Implants

Hi there!

Left hand = EM4102
Right hand = Philips HITAG S 2048

All my implant info can be found here: blog.amal.net

Tons more info about implants can be found on the tagged forum: http://tagged.kaos.gen.nz/


Edited by amal - 01 August 2008 at 10:12am

Basically all 2mm by 12mm glass implant tags can be done via needle (same ones used on pets). My left hand EM4102 was larger, at 3mm by 13mm, and had to be done with a scalpel. Research which type of chip you want to use before bothering with implanting... researching the chip type is most important.

I think www.phidgetsusa.com has 2mm by 12mm EM4102 chips now.

The implant needle you are looking for is called an SUD or Single Use Disposable implant kit. It's a needle that houses a sterile 2x12mm animal tag. You just remove the animal tag and replace with your sterilized 2x12 EM4102 tag and you're good to go. I bought mine from a farming site:

 

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/pigstore/avmikit.html

 

What I did to sterilize my EM4102 tag and Philips HITAG S 2048 tag was that the doctors who did the implant procedure soaked the tags in a disinfectant (alcohol should work fine too) for 5-10 minutes before doing the implantation. The implant site was swabbed with iodine as well. I would not recommend using a device called an Autoclave, which uses heat (steam) and pressure to clean medical instruments. It will pretty much destroy your tag. - UPDATE - Ok, apparently I was wrong. I was able to successfully autoclave 5 EM4102 tags. Check out the details here: http://blog.amal.net/?p=714

 

Also, test your tag BEFORE implanting to make sure it works, and your application works as expected. Tape the tag to your body where you expect it to be implanted first to ensure the range is adequate and you can use the tag comfortably.

 

Most EM4102 tags I've found do not have the anti-migration coating on them because EM4102 is not the ISO standard that is supposed to be used for tagging animals, so the glass EM4102 tags are normally supposed to be used in chemical environments and such, hence no coating. Do your research though to make sure that the glass used to encase your EM4102 is the same bio-compatible glass that IS used to make the ISO compliant animal tags. Usually that is the case, but you should dig deeply with the manufacturer to make sure. They may say the tag is not suitable for animal use, but that's usually only because of the RFID chipset used, which is not the ISO standard for animal implants. They also state EM4102s are not suitable for animal use because they are not sold in a sterile condition. Just ask them to confirm that the glass used to encase the EM4102 is the same as the glass used to encase their animal compatible tags. If it is, and they are sure (not just some support lackey saying it is), then you should be good to go.

 

Amal ;)

Edited by amal - 31 March 2009 at 9:01pm

Sweet, thanks for the link to a cheap implanter kit. I'm also looking forward to seeing your project details and code!

Amal ;)

I have the phidgets one in my hand.  Had it since October 06.  Works great.  Haven't had any complications with it.  I have even smashed my left hand with no damage to the tag.  I remember reading somewhere these things can withstand 220 psi (insane!).

Hope this eases your mind about a phidgets one or implants in general.