Yesterday a friend of mine said: “Whoever invents a device that will find your keys or cellphone will be the next billionaire.” This comments sparked a brainstorm on how it would work around the house. I lose my keys on the way out of my apartment often and ‘bitch’ about it.

This idea is not new however and it will likely not be Joe Smoe in a Cupertino garage who builds this technology, rather it might be our friend, or foe, Google.

Several industry folks are discussing this topic after learning that Google is closely looking at H3TEC, a company that is working on detection technology designed to locate “anything, anywhere.” It is out of a sci-fi book because the inventor got the idea from the “Tricoder”, a detection device in the old Star Trek series. He built his own. Check out some of the applications suggested:

• Homeland Security (all over the world)
• Medical Applications (cancer and tainted food)
• Natural Resources (oil and gas, and minerals; currently, we are very active in this field)
• Military Theater (mapping battle grounds, patrolling, and base safety)
• Intermountain Bomb Removal Squad (currently testing)
• Airborne Sensors (flying over hazardous and remote areas, including HAZMAT)
• Shipping, Airport Security
• Peace Officers (officer safety, drug detection, and detection of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine)

How do you locate drugs and bombs? Apparently this technology can track atoms. NO JOKE! This could change our world quickly.

So, ask yourself, is Google your friend or your foe. At least ask yourself “what do they want to do with this?” Either way, I suppose I would rather have Google own this than the Department of Homeland Security, but they will get their hands on it anyway. Oh boy.

On a more lighthearted note, today someone revealed plans Google has to help you find your keys. They want to use RFID technology to track your possessions. Although I hate loosing keys, something about this makes me feel uneasy. It is a step closer to the “Idiocracy” idea. I think I would rather rant and swear as I try to find my keys. It is more human.