Applied Digital Solutions (wikipedia), a leading provider of identification and security technology, and Digital Angel Corporation (wikipedia), which develops RF-ID for people and animals, today announced that they have entered into a merger agreement.
Under the agreement, Applied Digital and Digital Angel will create the world’s leading provider of identification, location and wellness monitoring systems for people and animals. Applied Digital will acquire the remaining 45% minority interest it does not currently own in Digital Angel.
Digital Angel’s RFID technologies for animal applications include tracking pets, farm animals, and fish. Applied Digital’s SmartFind Plus is an emergency locator for boaters.
VeriChip and Digital Angel have developed an implantable glucose microchip to determine glucose levels in the bodies of animals and humans. Once inserted just under the skin, via a quick, painless outpatient procedure (much like getting a shot), the VeriChip™ can be scanned when necessary with a proprietary VeriChip reader. VeriChip’s goal is to become the leading provider of RFID systems for people in the healthcare industry.
Applied Digital has expanded into the military and commercial search and rescue beacon markets, and the emergency position-indicating rescue beacon (EPIRB) market.
Some people are concerned that Verichip could be an invasion of privacy. Privacy expert Marc Rosenberg worries that scanners at retail stores and toll booths will also have the power to read the chips in patients’ arms.
“They do literally broadcast your identity,” he said. “It’s a bit like having your Social Security number being transmitted from your body.”
But Verichip patient Molly Minicucci Phillips isn’t concerned about the privacy issue. “I have credit cards. I have EZ-Pass. I have all that,” he said. “They probably could get more through that than from the Verichip.”
Eleven of the world’s busiest seaports have begun using an RF-ID container tracker. Savi Technology, relies on electronic seals placed on container closures.
Savi was bought by Lockheed for some $400 million. Savi’s active tags can store up to 128 kilobytes of information, read and write at distances of up to 300 feet, and are based on ISO 18000-7 standards operating at 433.92 MHz. It is often used for Container Tracking.
Alien Technology has been granted designation as Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technologies for airports baggage and cargo handling systems by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
At DARPAtech this week, projects to track and kill enemies mingled with robotic arms to help amputees.
RFID Tribe eats together and listens to presentations. RF-ID Journal, RF-ID News.org, RF-ID News.com, RF-ID Update, RF-ID Weblog, RF-ID Product News and RF-ID Gazette have more.
Related DailyWireless articles include; Axcess RFID Dot, RF-ID Passports Get Real, Domestic Spying Bill Approved, Realtime Tracking: WiFi is the Ticket, RFID for Plants & People, People Friendly RF-ID, WiFi Positioning Gets Cheap, RF-ID License Plate, Seattle’s RF-ID People Tracking System, Real ID, No Encryption for RF-ID Passport, RF-ID Cracked, The Electronic Dog Tag and Cat Fight Over Pet ID.
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