IMPLANTABLE CHIPS: Animal Identification And Data Tracking Device

In zoos, prisons, animal-based parks, and pet houses with snake breeding tanks, efficient tracking and management are imperative.

- ASHWINI KUMAR SINHA

Visual identification by human eyes is often impractical due to the similar appearances of animals. Al image processing is also challenging due to their identical looks. Therefore, the need arises for an implantable tracking system involving chips to facilitate identification and data retrieval, including health conditions, age, species type, origin, and other relevant information.

This system can prove invaluable for IoT-based animal data analysis and autonomous tracking in large national parks, forests, and zoos, aiding in monitoring the habitat of endangered species. It utilises a 125Hz implantable RFID chip, which can be easily implanted inside a human or animal body, and subsequently scans it using a dedicated device. The design aims to track and record data, storing it in a computer or cloud servers. Despite the chip being inside the body, automatic detection is essential if animals or snakes escape their enclosures, necessitating the design of a reader device capable of RFID detection from a distance. Refer to Fig. 1 for the chip's location inside the body seen using X-ray. You may commence the project with the collection of components (bill of materials) detailed in the table above.

Circuit and working

The circuit diagram of the device is shown in Fig. 2. The circuit comprises the 125Hz serial RFID reader chip RDM 6300 (MOD1), USB FTDI (MOD2) for interfacing with Raspberry PI Zero/4, and a few other components. The antenna comes free with the RFID reader with proper specifications.

When it comes to tracking, not all microchip implants are equal. In this case, we leverage the power of a 125kHz RFID implantable device for animal and human identification.