#Microchip Scanner

[reasonsforhope]

"Clothing tags, travel cards, hotel room key cards, parcel labels … a whole host of components in supply chains of everything from cars to clothes. What do they have in common? RFID tags.  

Every RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag contains a microchip and a tiny metal strip of an antenna. A cool 18bn of these are made – and disposed of – each year. And with demands for product traceability increasing, ironically in part because of concerns for the social and environmental health of the supply chain, that’s set to soar. 

And guess where most of these tags end up? Yup, landfill – adding to the burgeoning volumes of e-waste polluting our soils, rivers and skies. It’s a sorry tale, but it’s one in which two young graduates of Imperial College London and Royal College of Art are putting a great big green twist. Under the name of PulpaTronics, Chloe So and Barna Soma Biro reckon they’ve hit on a beguilingly simple sounding solution: make the tags out of paper. No plastic, no chips, no metal strips. Just paper, pure and … simple … ? Well, not quite, as we shall see. 

The apparent simplicity is achieved by some pretty cutting-edge technical innovation, aimed at stripping away both the metal antennae and the chips. If you can get rid of those, as Biro explains, you solve the e-waste problem at a stroke. But getting rid of things isn’t the typical approach to technical solutions, he adds. “I read a paper in Nature that set out how humans have a bias for solving problems through addition – by adding something new, rather than removing complexity, even if that’s the best approach.”   

And adding stuff to a world already stuffed, as it were, can create more problems than it solves. “So that became one of the guiding principles of PulpaTronics”, he says: stripping things down “to the bare minimum, where they are still functional, but have as low an environmental impact as possible”.  

...how did they achieve this magical simplification? The answer lies in lasers: these turn the paper into a conductive material, Biro explains, printing a pattern on the surface that can be ‘read’ by a scanner, rather like a QR code. It sounds like frontier technology, but it works, and PulpaTronics have patents pending to protect it. 

The resulting tag comes in two forms: in one, there is still a microchip, so that it can be read by existing scanners of the sort common within retailers, for example. The more advanced version does away with the chip altogether. This will need a different kind of scanner, currently in development, which PulpaTronics envisages issuing licences for others to manufacture. 

Crucially, the cost of both versions is significantly cheaper than existing RFID kit – making this a highly viable proposition. Then there are the carbon savings: up to 70% for the chipless version – so a no-brainer from a sustainability viewpoint too. All the same, industry interest was slow to start with but when PulpaTronics won a coveted Dezeen magazine award in late 2023, it snowballed, says So. Big brands such as UPS, DHL, Marks & Spencer and Decathlon came calling. “We were just bombarded.” Brands were fascinated by the innovation, she says, but even more by the price point, “because, like any business, they knew that green products can’t come with a premium”."

-via Positive.News, April 29, 2024

--

Note: I know it's still in the very early stages, but this is such a relief to see in the context of the environmental and human rights catastrophes associated with lithium mining and mining for rare earth metals, and the way that EVs and other green infrastructure are massively increasing the demand for those materials.

I'll take a future with paper-based, more humane alternatives for sure! Fingers crossed this keeps developing and develops well (and quickly).

[cherrydott]

Finding the PERFECT guinea pi- I mean intern/pilot for the highly dangerous hero armor you're building out of your garage? Someone almost as smart as Gyro with a smaller build to fit his prototype, who he can run tests on and put microchips in? Big task but fate drops this one in his lap for the plot

Gyro: SMIIIILE for the retina scanner! BUT STAY STILL DON'T BLINK. After what happened to my last intern... haha, just kiddin'. That was two interns ago."

[happy-lemon]

So my last story post is loosely (but not really that loosely) based on when I got Onigiri. I'd gone to the shelter's website and picked out three cats that seemed like good matches based on their personality profiles and their pictures.

When I got there, we went to the cottage and the staff member couldn't even find the black cat I wanted most. He was going around with a microchip scanner because they had so many black cats. So, I asked about the next cat and he went to get her. She looked at me, blinked, and walked away. The third one had been in the room the whole time, but showed no curiosity. I picked her up, she sat on my lap for a few seconds, and then she'd had enough.

I sat there on the floor for a moment, wondering what I was going to do, and this wee little thing ran up to me, bopped me on the shoulder to get my attention, and when I turned to look at him, he smooched me on the nose.

I didn't like tuxedo cats (who radicalized me? Sylvester and The Cat in the Hat) but he was so charming and silly and audacious that I said, "You know what, I'll take him."

Best decision ever.

[bubblegumgothglados]

Okay sorry but too many puppykink posters think that a microchip is some sort of GPS device. It isn't! Unless your puppy gets taken to a vet, they will not be able to locate it! You need to give it a GPS tracking device on a collar to track it down like that. Luckily that's very romantic anyway

Ohhh yeah I've written about this a couple of times!

A "microchip" that's injected into your pet is basically a barcode that can be read with a special scanner, the advantage is it's very difficult to remove unlike the tag on a collar

An actual GPS device requires a battery and so if your surgically inserted one you'd have to have a way to charge it or replace the batteries. Not all that viable with currently available technology

Luckily we pretty much all carry smartphones these days which are very easy to track, I have my wife's location available to me at all times ^.^

[espithewarlock]

A few days ago I posted a Kittierre fic on AO3! HUGE thanks to @chaesonghwas, @your-littlesecret, @boxboxbrioche, and @lydia-petze for leaving me GORGEOUS comments on AO3 and for continuing to go insane about it in the CC Server! 😘

Enjoy this little continuation! (Which will not make sense if you have not read the fic linked above!)

☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

Beep

…

Beep

….

Beep

…

Pierre was woken up by a faint beeping noise coming from further down the bed. The sunlight filtering through the window of Charles’ apartment window was just starting to hit his face and he buried his head in the pillow in annoyance.

He was doubly annoyed to find that his boyfriend was no longer lying next to him so Pierre couldn’t cuddle up and doze for a few more minutes of blissful sleep. Instead, there was a weight next to his left leg and he could feel the combination of the lack of a bedsheet and the air conditioning making the hairs on his leg stand on end.

…

Beep

…

Beep

….

Beep

…

“What are you doing, Cha?” Pierre grumbled into the pillow as the beeping noise continued.

Strangely, he felt the bed violently shake and the man sitting by his leg quickly move off the bed.

“Nothing,” Charles professed, his voice way too nervous to be telling the truth.

That made Pierre crack an eye open and glance over to where Charles was definitely trying to put something away in his bedside drawer without Pierre noticing. It was small, handheld, and Pierre definitely did not recognize it at first glance.

“Cha,” he said in a warning tone. Pierre knew that he didn’t have to elaborate on the demand. He lifted himself up enough to grab Charles’ arm and tug him back into bed.

Thankfully, Charles didn’t fight him and got back into the bed so the two of them could lay on their sides and look at each other. Pierre used the hand he had pinned to prop up his head and his free arm to rest on Charles’ hip. He looked at his boyfriend expectantly while rubbing small circles with his thumb in encouragement.

Charles sighed and blushed a faint, light pink. “It’s stupid,” he muttered.

“Cha,” Pierre said in exasperation. After months of actually dating, now that he was no longer a cat, he didn’t need more than a single exhalation of Charles’ nickname to convey that he never thought that Charles was being stupid.

“I was checking to see if you still had a chip,” Charles mumbled and ducked his head.

That made Pierre pause and furrow his eyebrows. “Huh?” he asked, prompting Charles to elaborate.

“You know,” Charles waved his hand around vaguely, “when I took you to the vet. You got vaccines…and you also got a microchip.”

Pierre’s eyes widened as he remembered what Charles was talking about. When he was stuck as a cat, Charles had taken him to the vet for a series of vaccinations that would allow him to travel with Charles, and the vet had also put a microchip in his leg with Charles’ contact information.

“And you got a scanner to check?” Pierre asked rhetorically. It was actually rather sweet and it piqued his curiosity too.

Charles’ blush turned a darker shade as he nodded his head. Pierre laughed and shuffled closer to his boyfriend to give him a sweet, soft kiss.

“Go get it,” Pierre requested, “I want to know if I still have it too.”

His statement made Charles look at him in surprise, then he twisted around to grab it from his bedside drawer. Pierre obligingly held still as Charles moved it slowly over both of his legs. Once they reached the meat of his upper right thigh, the beep became more of a be-boop and Charles lifted it away from his leg in interest.

When he read what was on the screen, his face turned so red that the tips of his ears changed the same color. 

Pierre tried to grab it, but Charles lifted it out of his reach. He smirked, tackled Charles to the bed, and proceeded to pepper him with a mixture of kisses and tickles until Charles was laughing too hard to remember that he was trying to keep something out of Pierre’s hands. He was able to snag the scanning device out of Charles’ grasp and held it up victoriously.

It didn’t look particularly complicated since there was only one button and a fairly small screen no larger than his watch. Pierre held it up to his right thigh, clicked the button, heard the be-boop, and brought it up to his face. (All while kneeling on top of Charles to keep him pinned to the bed.)

“Property of Charles Marc Leclerc,” Pierre read out loud with a smirk, “if found, return to Monaco Veterinary Center. Why, Cha! I never knew you cared so much!”

“I hate you,” Charles mumbled.

“No, you don’t,” Pierre retorted. He threw the device further down the bed and leaned down so he was hovering directly over Charles and could see the embarrassment and amusement in his eyes. Charles was clearly fighting back a smile and Pierre returned it in kind. 

“I like it,” Pierre murmured, then proceeded to show his boyfriend exactly what the Property of Charles Marc Leclerc liked to do with his tongue.

— — — — — — — — — —

It became something of a game. More than once, Charles asked if Pierre wanted to get it removed. Every time, Pierre told him absolutely not. He liked the feeling of being, well, not owned but claimed by Charles. The reminder that he belonged to Charles in a private way that nobody else would be able to tell.

So, Pierre did the very logical thing and downloaded an app to his phone that would allow him to change the message that appeared when it was scanned. It was idiot-proof enough to figure out on the first try and he tested his success with the scanning device.

Pierre was almost disappointed that it took Charles a couple of days to notice. Of course, he didn’t have a reason to check the chip, but he hadn’t gotten rid of the device either. That was why Pierre put a sticky note on the back of the device and simply waited for Charles to find it.

He did when they were both getting dressed to head over to Charles’ maman’s place for dinner. They were doing their typical scramble-because-they-are-about-to-be-late dance and Charles pulled the scanner out while he was checking for something in his bedside drawer.

When he lifted the scanner, Pierre tried to hide the smug look that threatened to cross his face when Charles looked befuddled and felt the crinkle of paper under his fingers. Pierre watched him flip the scanner over to read the short message on the sticky note.

Use Me ;)

Charles caught his eye in the mirror and held it up with a questioning look. Pierre shrugged in a casual, innocent way that would definitively tell Charles that he was up to no good.

His boyfriend sighed, rolled his eyes, and walked over to Pierre. “What are you up to, you menace?” Charles asked as he waved the scanner over Pierre’s right thigh until he got the be-boop.

As soon as it made the noise, Pierre grinned. He didn’t need to respond to the rhetorical question.

When you read this, I’m giving you a blowjob. Immediately.

Charles very clearly read the message, his breath caught in his throat, and he whipped his head up to once again meet Pierre’s eyes in the mirror. His face had the strangest mixture of excitement and despair as he noticed Pierre’s killer smile.

“We’re already going to be late,” Charles protested, even as Pierre spun around and pushed Charles to the bed.

“Better come fast then, Cha,” Pierre warned him, sank to his knees, and started working open the button of Charles’ jeans.

He didn’t hear much of a complaint after that.

— — — — — — — — — —

After that, Charles started checking the chip more regularly. Sometimes, he did it when Pierre was asleep, but most of the time he waited until Pierre was awake.

Pierre didn’t change the message every day. Whenever Charles did find the message, Pierre always changed it back to Property of Charles Marc Leclerc just to see the slightly embarrassed yet pleased smile on his face whenever that was the message on the chip.

Other times, Pierre liked to change it up. Sometimes it would be filthy promises which Pierre would gladly fulfill whenever he promised within the message. Sometimes it was just sweet messages like I love you so much mon amour that made Charles melt into his arms with affection. Sometimes, in the mornings before a race, he would put well-wishes. Good luck today Mr. Pole Position!

Regardless, it was fun. It added a little bit of levity to their developing and growing relationship. Pierre didn’t even have to allude to Charles using the scanner since he would fairly reliably check it every single day that they were together.

Almost a year to the day after Pierre returned to his human body, he knew that he was fully committed to the relationship. There were still some days that he questioned what his sexuality was, but his commitment to Charles was never in doubt. Nobody else would be able to fill Pierre’s life like Charles did and he needed to make their connection permanent.

So, he changed the message, stole the scanner so that his surprise wouldn’t be ruined, and brought it with him when they went out on Charles’ yacht. They spent the day in the sun and the water, just the two of them, and had a simple dinner that they fed to each other while they watched the sunset off of the coast of Monaco.

“I’ll be right back, mon amour,” Pierre promised with a quick kiss to Charles’ cheek. He waved him off with a laugh and settled back in his seat.

Pierre quickly retrieved the scanner and slid a small box into the pocket of his swim trunks. He swiftly made his way back to Charles’ left side, pressed their thighs together, and eased the scanner into Charles’ hands.

When Charles looked down, he sighed. “Should I be worried?” Charles asked in resignation, but with his eyes sparkling in amusement.

“It depends,” Pierre said coyly, “do you trust me?”

That made Charles give a show of rolling his eyes, then gamely pressed the button on the scanner next to Pierre’s thigh until he got the be-boop noise.

He looked at Pierre pointedly, then dropped his gaze down to the screen. As soon as he did, Pierre thought he actually stopped breathing for a moment.

I love you, mon amour. Marry me?

Charles’ eyes flashed over to Pierre and he eased his way onto one knee as he pulled out the small box. He opened it carefully to reveal the simple, silver band that would easily blend in with the other rings that Charles liked to wear. The only difference was that this one had an engraving – 10 ♡ 16 – on the inside. 

“Well,” Pierre said after a moment, “what do you say, Cha?”

“Yes,” Charles professed and surged forward to kiss him deeply and thoroughly, “yes, of course, yes, yes, yes! I love you, Pierre. So much. Yes, always yes.”

Pierre couldn’t help the delighted laughter that escaped his lips and made sure to not fumble the box or the ring in between all of the kisses that Charles was putting on his lips.

Eventually, he managed to slide the ring onto Charles’ finger and his fiancé looked mesmerized at the simple band. “I love you, mon amour,” Pierre repeated the message from the chip and it was the simple, honest truth.

— — — — — — — — — —

Their wedding day was nothing short of magical. Pierre woke up tangled in Charles’ arms in a hotel suite that was way too far from home with all their families and friends ready to watch the two of them make a lifetime commitment to each other.

The day passed in a blur – getting groomed and ready, making sure someone else had all the last minute details covered, and trying his best to actually show up to the ceremony on time.

All day, Charles was giving him little glances of anticipation (since they didn’t bother with staying separated ahead of the ceremony) and Pierre knew that there was more to the look than eagerness to say their vows to each other.

Pierre had, of course, changed the message on the chip and Charles was waiting on him to give him the scanner to reveal it. But he didn’t.

Seeing Charles across from him at the altar was a vision from his dreams. Charles was dressed in an impeccable tuxedo and looked devastatingly handsome. He had to hold himself back through all the declarations and vows and exchanging much fancier rings with each other, and then he was allowed to kiss his husband.

It was an incredible feeling and Pierre was going to savor it for the rest of his life. 

They made it through cocktail hour, dinner, and speeches, then they danced and drank and laughed late into the night. (And, if Pierre pulled Charles into a private bathroom to give him a blowjob, well, nobody commented on how messed up his hair was when they returned.)

When they finally collapsed into bed together at an absurdly early hour of the morning, Charles had a small, red bow wrapped around the scanner waiting for him on the bedside table. Pierre saw him grin, grab the scanner, and hold it up to Pierre’s thigh expectantly.

Pierre waited for the familiar be-boop of the small device and watched as Charles eagerly brought it up to his face, then completely melted into a smile that was pure, unreserved happiness.

He tossed the device to the side and climbed on top of Pierre. All former tiredness was completely gone as Charles leaned down to devour him.

Property of Charles Marc Gasly-Leclerc.

[becktillman]

Starter For: @nishroy Location: Outside Lost Horse Saloon

"D'you know Willow? You might've looked at her horses before." In Paxton, most people who had been around long enough had some kind of familiarity with one another, but Beck didn't want to make assumptions. "Reckon she might call you soon. She got this horse in. Found it runnin' wild. Asked me to take a look at him, behavior-wise, but shit, I ain't no vet." It was good to rule out injuries or any physical problems when a horse was experiencing what people might call behavioral problems, and definitely a good idea to get an exam done when you didn't know a horse's history. "Microchipping 'em is becoming more common these days. Maybe if you got a scanner and he has one, might be able to find out who he belonged to."

Beck had known Nish for years. He was a few years older than Beck, but they were both entrenched in animals, especially livestock, and both had a certain brand on their chest. "Son of a gun is terrified of the barn for some reason." Beck had stepped outside to smoke, and there weren't too many folks out here with them. Beck wasn't sure how open to be about Cowboy matters right now, though. Some of the top hands were worried about leaks coming outta the saloon. Talking horses seemed easier. "You ever see somethin' like that? I feel like it's trauma based, to be honest. Can't think of a physical reason they might not like it." Beck took another drag, exhaling the smoke into the cold air. "How're things going at the clinic, anyways? Hope you're ready for foalin' season."

[pokemoncenter]

One of the primary differences in care for a Pokemon that battles and a Pokemon that is kept as a pet is the presence of a microchip.

For battling Pokemon, the Pokeball registration is good enough. If brought to a Pokemon Center, the Pokemon can be looked up and have its original Trainer, current trainer, and ID number found. This is not foolproof, but it is the best option for battling Pokemon.

For pet Pokemon, a microchip encased in a small, glass-like case is used. Scanners passed over the chip can read it and find the owner, the Pokemon's ID number, and the last-registered information in the database for that owner, including phone number and address. When a Pokemon is microchipped, if it becomes lost, it is two to three times more likely on average to be returned to its owner, and the primary reason a lost Pokemon cannot be returned to its owner is that the owner changed their phone number or address without updating the registry.

There are often attempts to determine a microchip that can be used on battling Pokemon as well, as the microchip can hold a great deal more information and is generally much more useful. However, the problem is simple- There is generally no microchip or casing that can withstand the sort of things a battling Pokemon goes through. A single Thundershock is often enough to fry the chip. And if the casing that is resistant to electricity is used, then a Flamethrower will break it instead.

The sheer variety in Pokemon biology means that we can chip almost any Pokemon that has an organic body. Electric type Pokemon can be chipped with the electricity-resistant casing, and Fire-type Pokemon can be chipped with the heat-resistant kind. However, there is simply no casing that can withstand everything, which a battling Pokemon would need.

(And there is also simply no casing that can withstand a Hyper Beam. If a Pokemon with a microchip is hit by one of those, the case and chip are certain to be destroyed.)

... All of this is to say, those of you who keep Pokemon as pets who do not battle, please be certain to get them chipped. It truly is more useful than mere Pokeball registration.

[frostedpuffs]

found a lump on amity's side a week ago and got really upset thinking of the Worst Case Scenario (traumatized by my old kitty zilla passing suddenly from cancer.) googled it (bad decision) and google told me it was a cyst or tumor and either way those would've needed surgery. and i was like FUCK NOOO SHE'S JUST A BABY.... emailed the foster and the foster said she didn't know anything about a lump so i called so many vets to try and fit her in to be seen. finally got her seen today and the vet had planned to do a cytology of said Lump but before that she felt around for the Lump and was like hm. yknow. that's usually where they put the microchips. im gonna test it real quick. so she grabbed the microchip scanner and it instantly scanned so welp. sure enough. that's what it is

[castelias-cat-queen]

I'm also proud to announce a new infrastructure project!

Because of minor overgrowth in Lostlorn Forest (land which is legally under the stewardship of Castelia City governance as outlined in the Unovan Capital Agreement, draft.3 page.112) an abundance of Bug Type Pokémon, specifically species currently defined as 'Pest Pokémon', have been known to flood into the urban city limits.

As such, this new project, which has already been approved, will remove the annoyance of encroaching pest species by way of mounted chemical aerosol release systems in a grid throughout the city, using a chemical formula developed and patented by my own personal private research company, Minskt R&D, which is proven to repel wild Bug Type Pokémon with minor irritation and no permanent harm*.

And, if you're a Bug Type Pokémon owner, rest assured that the system includes a powerful RFID scanner to check for Pokémon registration, so if a Pokémon is registered with a Pokéball or Microchip the aerosol dispensing system will avoid any release of chemicals towards your beloved pets!

On top of this, as some have noticed, the council is currently floating the idea of doing a minor cutback of Lostlorns overgrowth, hence the council employed land surveyors who have been spotted in the area recently.

That's all for now,

Toodles~!

*excluding Joltik and Galvantula species, which are known to experience semi-extreme illness and major disruption of senses, however are not currently listed as an encroaching pest species and should not be at risk of encountering the aerosol systems

[pwurrz]

note to self: many cats do NOT like the microchip scanner

[unwelcome-ozian]

The ability to read patient identification microchips relies on the use of radiofrequency pulses. Since radiofrequency pulses also form an integral part of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) process, the possibility of loss of microchip function during MRI scanning is of concern. Previous clinical trials have shown microchip function to be unaffected by MR imaging using a field strength of 1 Tesla and 1.5. As veterinary MRI scanners range widely in field strength, this study was devised to determine whether exposure to lower or higher field strengths than 1 Tesla would affect the function of different types of microchip. In a phantom study, a total of 300 International Standards Organisation (ISO)-approved microchips (100 each of three different types: ISO FDX-B 1.4 × 9 mm, ISO FDX-B 2.12 × 12 mm, ISO HDX 3.8 × 23 mm) were tested in a low field (0.5) and a high field scanner (3.0 Tesla). A total of 50 microchips of each type were tested in each scanner. The phantom was composed of a fluid-filled freezer pack onto which a plastic pillow and a cardboard strip with affixed microchips were positioned. Following an MRI scan protocol simulating a head study, all of the microchips were accurately readable. Neither 0.5 nor 3 Tesla imaging affected microchip function in this study. Source

[ammg-old2]

For most of the history of civilisation we’ve exploited a pretty small selection of metals, including copper and tin for bronze-age tools, iron for steel, and lead, gold and silver. Our repertoire has begun to diversify over the past century or so, with the widespread use of aluminium and other new metals. But in the past few decades the number of different metals we wield in our technological society has absolutely exploded. A modern smartphone contains more than 30 different elements. These include carbon and hydrogen in the plastic casing, silicon for the microchip wafers, and copper wiring and gold contacts. But there are also small amounts of a large number of other metals, each exploited for its own particular electronic properties, or for the tiny, powerful magnets used in the speaker and vibration motor. This means that if you own a smartphone, you have in your pocket a substantial fraction of all the stable elements of the periodic table. And it’s not just modern electronics that demand a huge diversity of different metals. So too do the high-performance alloys used in the turbines of a power station or aircraft jet engine, or the reaction-accelerating catalysts that we use in industrial chemistry for refining oil, producing plastics or synthesising modern medicinal drugs. Yet most of us have never even heard of many of these critical metals – elements with exotic names like tantalum, yttrium or dysprosium.

The concern is that unlike widespread resources like iron or nitrogen, several of these elements crucial to the modern world may become prohibitively scarce. These have become known as the endangered elements. In response to the Mendeleev anniversary, the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) has released a version of the periodic table (see above) to highlight the elements that are most at risk over the coming decades.

Helium, for example is considered to be under serious threat in the next 100 years. It is the second most abundant element in the universe, but preciously rare on Earth because it is light enough to simply escape from the top of our atmosphere. The helium we do use is effectively mined from deep underground, usually along with natural gas, as it is produced as radiation particles from the decay of elements like uranium. Helium is very useful – as a cooling liquid for the superconducting magnets in hospital MRI scanners, for example, or as an extremely light gas for weather balloons and airships. But once it leaks into the air it is lost for ever, and there are concerns over meeting supply in the future. With this perspective, its frivolous use in party balloons seems almost painfully wasteful.

Many of these endangered elements are the sort of exotic metals used in modern electronics, and indeed the supply of 17 elements needed for smartphones may give cause for concern in years to come. Particularly worrying is the fact that many of those facing potential scarcity are exactly the elements we need for the green technologies to replace our reliance on fossil fuels – those used in rechargeable batteries, solar panels, and the powerful magnets within the motors of electric cars or generators in wind turbines. Gallium, for example, is needed for integrated circuits, solar panels, blue LEDs and laser diodes for Blu-ray Discs. Indium is used in everything from TVs to laptops, and in particular the touch-sensitive screens of modern smartphones and tablets. It is estimated that at current usage rates, available indium will be used up in 50 years and will become very expensive to collect and purify.

Except for helium, the problem isn’t that these scarce elements actually become lost to the planet, but that they become too expensive to mine or too dispersed to recycle effectively. “Rare earth elements”, such as yttrium, dysprosium, neodymium and scandium, are actually relatively plentiful in the Earth’s crust but aren’t geologically concentrated into rich ores. This means that they can’t be extracted economically in many areas of the world. And once they have been manufactured as tiny components within an electronic device, they can be even harder to reclaim and recycle. EuChemS calculates that 10m smartphones are discarded or replaced every month in the EU alone, and so serious action is needed to tackle these challenges of elemental scarcity.

[thatconfusedanon]

Maybe see if you can find a microchip scanner and figure out for sure?

Maybe...

[mortal-ethos]

You mean to tell me the microchip in my cat is made with the same technology that I use to find clothing I can't locate at my job with a fancy little scanner gun?

Important! Your pet's RFID chip number might have been disconnected this week.

Is your pet chipped? They should be. Do you know who made the chip?

Pet RFID chips are so small that there's really only room on them for a serial number. When your lost pet is brought to a shelter or a vet's office, they can scan the chip, read that number, and then type it into a program that draws from a series of linked databases to find your name and phone number. That's how they find you, and tell you that Silly Lilly von Wigglesbottom has gone wandering, and she's safe and sound, and would you come get her, please?

Texas-based Save This Life, which provided chips to vets and shelters all across the US, has all at once and abruptly gone dark; their database is just gone. Their customers were not given warning and so did not know to change their registration to another company. A lot of animals have basically become anonymous now.

If you don't know what company you've been using, call your vet's office and ask what pet chip number they have on file. If the chip number starts with 991 or 900164, it's probably a Save This Life chip.

If it turns out yours is one of the affected cases, the chip itself will still be fine! There's no need to add another, or anything like that. You'll just need to transfer the number to another company, and your vet should be able to recommend the one that they like the best.

[ndrrinfo]

Dog Rescue and Microchip Registration Service: Why It Matters More Than Ever

In a world where thousands of dogs go missing every day, the need for reliable dog rescue and microchip registration services has never been greater. Whether you're a dog owner, rescuer, or shelter volunteer, registering your dog’s microchip with a national database can be the difference between a lost pet and a happy reunion.

🚨 Why Dog Rescue Alone Isn't Enough

Rescuing a dog is just the beginning. Many rescued dogs have no collar, no tag, and no microchip — making it nearly impossible to locate their original family or connect them with a new one. That’s where microchip registration comes into play.

Even if a dog is chipped, the chip is useless unless it’s registered in a searchable database.

📌 What Is a Microchip Registration Service?

A microchip registration service is an online platform that connects a dog’s microchip ID with the owner's contact information. When a lost dog is found and scanned, the chip number can be looked up to retrieve the owner’s details �� but only if it's registered.

💡 Tip: Not all chips are automatically registered by the vet or shelter. It's your responsibility to register it!

🐶 How the NDRR Helps With Dog Rescue and Microchip Registration

The National Dog Rescue Registry (NDRR) offers a complete solution for both rescuers and pet owners:

✅ For Rescuers & Shelters

Register rescued dogs online in minutes

Generate a free Emergency ID for faster identification

Help potential adopters verify dog details

✅ For Pet Owners

Link your dog’s microchip to your name, phone, and address

Add alternate emergency contacts

Upload health and vaccination records for safety

Registering is simple: just visit ndrr.pet/register, fill in your dog’s profile, and link their chip if available. You’ll also get an Emergency ID you can print on a collar tag — perfect for quick identification without needing a microchip scanner.

📈 Benefits of Using a Dog Rescue and Microchip Registration Service

🧭 Easier recovery if your dog is lost

📱 Quick access to owner information

🏥 Emergency medical data available to rescuers

💌 Peace of mind for pet parents and adopters

🐾 Support for shelters and rescue missions

[anicaresystems]

Reliable Safety with Dog Identification Microchip Tech

Losing a pet is one of the saddest things that can happen to any dog owner. Even the most careful owners can't always prevent their dogs from getting out through an open door or on a walk. Collars and tags are helpful, but they can be lost or damaged, and your dog will have no external identification. Fortunately, microchipping technology has provided a degree of security that is permanent and effective.

The key to getting reunited with a lost dog is typically in the form of a small chip injected under the skin. A Dog identification Microchip gives a unique identification number traceable to an owner's contact details. However, the true value of the microchip is in being registered with a stable pet recovery database. Registered microchips greatly increase the chances of recovering your dog safely. According to veterinarian studies, microchip-registered dogs are considerably more likely to be returned to their owners from shelters.

Key Features of Microchip

1. Permanent and Tamper-Proof Identification

Unlike collars or tags that can be lost or stolen, a dog identification microchip is injected beneath the skin, where it stays forever. It's the size of a grain of rice and will not migrate or break down over time. It's a safe, permanent way of identifying your dog in any circumstance. Because it can't be accessed or removed easily, it's an uncompromising ID solution.

2. Rapid and Dependable Scanning

Scanners used by animal shelters and veterinarians are specialized to efficiently find and read the microchip. The chip carries a unique ID number that cross-references to a database with your information. This ensures fast and dependable identification of lost animals, reducing reunion delays. It makes recovery easy by making it possible to retrieve your dog within minutes of discovery.

3. Enhanced Return Rates

Statistical data shows that microchipped canines are far more likely to be returned to their owners than non-microchipped. When the chip is registered with up-to-date owner information, recovery rates are greatly enhanced. Even if your information changes, most registries allow for quick updating to keep details up to date. This leads to faster reunions and less shelter time.

Adding a Dog identification Microchip is more than a high-tech tag—it's a rescue device that keeps your best friend with a way to get home. A microchip is implanted securely and provides a secure standby when other forms of identification fail. It demonstrates a huge sense of concern and responsibility, having pet owners prepared for anything. With a properly registered microchip, you're giving your dog the best possible opportunity to be reunited with you—no matter where life takes you both.