By Maria Divina Tabasin and Jullienne Rose Tambirao
Communication transpired since the beginning of humanity. From an idea comprehended by the mind it was molded into signs, signals, and symbols (Cangelosi, 2001). Oral communication followed right after, then succeeded by writing (Lambert, 2019). The use of smoke signals at approximately 1800 BC evolved thousands of years later to telegrams, mechanical computer, telephone, radio, email, cellphone, World wide web, Google, and many other inventions (Doyle, 2016). The past simply illustrates the constant change in communication media.
Moving further into the future, microchips or memory cards that are biologically implanted could be the main medium of communication in 50 years’ time. These will act as credit cards, keys and train tickets. Short-range radio frequency identification (RFID) implant could already hold personal information such as medical history and acts as identification card as well as passport (Hooijdonk, 2013). Modifications of these chips could possibly replace smart phones and computers in texting, calling, and internet surfing.
These chips are already developed and being used in countries such as Sweden and in fifty or less years the whole world may have access to these devices (Agence France-Presse, 2018). Trends in communication show that communication media changes in more or less 20 years from its current form (Eastman, 2013). It also shows that even with change, it is inevitable that people revert to old ways and use the former medium of communication. Thus, 50 years is enough for microchips to improve and be used in a worldwide scale.
This medium of communication may vary according to today’s progress mainly in the field of science and technology. The probability of microchips as main medium of communication is minute compared to millions of possibilities that could arise between today and the future. With the human mind, nothing seems impossible.
References:
Agence France-Presse. (2018, May 13). Thousands of people in Sweden get microchip implants for a new way of life. Retrieved from South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/2145896/thousands-people-sweden-get-microchip-implants-new-way-life
Boyce, R. (Photographer). (2018, September 21). RFID microchip [photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/09/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-microchip/570946/
Cangelosi, A. (2001). Evolution of communication and language using signals, symbols, and words. IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation, 93 – 101. Retrieved from Journal and Magazines: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/918429/
Doyle, J. P. (2016). The History Of Communication Technology. Retrieved from Conference Calls Unlimited: https://www.conferencecallsunlimited.com/history-Of-communication-technology/
Eastman, H. (2013, July 7). Communication changes with technology, social media. Retrieved from The Daily Universe: https://universe.byu.edu/2013/07/07/1communication-changes-with-technology-social-media/
Hooijdonk, R. v. (2013, April 23). Human Microchipping, The Benefits And Downsides. Retrieved from Richard van Hooijdonk: https://richardvanhooijdonk.com/blog/en/human-microchipping-the-benefits-and-downsides/
Lambert, T. (2019). A Brief History Of Communication . Retrieved from Local Histories: http://www.localhistories.org/communications.html
How the microchips work [Digital image]. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/07/25/do-microchip-implants-pose-health-risks-ask-swedes-and-pets/507408001/
COMM10porary 