May 3, 2005
Raiders News Update
These miniature chips, which can be implanted in humans, are being distributed by Penang-based Inforlexus Sdn Bhd, which was appointed the exclusive local distributor of the VeriChip in early April.
Inforlexus (www.inforlexus.com.my) develops customised ID solutions ranging from building access and patient identification applications to military applications for rapidly identifying battlefield casualties.
The company said it would focus on marketing the VeriChip to the local health and security industries.
“VeriChip gives people afflicted by diseases such as stroke, heart attack, Alzheimer’s disease, as well as those prone to seizures, the option to ensure instant access to their medical records in event they are incapacitated,” Inforlexus managing director G.K. Ham told In.Tech.
The chip is implanted under the skin at the back of the forearm. The procedure takes less than a minute, and can be removed should it not be needed or wanted anymore, said Ham.
“Because it’s implanted, it’s impossible for people to forget or misplace, especially when they need it most for identification,” he added.
Inforlexus has partnered with local healthcare systems and solutions developer Maxar Digital Sdn Bhd to integrate VeriChip into Maxar’s Power Medic medical clinic management system and its AvatarNet common data exchange platform.
Said Maxar managing director Jones Soh: “A person from Penang implanted with VeriChip, for example, can have his or her verification processed via AvatarNet over a secure Internet connection from anywhere in the world.”
“This lets urgently needed medical information to be conveyed quickly and enables immediate decision-making. especially in matters of life and death,” he added.
Ham also said that Inforlexus was in the process of obtaining solutions that would allow the VeriChip and other RFID tags to be integrated into building, door, floor, lift and access control systems, which would enable people to be tracked inside buildings.
Besides Malaysia, Inforlexus is also exclusive distributor for the VeriChip in Thailand and Indonesia.
Ham said that the company's Indonesian partner hopes to provide the chips to the Indonesian military to enable them to quickly identify soldiers killed or wounded in battle.
In early March, Inforlexus and VeriChip donated 150 chips and two chip readers to the Thai government for future use in disaster management, he said.
“When they have a full system with database in place, should disasters (like the Dec 26 tsunami) strike again, they will be able to recognise and identify victims more quickly than with conventional DNA testing,” he added.
The Verichip is being sold at US$70 (RM266) each
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