New dog-tag style RFID device holds your medical data

(AFP PHOTO/CESAR RANGEL)

Accident prone? Japanese tech company Asahi Kasei may have a gadget just for you. The company recently developed a small portable RFID device that stores all of your medical data, so paramedics and emergency doctors can access your vital info instantly via a PC or smartphone.

A slew of gadget bloggers, including TechCruch, Slashgear, and Medgadget have been reporting on the device in recent days, noting that it relies on the FeliCa smart card technology, widely used by all of Japan's mobile carriers and several major PC makers.

In an emergency, doctors can immediately access vital information, such as your blood type, date of birth, and any relevant medical history. Thanks to the RFID chip inside the device, doctors can also check out large files, such as X-ray images, by clicking on links that lead to data stored on external servers, writes TechCrunch.

Expect the see the 3x3 cm device on sale next year and priced around $25, according to Japanese business daily The Nikkei (cited by TechCrunch).

While it's unknown at this point when and if the product will launch outside of Japan, another option is a new biometric portable card by American tech company SmartMetric.

The new card, about the size of a credit card, offers instant access to your medical records and is only activated by your fingerprint. The card, paired with a mini USB card reader adapter, will be launched globally and priced at around $89. No details are yet available on exact launch dates.

Or try VitalKey, which keeps an up-to-date digital copy of your medical records on a USB device that can hang on a keychain. The company offers several different subscription plans, including keys for breast cancer patients, mothers-to-be, and caregivers, starting at $8.95 a month.