Gizmodo's Travis Hudson reports that Digital Angel has been awarded a patent for their embedded biosensor, a diabetes monitoring system that uses an implanted RFID chip. The chip will be marketed and distributed by Digital Angel's sister company, VeriChip (they're both subsidiaries of parent company Applied Digital).

Still, Hudson notes that it's going to be a while before this solution is commerically available. "Digital Angel just received their patent this week, so expect it to still be years before this product is actually available -- until then, keep on prickin'," he writes.

"Personally, I can't wait," responds TailsNZ. "If they can warn you if you're going too low or high, it'd be amazing. Then one day in the future, why not combine it with some insulin-pumping device."

"The implantable bio-sensor chip has a passive transponder, glucose sensor and integrated circuitry that allow anyone implanted with the microchip to painlessly scan it to determine their level of glucose concentration," according to a company statement. "The RFID microchip quickly and accurately transmits the glucose data back to a wireless scanner that displays the glucose level. The RFID microchip is powered by the scanner signal, avoiding the need for a battery in the microchip."

This sounds much more practical and reasonable than some of the other recent announcements from VeriChip, such as their desire to implant RFID chips in U.S. troops or to do the same to chronically ill Blue Cross members...

Digital Angel's press release is here.