For those who hate visits to the doctor, there's hope. Thanks to the almighty band-aid, this flimsy piece of wound-stopper may eliminate the need to go to the doctor, by embedding a chip in it that transmits signals wirelessly to the hospital.

The chip that is being developed by Toumaz Technology has the potential to monitor various vital signs: blood glucose, pH-level, blood pressure, and even do ECG functions. The 16 mm-sized chip can connect to a 800-900 MHz wireless network to relay information for up to 50 Kbits per second.

The chip's specific use is yet to be determined, but Toumaz is currently shipping samples of the chip to be used for monitoring the performance of athletes on the field. "Once we get this out there, we will get a better idea of what people want to do with it," said Alison Burdett, Toumaz' director of technology.