Kodak Plans Edible RFID Tags
HES Magazine looks at Kodak's recent filing of a patent for an RFID tag "that can be attached to a medicine and ingested." Potential uses could include tracking "internal physiological activities" and making sure that patients are taking their medicine.
"A fragile RFID tag would contain an antenna made of a material — for example, encapsulated metallic liquids, clays or even liquids or gases — that can resonate when in contact with a field attuned to a particular frequency," the article states. "Previously, these materials were passed over for use precisely because of their fragility and lack of robustness. When a pill is ingested, the body destroys the antenna structure over a period of time."
According to New Scientist Magazine, the tags "could also be embedded in an artificial knee or hip joint in such a way that they disintegrate as the joint does, warning of the need for more surgery."