the people actually think it's just wonderful.

As for me, NO NO and NO!


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## chic (May 6, 2021)

JonDouglas said:


> Not if the enemy figures out how to hack into the device.


Right! One must always think ahead with this type of technology.


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## JonDouglas (May 6, 2021)

chic said:


> Right! One must always think ahead with this type of technology.


It has been my unfortunate experience that many people, especially politicians and government bureaucrats, are not all that good at thinking of downstream consequences.  Perhaps all that living in the "here and now" usurps their ability think "now and then what?".


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## Murrmurr (May 6, 2021)

No.


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## Jules (May 6, 2021)

My initial thought was no.  Then I remembered an ex BIL.  He had major heart problems.  Even though he lived in a small community 100s of miles away, his device was monitored automatically by a major hospital.  It warned him before an event even happened.  Finally it warned but couldn’t help him anymore.  He got a few extra years of life because of this implant.


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## Gaer (May 6, 2021)

Socialism/


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## StarSong (May 7, 2021)

Some diabetics have glucose monitors that have sensors under the skin.  
My MIL had a smart pacemaker that her doctor could adjust over the phone somehow - no idea how that worked. 

So this isn't as much of a leap as one might think.  

Nevertheless I'd be reluctant to sign on for it.


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## Sunny (May 7, 2021)

Probably a good idea for pets.  Not so good for humans.

For people with dementia who might wander off, there are tracking devices they can wear, similar to jewelry. They come in necklaces, bracelets, who knows what else?  They work using GPS technology. So families, with the help of the company providing the service, can find their loved one without injecting anything into their body.


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## StarSong (May 7, 2021)

Sunny said:


> Probably a good idea for pets.  Not so good for humans.
> 
> For people with dementia who might wander off, there are tracking devices they can wear, similar to jewelry. They come in necklaces, bracelets, who knows what else?  They work using GPS technology. So families, with the help of the company providing the service, can find their loved one without injecting anything into their body.


LOL, Sunny.  This reminds me of my mom during the last few years of her life.  She lived alone and was suffering with early dementia.  I wanted her to get one of those "I've fallen and I can't get up" devices.  

She raised an eyebrow and said, "My dear daughter, that is _not_ my kind of jewelry."  (She was always beautifully put together with wardrobe and jewelry.)  
I got the message.  Eventually she moved to assisted living, but never would wear one of those devices.


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## Jules (May 7, 2021)

StarSong said:


> "My dear daughter, that is _not_ my kind of jewelry."


Understandable.  

She’s not the only one who don’t like the look.  

Also, it’s like wearing a sign on your chest that you‘re not capable.  

Our electronic devices, mine’s an Apple Watch, help with some of these necessary emergency or tracking issues.  I wouldn’t wear one with those plastic bands so replaced it with a metal band.


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## Mike (May 7, 2021)

This idea was discussed several years ago, but for
bank cards, when you paid in a shop, all you had
to do was wave your hand or arm across the card
reader, and all was paid for, you might of course
have had to enter a pin-number into it.

Mike.


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## Sunny (May 8, 2021)

OTOH, for older people who live alone, the thought of possibly falling and getting a broken hip, or having a stroke, or something else awful like that, is not a pleasant one. It might be enough to just carry your cell phone around ALL the time, but what about when you go in the shower?  And especially for the really older people, it's not always that easy to remember to pick it up and carry it around. Many of them have memory problems; they'd probably forget that too.

I have one of those First Alarm devices that I wear as a "necklace," but only when I am alone in the house. I wouldn't be caught dead with one outside, for all the reasons given above, and why would I need it outside anyway? The whole idea is to give the person a way to summon help when alone. It took me a few years of thinking before I finally broke down and got it, as I didn't want to be reminded of how "old" I was, but finally decided that's ridiculous. I've gotten used to it, and find it reassuring to know that I can always summon help if needed. (Fortunately, I've never needed it yet.)

But that's a far cry from having hardware implanted into my body. That is something I can't imagine doing.


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## MarciKS (May 8, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> _The US military's storied DARPA agency is backing development of a sensor meant to be injected under the skin to monitor for COVID-19.
> 
> According to the agency — which has backed futuristic endeavors like laser weaponry, flying trucks and robot animals — the sensor continuously monitors vital signs and can flag an infection up to two days before symptoms appear.
> 
> ...


No.


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## MarciKS (May 8, 2021)

The reason I don't want that inserted in my skin has to do with biblical prophecy that I won't get into here. I'm not taking nothin that could cause me separation from God. At least not knowingly.


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