Singapore aquarium tags fish with RFID chips

Keeping track of your personal pet using any means necessary is one thing, but embedding RFID chips into some 20 aquarium fishes is taking things to a whole 'nother level. Sure, we've seen RoboFish unleashed in a public aquarium and the means to care for your guppy remotely, but officials at the Underwater World in Singapore now have a much more exciting way to learn details about the animals customers see. Reportedly, the name and species (among other information) about the chipped marine animals are displayed on touchscreen displays whenever they swim by, which eliminates the old fashioned "match the picture with the fish" signs that still exist in other facilities. The project was set up over a three month period and set the venue back $19,600, but considering that the execs are thinking about risking someone's life to tag sharks in the near future, we can only assume that it's been a hit.

[Thanks, Andrew B.]

[ElvisLives @ May 24th 2007 9:10AM]

And when the shark swims by the scanner and the scanner registers two tag numbers instead of one, they'll be able to tell what fish was eaten by the shark. Hopefully they'll pass that number onto inventory control, so they can order up another as a replacement...

[Pauly @ May 24th 2007 10:11AM]

I wouldn't want to be the one tagging the sharks.
Let the robo fish do that.

http://www.robotliving.com

[Timerider @ May 24th 2007 1:10PM]

fish and chips.
I just had to say it.

[DaveA @ May 24th 2007 1:48PM]

Given the control minded tendencies of the Singapore government it's probably a pilot for tagging the human population as well. I can imagine the sales pitch: fast track through immigration at Changi, no need for a card on the MRT, reductions for multi-vehicle occupancy in the road-pricing area.

[Brian E. @ May 24th 2007 5:20PM]

Even the fish can't escape the watchful eye of big brother.