RFID tag revenues are expected to grow to a jaw-dropping $2.8 billion by 2009. While most tags are headed to the supply chain and consumer goods, is their one heading for a piece of flesh near you?

The most far-reaching technology since the cell phone? True, according to a recent report by In-Stat. Worldwide RFID tag revenues will grow from $300 million in 2004 to $2.8 billion in 2009. The largest segment of the market will, of course, be the supply chain, followed by consumer products. Discussed in more detail by Design News, the report, interestingly, mentions that privacy issues are a notable concern for certain RFID applications. Keep in mind that the FDA has already approved the use of RFID-based biochip implants for humans and, in a related story from this past summer, Mexico’s attorney general ‘got chipped’ for security reasons, as did up to 160 of his employees. RFID is clearly an expanding universe of amazingly useful and needed technology.

No mention of RFID in humans can be complete, however, without including SpeedPass and conspiracy theories that point to implants as one of the biblical signs of the end of times. Maybe we’ll be okay if we restrict RFID tags for use only on pallets and our left hands, right? Right?