Dear John and Doves,
There has been a major restructuring of Applied Digital ( parent company ) Digital Angel ( GPS and sensory tags )
and Verichip ( subdermal ID tags ).
First of all, Digital Angel merged with Verichip [ Medical Advisory Board ] less than a month ago, although they did not call it a merger. They called it a "joint venture". It is our belief that the purpose of this 'joint venture' was to make a subdermal chip that not only identified a person, but also gave back biological information concerning the continual status of that person's pulse, temperature and other data that is highly personal, and assessed in real-time.
Verichip Medical Advisory Board + Joint venture with Digital Angel -- July 19, 2007
futuristic application : " Distress monitoring " .... ( emphasis this editor )
John Halamka, MD. --- Implantable Glucose monitoring device John D. Halamka, MD, MS, has joined the Company's Medical Advisory Board as well as the joint committee formed by VeriChip and Digital Angel Corporation to design and develop a working, implantable glucose microchip to determine glucose levels in the bodies of animals and humans
Dr. Halamka also serves on other nationally recognized boards including Google's Health Advisory Council. He will serve as an unpaid advisor on privacy, security and standards issues, as well as strategy and future applications of the VeriChip RFID implantable microchip technology
Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Halamka noted, " Each patient weighs the risks and benefits of receiving an implanted chip. It is critical that implanted chips adhere to industry standards ( Ed: business over ethics )
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070719005120&newsLang=en
further observations:
The muscle in the fore-arm would generate enough energy to supply the implanted chip with the ability to respond to any reader placed in the environment, without ever needing batteries. Hence, the subdermal chip becomes the ultimate surveillance tool.
More information on bio-sensor chips at www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/biosensors.html
In order to facilitate the merging of technologies, the following has taken place......
Digital Angel -- as a separate company -- no longer exists. It got swallowed up by Applied Digital, the parent company who also owns majority stock in VeriChip. Yet the New Company will keep DA in tact :
New Company -- Aug. 10, 2007
The combined company will get a new name once the deal closes. The headquarters likely will be in South St. Paul, because it has the bulk of the operations, "but that's not 100 percent sure," Krawitz said. Applied Digital has 26 employees in Delray Beach.
With the exception of a few senior officers, Digital Angel will keep all its approximately 250 employees, which include 110 in South St. Paul and 100 in its United Kingdom office, Krawitz said.
http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_6587130
All the excess structure of the parent company is being eliminated, and there will be a new company formed. So far there has not been a name for the new company or its new CEO. There is an interim CEO : Barry Edelstein.
Scott Silverman remains the main spokesman on all of this.....
Verichip Corp. now dominant over AD and DA .
Silverman said VeriChip would be the "key driver" for both Applied Digital and the new company.
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_6590038
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/10/business/10chip.html?ref=business
Ed: Subdermal Verichip may now have future GPS and sensory applications, when made available.
Applied Digital and Digital Angel to merge New CEO to Lead New Company
Under the agreement, Applied Digital and Digital Angel would come together to create a streamlined company focused on extending its global leadership in the markets it serves. This proposed transaction will create the world's leading provider of identification, location and wellness monitoring systems for people and animals. ... Upon completion of the transaction, Digital Angel's common stock will no longer be listed for trading on the American Stock Exchange. After the transaction, the combined entity will trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The companies intend to announce a new CEO at the completion of the transaction
Gives Digital Angel stockholders ownership in VeriChip Corporation
Effective as of August 6, 2007, Digital Angel has appointed Barry M. Edelstein, a current Board member, as its interim Chief Executive Officer and President while it conducts a search for a new CEO.
Edelstein will be responsible for maximizing Digital Angel's leadership role in RFID technologies for animal applications including livestock and pets, leveraging its leading position in the military and commercial search and rescue beacon markets, and capitalizing on McMurdo's leading position in the emergency position-indicating rescue beacon (EPIRB) market.
Krawitz intends to remain CEO of Applied Digital and a member of the Applied Digital Board through completion of the transaction and will then assume a position on the Board of the combined company.
We are excited about delivering high-quality RFID and GPS solutions to some of the largest markets in the world.
http://www.adsx.com/pressreleases/2007/2007-08-09.html
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070809005341&newsLang=en
My own personal take on all of this is :
The more things change, the more they do NOT remain the same.
More information at www.cybertime.net/~ajgood/vpeople.html
In Him,
Jim Goodrick