Healthcare

Introduction

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is used primarily for asset and personnel tracking. Some research is also in progress to implant RFID chips in endangered animals so as to track and study their behavior. But Kodak has announced the invention of an edible RFID. Why should anyone eat a RFID tag? Is it safe to consume a radio frequency wafer? The answer to these questions, as envisioned by Kodak, is an emphatic Yes.

How does edible RFID work?

The functioning of various parts of human body has been the subject of interest for medical practitioners from centuries. If we can introduce a tag inside the body, such that we can monitor the functioning of inner organs, then it can prove to be a great help to any doctor. This can be done to certain extent by probes or implant RFID chips. But a probe and implanted chip cannot reach every part of body. For instance, it’s not possible to detect various digestion related processes by the usual probes. What if we can introduce a RFID tag in the digestive system? That can certainly help to understand complicated digestion processes. The tag is edible and gets digested in few hours like usual food. This is why it’s called ‘edible’ RFID.