Since it was first announced on December 19, 2001, VeriChip has been covered by a range of major newspapers, television news programs, and wire services, including NBC’s Today Show, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Reuters, Associated Press, CNN-Financial News, CBS Radio, National Public Radio, BBC radio, Tech TV, the Toronto Star, among many others. In addition, a number of major media outlets are expected to carry stories about VeriChip in the near future, including CBS Weekend Evening News, the New York Times and National Geographic Magazine.

“The amount and quality of media coverage about VeriChip has been astounding,” commented Applied Digital Solutions’ Chairman and CEO, Richard J. Sullivan. “We expected a great deal of interest, but we’ve been pleasantly surprised with the overwhelming excitement on the part of the media and general public. The key thing for us to do – and we’re in the process of doing it right now – is to translate the enormous interest we’ve generated into solid business opportunities and revenue. We are in final negotiations with several potential distribution partners for VeriChip both in the United States and Latin America.”

Richard J. Sullivan continued: “In addition to VeriChip, Digital Angel™ continues to receive a high level of interest and customer orders. Unfortunately, because of the pending merger of Digital Angel Corporation and Medical Advisory Systems, Inc., I am unable to comment further due to “quiet period” standards.

How VeriChip Works
VeriChip is an implantable, 12mm by 2.1mm radio frequency device about the size of the point of a typical ballpoint pen. Each VeriChip will contain a unique identification number and other critical data. Utilizing an external scanner, radio frequency energy passes through the skin energizing the dormant VeriChip, which then emits a radio frequency signal transmitting the identification number and other data contained in the VeriChip. The scanner will display the identification number, but the VeriChip data can also be transmitted, via telephone or the Internet, to an FDA compliant, secure data-storage site. It will then be accessible by authorized personnel. Inserting the VeriChip device is a simple procedure performed in an outpatient, office setting. It requires only local anesthesia, a tiny incision and perhaps a small adhesive bandage. Sutures are not necessary.

Medical Device Identification
Hundreds of thousands of medical devices are surgically implanted into patients every year. Examples of these life-saving and life-enhancing devices include pacemakers, artificial joints, orthopedic hardware, heart valves, and medication pumps. After insertion, these devices often require adjustment, repair, replacement, or even recall. VeriChip, inserted subdermally just above the implanted medical device, provides patients, medical providers, and manufacturers with a rapid, secure and non-invasive method for obtaining medically critical information about the device. VeriChip is a ready source of data about the patient (such as name, emergency contact information, allergies to medications), as well as the medical device’s original components, required settings and other essential parameters. Future applications may include full medical record archival/retrieval for emergency medical care.

Emergency or Security-related Identification
Personal identity verification technology has gained considerable interest recently. A great deal of focus has been trained on so-called “biometric” technologies – which identify individuals by their unique biological or physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, voiceprints, retina characteristics, and face recognition points. VeriChip, by contrast, relies on imbedded, tamper-proof, microchip technology, which allows for non-invasive access to identification, medical and other critical data. Use of advanced VeriChip technology means that the threat of theft, loss, duplication or counterfeiting of data is substantially diminished or eliminated. Specific application areas include: enhancement of present forms of identification, search and rescue, and various law enforcement and defense uses.

About Digital Angel™
Digital Angel represents the first-ever combination of advanced biosensor technology and Web-enabled wireless telecommunications linked to Global Positioning Systems (GPS). By utilizing advanced biosensor capabilities, Digital Angel will be able to monitor key body functions – such as temperature and pulse – and transmit that data, along with accurate location information, to a ground station or monitoring facility. Digital Angel Corporation has announced a proposed merger with Medical Advisory Systems. For more information on Digital Angel, visit www.digitalangel.net.

About Applied Digital Solutions, Inc.
Applied Digital Solutions is an advanced digital technology development company that focuses on a range of early warning alert, miniaturized power sources and security monitoring systems combined with the comprehensive data management services required to support them. Through its Advanced Wireless unit, the Company specializes in security-related data collection, value-added data intelligence and complex data delivery systems for a wide variety of end users including commercial operations, government agencies and consumers. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.adsx.com.