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Company plans to provide Niagara-wide Internet network + Martin Weatherall repsonds
Canada	Created: 14 Nov 2007
A Niagara company has launched a landmark communications project with several partners to create wireless coverage throughout Thorold. ReliaClear Canada Inc. said when work is completed by the end of 2008, Thorold will be the country's first totally wireless city. "We're putting a multimillion-dollar investment into the community," company president Michael Somerville said Friday at a media event at ReliaClear's Thorold headquarters on Schmon Parkway. "This will also generate, in turn, numerous jobs," Somerville said without specifying numbers. He said the technology "will enhance people's lives in the way they communicate on a daily basis." "It'll also create more economic growth in the region, by attracting new technology-based companies and other businesses that will use this network." Read the entire article here: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=771956&auth=DON+FRASER ------------------------------------------------------ Response letter from Martin Weatherall: Dear Editor: The article written by Don Fraser about Thorold becoming a wireless city has prompted me to write this letter. I agree that this is a significant news story for Thorold and the Niagara Region, but the significance rests with reasons of which you are probably unaware. There is considerable scientific research that clearly shows that microwave radiation emitted by WiFi systems causes many various symptoms of ill health including cancer. The proposed wireless coverage is a terrible development that may cause irreversible harm to the citizens of Thorold. The dangers are much better known and understood in Europe than they are in North America. In Germany, the government recently advised its citizens to use wired internet connections and wired telephones, rather than wireless devices. The Environment Commissioner of the European Union has also publicly stated a serious concern about the dangers posed by wireless technology and urges precaution. I am one of many individuals who have been greatly harmed by electromagnetic radiation (EMR). My experience is corroborated by a large amount of evidence and scientific research documents that I have collected. The evidence indicates terrible harm is being caused by this relatively new, but very common, electromagnetic pollution. I would be pleased to share this information with you, and urge you to warn the public about its dangers. I also encourage you to seek the real news story behind this headline. You may want to probe the genuine reasons why the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry, and the Canadian Government are ignoring the huge amount of scientific evidence that indicates that microwave emissions in particular and electro magnetic radiation in general are causing serious harm to health. Is there political interference from members of the government that condones the proliferation of this dangerous technology? Are key personnel receiving bribes from the industries they assist? What benefits are being gained and by whom as this industry continues to grow unabated? Or Is it just plain ignorance and incompetence on the part of government employees and their overseers? Any sane and intelligent person who has read the mounting evidence against EMR and WiFi would and should have grave concern for the safety of the Canadian public. They would also worry about the direction in which our government is taking us with this technology. The magnitude and severity of this problem is proportional to the health effects caused by tobacco. LIke today's wireless devices, there was a time when cigarettes were considered glamorous. A huge industry was built around tobacco, just as is currently being done with wireless technologies, yet in the end it proved to be fatal for millions of unsuspecting citizens. With wide scale WiFi over a large area, nobody has the choice of being the equivalent of a "non smoker". Young children and old people are likely to be the worst affected by the microwave radiation and may suffer the most harm and unborn babies will be affected while still in the womb. We should learn from history's mistakes, and approach this technology with extreme caution. For the well-being of its citizens, Thorold should refuse this wireless proposal, and the Niagara Region should find ways to lower the emissions that are already harming its citizens. I have attached to this message one scientific document entitled SNAFU, written by Dr. Magda Havas of Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario. This document will provide a good introduction to the problems inherent with this technology and encourage you to learn more about the dangers that Niagara faces if this plan is implemented. If I can be of further assistance in this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely, Martin Weatherall Co-Director WEEP - Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution
Source: St. Catharines Standard, DON FRASER / Martin Weatherall, 10 Nov 2007

Military bans cellphones while driving due to 300% increased crash risk
Canada	Created: 14 Nov 2007
The Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) initiative to ban the use of cell phones while driving was first sanctioned at a Formation Risk Management Council meeting in January 2002. Soliciting input from all stakeholders and achieving a consensus on the policy has been, understandably, a lengthy process. Only now are we in the final stages of promulgating and implementing the policy by modifying an existing Base Standing Order on driving safety. Mounting evidence has established that the use of cellular phones while driving is dangerous. Numerous recent studies have confirmed that conversing on a cell phone, either hand-held or hands-free, leads to a significant reduction in driving performance. One study, conducted by the Transportation Safety Laboratory of Université de Montréal, quantifies the crash risk as a 38 per cent increase. Many other studies have been conducted and their results indicate an increase in crash risk of between 30 and 300 per cent. One problem in determining if the use of cell phones is a significant factor in vehicular accidents is a lack of “real world” data. However, there is some convincing anecdotal evidence that is becoming hard to refute. Take, for example, the results of an Ontario coroner’s inquest earlier this year into the death of a man and his two-year-old child. Both were killed when a train at a rail crossing struck their vehicle. The man was talking on a cell phone at the time of the accident. The coroner’s recommendations included a call to ban the use of cell phones while driving. Often, use of cell phones by drivers is not identified as the root cause of a vehicle accident or even a contributing cause unless it is painfully obvious, such as a dead body at a crash scene, behind the wheel, clutching a cell phone. Within MARPAC, the Formation Risk Management Council has accepted the existing evidence and has sanctioned the cell phone ban while driving. We are not going to wait until we have a body on MARPAC property with the cell phone up to the ear to take action. Base Standing Order 2-900 will prohibit the use of cellular phones by operators of DND vehicles while the vehicle is in motion, whether on DND property or not. In addition, all drivers, including military and civilian personnel, contractors, visitors and all others who enter MARPAC property, are prohibited from using cellular phones while the vehicle is in motion. Drivers must stop the vehicle safely at the side of the road prior to conduct conversations over cellular phones. Many individuals, cell phone companies and organizations who have come out against banning the use of cell phones while driving argue that they are but one of many distractions that interfere with driving. The logic of that argument does not stand up to scrutiny. In essence, it postulates that because there are so many driving distractions already, why should we ban this relatively new one. It’s an argument that many countries have rejected, including Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Austria, Finland, Portugal, Belgium, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, Chile, Israel, and South Africa, which have all implemented a ban on using cell phones while driving. New York State has similar legislation and there are a number of states and Canadian provinces that are considering such legislation. It’s a basic driving rule at MARPAC - “Stop to Talk!”
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Source: Victoria Lookout, Don MacLean, 13 Nov 2007

Chelsea mayor, residents miffed at plans for cellphone tower
Canada	Created: 4 Nov 2007
Chelsea mayor Jean Perras is upset that Industry Canada has authorized construction of a 76-metre cellphone tower near some of the community's most upscale homes without the municipal approval. Mr. Perras said the tower, which will serve Bell Canada, Rogers Wireless and Telus customers, will be an eyesore for residents 100 homes in Chelsea Park and New Chelsea Village. Rogers Wireless is building the tower to improve cellphone service along highways 5 and 105 in the southern part of Chelsea. An access road for the tower has been built west of Service Routier Ben, a towing service off Highway 105 between Scott Road and Old Chelsea Road, and the tower is under construction. Mr. Perras said Industry Canada approved the tower even though it is in a residential zone and there was no consensus in Chelsea about where it should be built. "When we asked Industry Canada why it allowed a road to be built and holes to be dug, the department said it didn't need our approval," Mr. Perras said. "They said everything was within appropriate boundaries and they didn't need an environmental assessment." "How can the federal government walk into any community across Canada and allow cellphone companies to build a road and a tower without receiving the approval of the local authorities? Some people are not happy with the tower because it will have lights and is right in their line of sight," Mr. Perras said. He said no one knows whether the tower or an access road off Highway 105 will damage the environment because no study has been done. The mayor said Industry Canada told Chelsea council that it has the authority to approve the cellphone tower because, under the Canada Telecommunications Act, the department can act in the interests of Canada. Jeff Hurley, a Chelsea resident who lives near the tower, said people who opposed the tower were concerned that it would interfere with their view of the Gatineau Hills and decrease property values. He said Industry Canada consulted the community for a year, but supporters and opponents of the tower were unable to agree on a site. People who opposed a tower near their homes proposed other sites north and south of the the residential community. Mr. Hurley said the cellphone companies didn't want to build the tower in another location because it would be on National Capital Commission land. Chelsea business owners wanted a tower to improve service. Alain Côté, Industry Canada official in charge of cellphone communication in Quebec, said the department approved the Chelsea tower site because it was in the national interest. Mr. Côté said Chelsea residents couldn't agree on a location and the municipality refused to issue a building permit.
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Source: Ottawa Citizen - Ontario, Dave Rogers, 03 Nov 2007

Two towers of trouble
Canada	Created: 4 Nov 2007
Triangle Mountain broadcast towers causing illnesses, residents say In light of new research, Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca MP Keith Martin wants answers surrounding the safety of citizens living below Triangle Mountain’s transmission towers. Martin was directed to scientific data highlighting the effects of electromagnetic radiation on people’s health. The information raised his eyebrows and spurred him into action. “I have asked Health Canada to look into this,” Martin said. Colwood’s transmission tower committee has been working to have the radio broadcast towers moved since they were erected in 2000. Residents beneath the 58-metre freestanding tower and guy-wired tower complain radio emissions interfere with household electronic devices. Residents come home to find their garage doors open and also report radio broadcasts interrupting phone conversations. “I am trying to follow the scientific facts and data to determine if there is or isn’t a health risk,” Martin said. Sharon Noble, who has lived beside the towers for four years, is convinced the towers are effecting residents’ health. Of the 23 members of Citizen Against Unsafe Emissions (CAUSE), 13 are facing illnesses. Noble said many suffer from sleep depravation. Others have neurological problems and skin rashes, all of which are attested to in the BioInitiative Report, a study compiled by scientist, researchers and public health professionals on electromagnetic fields. The report states three to 10 per cent of the population experience electrical hypersensitivity. The report notes electromagnetic exposure effects immunological changes and chronic exposure increases allergic and inflammatory responses. However, Noble says most authorities are not taking her concerns seriously. “Nobody will acknowledge there is a health problem here,” Noble said. Coun. Ernie Robertson, who sits on the transmission tower committee, believes the towers could be the source of the string of illness. He lives near the towers and said he has suffered from headaches. Brian Phillips, BC Centre for Disease Control’s program director of the Radiation Protection Service, said the level of emission needed to interfere with electronic devices is far lower than levels which would become a health hazard. It is highly unusual for electromagnetic radiation to cause illness, he said. Phillips only knows of one successful claim against radio emissions from a man 20 years ago. He worked on the top of Empire State building maintaining transmitters. However, Phillips noted the use of cellphones has opened discussion regarding health concerns for window cleaners or roofers who work in close proximity to transmitters on building tops. While the tower emissions are not a health risk, they can be a safety concern, Phillips said. He pointed to opening and closing garage doors as an example. A pet or child could potentially be hurt by the unexpected closure of a garage door. But pin-pointing garage doors’ actions to the towers is difficult, as other variables — such as neighboring garage door devices being on the same frequency — come into play. “It is easy to point a finger, but it is a lot more difficult to prescribe (the deviance) to a tower,” Phillips said. Colwood council passed a recommendation to seek legal advice to clarify Industry Canada’s policies regarding electromagnetic emissions. Robertson said measurements taken by Industry Canada indicate current emissions run 1,100 per cent above the Electromagnetic Compatibility Advisory Bulletin standards. Gary Paugh, Industry Canada’s director of coastal offices, said the bulletins are guidelines, not regulations. “All our installations have to be operated in compliance with Health Canada safety code recommendations,” Paugh said.
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Source: Goldstream News Gazette, 02 Nov 2007

Lloyd's preparing for personal injury related to cell phone use
Canada	Created: 23 Oct 2007
Lloyd’s of London is preparing for the next big liability action — for personal injury damages based on the use of cell phone technology. “Mobile phones are now so ingrained in our daily lives that the thought of living without them is impossible,” Lloyd’s notes in a posting on its Web site. “Commercially and personally, mobile technology has revolutionized the way in which we live. “So what would happen if, say in 20 years time, the link between the electromagnetic fields (EMF) generated by mobiles is proven to be linked with a higher susceptibility to illness? How are London’s underwriters protecting themselves from opening the floodgates to future claims without prejudicing policyholders?” Lloyd’s says the number of reports on mobile telecommunications and its impact on health is “immense,” and “the study findings are often conflicting.” Jon Upshall, the director of casualty broking for Aon Global, which specializes on the telecom and media sectors, added: “There is ongoing debate as to whether there is a causational link between EMF emissions and leukemia, with the present weight of scientific evidence suggesting there is no correlation.” Still, notes Guy Malyon, head of casualty broking for Aon Global, there remains a possibility that a link could be proven. “The concern is that it could be the next big thing,” he says. “In the U.S., there is also the risk that U.S. plaintiff lawyers could use the class action rules there to pursue EMF related actions in the way that they have tried previously with tobacco and other perceived health hazards. A similar thing could happen with mobile phones.” “Who knows, they could be forced to put warnings on the phones to prevent lawsuits in the future,” he added. Malyon said underwriters assess the possible impact by being industry specific and assessing the risks accordingly. “There are markets that will write telecoms liability cover which provides express coverage for bodily injury and property damage due to EMF exposure and there are those that won’t,” he observed. “Each side will get all the information coming through. It is hard to prove that the closer you are to an electric pylon the more damage it causes.”
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Source: Canadian Underwriter, 22 Oct 2007

ALBERTA BILL 46 AIMS TO REMOVE DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SAFEGUARDS
Canada	Created: 6 Oct 2007
The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (AEUB) is hoping to avoid court action – and ultimately, accountability - by declaring nearly three years of hearings to be the equivalent of a “mistrial”, says Jan Slomp, Alberta Coordinator of the National Farmers Union (NFU). In addition, the impending passage of Bill 46, the Alberta Utilities Commission Act, would further restrict landowners’ legal rights when it comes to negotiating with energy companies, he stated. Slomp, a dairy farmer from Rimbey, Alberta, is one of hundreds of landowners directly affected by a proposed 500 KV AltaLink electrical transmission line which would be used to export electricity to the US market. For the past three years, the AEUB – which is supposed to be an independent regulatory body responsible for protecting the public interest - has conducted a series of controversial public hearings on the project. Landowners critical of the project accused the AEUB of bias in favour of AltaLink – an accusation that was proved correct when the provincial regulator admitted hiring private investors to spy on law-abiding citizens. In late September, AEUB Chair William Tilleman cancelled the hearing process. But while this appears on the surface to be a victory for landowners, there are potentially bigger problems on the horizon in the form of Bill 46. AltaLink is on record as stating it would submit a new application for the project once Bill 46 is passed so the process will be completed in six months. Slomp said Bill 46 is a piece of “draconian” legislation that would effectively prevent the majority of Albertans from meaningful democratic input into decisions regarding energy developments – even when such developments encroach on their own land use. “This legislation would effectively eliminate the very process which uncovered all the wrong-doings of the AEUB,” he stated. Bill 46 would: 1. Restrict the ability of landowners to hire outside legal counsel when intervening in regulatory hearings; 2. be made retroactive to June 1, 2003. This would enable the regulatory agency to circumvent the courts in dealing with present and past misdeeds and failures of the AEUB to respect the rights of landowners; 3. remove the requirement that the regulatory body provide public notice or hold a hearing regarding any of its decisions; 4. prevent landowners and consumers from making verbal representations, even if a hearing is held. Slomp said the Alberta government’s efforts to push through Bill 46 will do nothing to restore public confidence in the provincial regulatory body. He called on the government to withdraw the legislation and bring greater accountability to the AEUB. Contact: Jan Slomp, NFU Alberta Coordinator (403) 843-2068 Terry Pugh, NFU Executive-Secretary (306) 652-9465 NFU National Office 2717 Wentz Ave. Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 4B6 Tel (306) 652-9465 Fax (306) 664-6226
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Source: Martin Weatherall

Green Party demands federal action on cell phones and wireless networks
Canada	Created: 3 Oct 2007
OTTAWA - Green Party leader Elizabeth May today called on Health Minister Tony Clement to issue an immediate warning on the potential danger posed by radiation from cell phones and wireless networks in Canada. Germany recently warned its citizens to avoid wireless technology whenever possible and the EU’s European Environment Agency (EEA) followed suit with a call for immediate reduction in exposure to radiation from phones and wireless networks. The EEA suggested that a delay could precipitate a health crisis similar to those caused by asbestos exposure and smoking. "There is growing scientific evidence that exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from cell phones and wireless networks can cause significant harm to people, especially children,” said Ms. May. “Until all the facts are in, it is foolish to turn a blind eye to the potential health effects of EMR. The Green Party urges the federal government to apply the precautionary principle and warn citizens of these risks now.” Citing several studies that link cell phone use to cancer, the Green Party’s Health Promotion critic, Jake Cole, demanded rapid action from Mr. Clement. “More and more Canadians are being exposed to EMR through wireless networks at work and at home,” said Mr. Cole. “The long-term effects of exposure aren’t known with certainty, but evidence suggests that health impacts can occur at extremely low levels of radiation, far below public safety limits. "Canada must quickly issue some sensible public warnings on this matter, following the lead of other jurisdictions like Germany and the EU, and develop principles and regulations to ensure the health and safety of Canadians.” In accordance with the precautionary principle, the Green Party recommends: • Children under the age of 12 should not use cell phones, except in emergencies. • Cell phones should not be used in schools, except in emergencies. • A moratorium on the installation of all wireless equipment and cell phone masts within 300 metres of a home or school • Turning off all electronic equipment when not in use To read A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF), the international scientific review on wireless radiation and health cited by the European Environment Agency, please see http://www.bioinitiative.org/report/index.htm
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Source: Canada Green Party, 27 Sep 2007

Open-ended discussion question: How do we live in a world where everything seems to cause cancer?
Canada	Created: 2 Oct 2007
The Bluffer's Guide; Everything you need to know for a dinner-party conversation about ...Wireless health risks So, what happened? As the use of radiofrequency devices increases, some health-conscious people are wondering if all this extra energy in the ether might cause long-term health effects like cancer and brain damage. This week, Montrealer Sacha Ghadiri proposed a moratorium on a proposed city-wide Wi-Fi network until its effects can be studied further. No one is safe: Electromagnetic radiation is everywhere. Radio and television broadcasting stations, cellular phones, microwave ovens, remote controls and everything that's "wireless" turns electricity into electromagnetic waves. The largest source of all EM radiation is the sun. Contradiction: Studies on the hazards of cellphone use have so far been contradictory. The latest, a six-year study by the British government, concluded there is no short-term risk to the body from cellphone use. The survey could not, however, make any conclusive predictions about long-term use over 10 years, simply because cellphones have not been in widespread use that long. It also did not study the effect of cellphone use by children. Ionizing vs. non-ionizing: The electromagnetic spectrum is divided into two categories in terms of health effects on the body. Ionizing radiation, which is everything above about 750 terahertz (the frequency of ultraviolet light), has enough energy to change individual atoms and molecules. With enough exposure, this could damage human cells, potentially causing cancer. Ultraviolet light, X-rays and gamma rays fall into this category. Everything below that frequency, which includes visible light, infrared, microwaves and all radio waves (in other words, all current forms of wireless communication), does not have this ability and is considered non-ionizing. The only thing waves at those frequencies can do to human tissue is heat it up slightly. It's hot: A plausible scientific basis for worries about RF radiation is that it can induce small electrical currents and produce heat at high power. In the same way that a microwave oven uses microwaves to heat up food, a cellphone using less power but closer to the brain can heat up brain tissue a tiny bit. But whether this heat is significant or poses any long-term health risks is up for debate. Please, I'm allergic: Stories are emerging in Britain about people who are sensitive to Wi-Fi signals and other EM radiation, and say the transmissions make them sick or sleepless. Concerned parents persuaded a school to remove its wireless network because of claims their children were being affected. They've even coined a word for the problem: "electro- smog." Despite this anecdotal evidence, people claiming to be sensitive to WiFi have not been able to prove it during double-blind laboratory studies. Location, location, power: Even if the claims about cellular phone risks are true, WiFi involves much less exposure. It uses much less power and transmitters are much further from the brain. The British Health Protection Agency calculated that in terms of EM radiation, a year in a WiFi hotspot is the equivalent of 20 minutes on a cellphone. It could be in your body: A recent Associated Press story found that Verichip Corp., a company that makes radiofrequency identification implant chips for medical monitoring purposes, failed to publicly disclose studies that showed the chips increase the risk of cancer in mice. The most common form of RFID tag doesn't have an internal power source. Instead, it uses the small current induced in its antenna by an RFID reader's radio transmission to power the chip and transmit a response. There is no evidence to suggest what part of the RFID tags might have led to the increased cancer risk. Hats could backfire: Students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology did a not-too-serious study on the effects of tinfoil hats in blocking electromagnetic radiation. The results showed that, depending on the frequency, the hats would either attenuate or amplify the signal by a small amount. It showed little effect at 2.4 GHz, the frequency commonly used for WiFi transmitters. Unlikely: One U.S. company sells an oval sticker to be placed on the back of cellphones which it claims uses unspecified "NASA technology" to block or absorb more than 99.9 per cent of all electromagnetic radiation. It cites a study from the "California Institute of Electronics and Material Science", which does not appear to be a real laboratory of any kind. Open-ended discussion question: How do we live in a world where everything seems to cause cancer? The Gazette (Montreal) BYLINE: STEVE FAGUY, Times of London; SafeCell.net; MIT; FREELANCE, electrosensitivity.org.uk; The Guardian; World Health Organization
Source: Sylvie

The possibility that EMF causes serious health problems
Canada	Created: 2 Oct 2007
This message and the attached letter were sent to me from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Residents living close to large antennas have discovered and measured strong electro magnetic radiation emissions around their homes. They have noticed much sickness in the neighborhood, which appears to be related to their EMR exposure. For many months they have run into 'roadblocks' caused by government and health officials. 1. The attached letter is a breakthrough because it is written by a Member of Canadian Parliament who is also a medical doctor. He has obviously read some of the scientific research that has been provided and is concerned enough to take the matter to the Minister of Health for Canada. Two other Members of Parliament have also indicated their support for the residents concerns. This is in stark contrast to my own Member of Parliament, Mr. Dave MacKenzie, a member of the present Conservative government, who will not even meet with me. MacKenzie has also been provided with similar scientific research showing the dangers of EMR. Lets hope that the Minister of Health will actually look at the scientific research and discover how his own employees are putting the lives of all Canadians in great danger by ignoring research which shows serious harm to health from electro magnetic radiation! Martin Weatherall Co-Director W.E.E.P. (Wireless Electrical and Electromagnetic Pollution).
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Source: Martin Weatherall

What scares Industry: Stock plummets as RFID chips linked to cancer reports
Canada	Created: 27 Sep 2007
Shares of VeriChip Corp plunged as much as 14 per cent yesterday following a published report linking the implanted microchips it makes to cancer in lab mice and rats. The Florida company, which develops and makes products in Ottawa, saw the stock experience the biggest decline since it went public early this year. The stock closed at $5 U.S. in Nasdaq trading, down 11 per cent, after a belated lift from speculation that it might be a takeover target. Since going public at $6.50 in February, VeriChip shares have been intensely volatile, trading as low as $4.27 in May and as high as $10.62 in July. Speculators jumped on the stock during the summer following exposure on some U.S. talk shows and recommendations from investment houses. Until now, its biggest problem has been questions about privacy issues and protection of personal information. VeriChip troubles started over the weekend with a U.S. report. The Associated Press reported on three studies in the U.S. and Europe that found a cancer link, ranging between one and 10 per cent, in mice that have received implanted Radio Frequency Identification Device chips. It said it was not clear whether U.S. regulators considered the study before approving the use of the chips in humans three years ago. VeriChip said in a statement that studies have shown the implanted chips are harmless for humans, as well as for millions of household pets. "We stand by our implantable products, which have been approved by the Federal Drug Administration and/or other regulatory authorities," Veri-Chip chief executive Scott Silverman said in a statement. "In fact, for more than 15 years, we have used our encapsulated glass transponders with FDA-approved anti-migration caps and received no complaints regarding malignant tumours caused by our products." The chips are widely used by humane societies and other organizations to help identify strays. The news story reported only one known case of pets getting cancer related to implanted chips. It also noted there were no control groups of lab mice that did not receive chips to establish cancer levels for the group in comparison to mice with the chips. VeriChip focuses on selling security bracelets that prevent the switching of infants in maternity wards and dementia patients in nursing homes from wandering. It also sells tremor-measuring devices to the mining industry and tracking devices for warehouses. It is hoping to turn the implantable-chip business into a much bigger new line for the estimated 45 million Americans who make up the potential market. The chips, inserted under the skin, can store medical information, allowing patients with serious health conditions that might prevent communication with doctors, to be treated quicker in emergency wards. But so far, sales have been negligible and only about 2,000 humans have received the chips. It is busily distributing supporting scanner technology free to hospitals and working with Alzheimer's groups and others to popularize the technology.
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Source: The Ottawa Citizen, Bert Hill, 11 Sep 2007

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