Chapter 2 - Security concerns

Sorry for the very (very!) late reply... GPS implants do exist as beta and prototype devices. Aside from the obvious lack of commercial availability, there are also other serious issues;

- the device is very large (cigarette pack sized)

- it is battery powered (requiring replacement after a few years)

- it receives GPS signals and calculates position, but current versions cannot report that position to anything or anyone without the aid of another cell phone sized devices you must carry on your person. this external device receives the data from the implant and relays it over cellular networks to a central tracking station. this begs the question - what's the point of having the implant?

Theoretically, other devices could report position without the aid of an externally carried device, however the power requirements mean it would be even larger in size and likely need a nightly recharge using a "wireless charging" technique (sleeping on a charge pad of sorts).

This may sound silly, but one possibility you might consider is getting a very cheap smartphone with GPS that can run an app that locates family members. By getting a very cheap data plan and each of you strapping the phones to your legs, you could accomplish the same thing at a far lesser cost or risk to your health. What kind of kidnappers search the shins of their victims? They might take away a purse and regular cell phone, but a hidden phone with GPS could literally be a lifesaver.