People that have life threatening allergies or medical conditions
rely on things to let paramedics and doctors know what is wrong with
them if they should be unable to respond. Many rely on bracelets, but a
bracelet that says allergy does not often say enough to help. A Japanese
firm called Asahi Kasei has a new product that is in the works that
will be much more helpful.
The product is a small, 3cm square that has a RFID chip
inside. That chip can store all sorts of details medical data along
with links to other files like x-rays that doctors and paramedics can
access by holding an RFID enabled smartphone or computer nearby.
This allows the doctor access to a full medical history even if the
patient can’t speak and no one is available to help. The devices are
expected to hit the market in the next year at about $25 per unit. The
squares use FeliCa technology inside that is already supported by a
number of RFID reading devices on the market. |