New York City's first subdermal VeriChip chipping procedure was performed September 24, 2003 at the Applied Digital Solutions's lower Manhattan Authorized VeriChip Center.
A journalist at a technology-related trade publication decided to Get Chipped in researching an upcoming article regarding RFID (radio frequency identification) technologies, including VeriChip.
The brief outpatient chipping procedure lasts just a few minutes and involves only local anesthetic followed by quick, painless insertion of the VeriChip. About the size of a grain of rice, the subdermal RFID VeriChip can be used in a variety of security, financial, emergency identification and other applications. The standard location of the microchip is in the triceps area between the elbow and the shoulder of the right arm. Once inserted just under the skin, the VeriChip is inconspicuous to the naked eye.
VeriChip is a subdermal, radio frequency identification (RFID) device that can be used in a variety of security, financial, emergency identification and other applications. About the size of a grain of rice, each VeriChip product contains a unique verification number that is captured by briefly passing a proprietary scanner over the VeriChip. A small amount of radio frequency energy passes from the scanner energizing the dormant VeriChip, which then emits a radio frequency signal transmitting the verification number. In October 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that VeriChip is not a regulated device with regard to its security, financial, personal identification/safety applications but that VeriChip's healthcare information applications are regulated by the FDA. VeriChip Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Applied Digital Solutions.