Zarlink introduces wireless chip for in-body communication
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 31st 2005 12:46PM
posted May 31st 2005 12:46PM
Zarlink Semiconductor has just unveiled a wireless chip designed to work with implantable medical devices, relaying data to a doctor or hospital via a base station. The ultra low-power RF technology used in Zarlink's chip allows for high-speed 500 kb/s data transmission over a two-meter range. One major application for the chip is to work in tandem with a pacemaker, monitoring the patient's health and performance of their pacemaker, continuosly sending the data straight to their doctor's office. If a problem's found, the doctor could tweak the pacemaker from the hospital using a two-way wireless link, with no need for surgery.
[Thanks, Mike]
This isn't news. They already have this in Metal Gear Solid.
"If a problem’s found, the doctor could tweak the pacemaker from the hospital using a two-way wireless link, with no need for surgery."
Why doesn't that sound like a very good idea... how'd you like someone haxxoring your Grandmother's heart?
Wow, and I thought Phone Phreeking was cool before. Now you TOO can give Grandpa a heart attack at the touch of a dial. And here you thought the Paris Hilton phone hacks were cool.
Just wait until some enterprising hackers use the threat of remote control Angina to motivate the Gray Panthers to support their political agendas. We could have pot legalized in a day! Skateboarding on every sidewalk! And no more driver licenses for 70+ year olds! Using the power of those remote controlled old people and the undue political influence they possess, these hackers could RULE THE WORLD!!!
Doctor Evil would be Proud!
So let's see if I have this right? The government has ok'd the conversion of passports to an rfid based system with nothing close to real security and now we're making it possible to hack the Vice President. I'm pretty sure that this was an episode of the x-files where Krychek controlled Skinner via a pocket pc.
Also would the algorithms used to encrypt the signals into grandma's heart be subject to DMCA protection? Grandma only owns a license to her pacemaker and not the actual hardware itself?
sigh...