"We could have a direct transmission, but the device would be as big as a brick," he said. "This way, we are able to miniaturize everything." Bolton sees a number of applications for the Digital Angel, such as use on people with Alzheimer's disease, or for missing children or pets.
The company is also separately marketing an implanted chip, the size of a grain of rice, that can be programmed to include identification and medical information.
The company is selling the Verichip device outside the United States and is awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration to market it to US customers.
The chip, which can be implanted in a forearm or hip, can be scanned with a scanner made by the firm to verify someone's identity or determine medical conditions such as allergies if the person is unconscious.
Bolton said the two devices have separate technologies but "are being bundled together" in some Latin American counties to meet demand.
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