Personal Area Networks

[Rick Strong <strongr@child.cpmc.columbia.edu>]

This is a development in networking that promises to be controversial
RE: privacy. To say the least.

See:

http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/user/pan/pan.html  

It's at IBM's Almaden labs, and describes an interesting
application of networking technologies. It's called a 
Personal Area Network, and works by modulating signals 
in your body. The signals can be transmitted by touch.
You are the network node.

This solves a problem I've been considering for years,
i.e. how to send email to my liver. Counterbalancing this
positive are some rather scary potential uses of this
technology. A very extreme example of convenience vs. 
invasiveness.

Imagine what could be downloaded/uploaded by a single
touch, or a handshake. I see a bright future for 
manufacturers of non-conductive gloves.

-- 

Rick Strong