Digital Angel Corporation received a United States patent for a multi-directional walk-through antenna, a scanning device for cattle and other livestock much like the metal detector at an airport, for reading RFID wearable tags and implantable chips.
The antenna incorporates a new design that enables easier and more accurate scanning of animals, eliminating many of the technical challenges associated with scanning animals that can result from differing tag placements and random animal movement.
Kevin Nieuwsma, President of the Company's RFID Division, commented, "Digital Angel already develops and markets a full line of livestock identification products, ranging from visual ID tags sold since 1945, to RFID wearable tags and RFID implantable chips, along with scanners that read these devices. Digital Angel also designs and develops the software integration tools necessary to tie all these components together into a seamless system for recording the location and movement of identified animals. The antenna will be marketed as an integral part of an automatic system for monitoring cattle and other livestock while they are processed throughout their lifecycle, which should make the industry more efficient in its animal movement tracking capability."
Chief Executive Officer Kevin McGrath stated, "The receipt of this patent underscores Digital Angel's continued R&D commitment to innovation and enhancement of existing products in the new and emerging markets we operate in. Since the discovery in the State of Washington of a cow with BSE (mad cow disease) in December of 2003, Digital Angel has been building on its existing technology base in anticipation of a nationally mandated cattle tracking program in the U.S., as well as in Canada, which has already committed to the implementation of an RFID cattle program in 2005. This and other patents should allow Digital Angel to maintain its technology leadership position in this important market segment."
Digital Angel Corporation develops and deploys sensor and communications technologies that enable rapid and accurate identification, location tracking, and condition monitoring of high-value assets. Applications for the Company's products include identification and monitoring of pets, fish and livestock through its patented implantable microchips; location tracking and message monitoring of vehicles and aircraft in remote locations through systems that integrate GPS and geosynchronous satellite communications; and monitoring of asset conditions such as temperature and movement, through advanced miniature sensors.