Flash drive provides emergency information
An Oklahoma computer expert has devised a portable flash drive that can store a person's medical information for use in an emergency.
Dirk VanBuskirk was initially influenced by his wife's allergic reaction to a metal medical bracelet she wore alerting emergency workers to her diabetic condition.
VanBuskirk used his experience as a computer programmer to create a flash drive that people can carry on key rings or wear as necklaces -- with no allergic reactions - to provide emergency medical information, The Oklahoman reported Tuesday.
The invention, called Med-Flash, is about the size of a small package of bubble gum, the newspaper said, capable of storing about four pages -- 64 megabytes -- of information, including a person's name, address, allergies, religious preference and medical history, along with an identification photo.
In an emergency, ambulance technicians or emergency room physicians can plug Med-Flash into any computer USB port, using Notepad or Wordpad to display a patient's medical history.
The Oklahoma-based company has created a Web site for worldwide sales of the device that costs $50 and includes free upgrades.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International