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A high-tech company in Sweden called Epicenter recently offered its employees the opportunity to have a microchip embedded in their hands. Employees who accepted the offer no longer have to worry about forgetting their company ID at home, their microchips are with them wherever they go. These microchips allow employees to be identified, unlock doors, use the copy machine, and buy items in the company store.
Each chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is embedded with a needle, costing the company about $300 and the employee a bit of physical pain. Participation is voluntary and many employees have opted to have the microchip implanted in their hands.
With a microchip embedded in your hand, you could control objects with a wave of your hand. Imagine never needing keys anymore, turning on lights in a room by raising your arm, having your health records available instantly to health care providers in case of an emergency, and paying for items with a wave of your hand. Dogs and cats have been microchipped for years, allowing owners to be reunited with missing pets. Isn’t only a matter of time until humans get the same technology as animals?
But privacy issues abound, with your microchip information potentially available to those with a scanner. Microchips could be scanned to retrieve your information or track your location, perhaps without your knowledge. The technology available for microchips today will probably be very different from the advancements made to microchips in the future. How information gets to and from microchips may change dramatically from today’s technology.
Advantages
Convenience — Imagine going for a run and needing no ID, keys, or money. Your load would be lighter, and perhaps you run faster, if you had a microchip. You would never have to worry about carrying items, you’d have your things with you wherever you went.
Security — Payment information could be included in your microchip. You wouldn’t have to worry about your credit cards or PIN being stolen. Thieves would have a more difficult time impersonating you with a fake ID or credit card.
Health — Your health records could be stored on the microchip, eliminating the need for filling out forms when you went to a doctor’s office. Emergency responders could identify you and access your health records quickly, saving precious time.
Disadvantages
Loss of privacy — You may not want identifying information available to anyone with a scanner. You may not be aware when your microchip is being read or accessed.
Pain — The pain of getting the microchip inserted seems more than insignificant. (Ouch!)
Tracking — Your location within an office, store, government building, etc. could be tracked using the chip.
Lack of control — You may not have control over what information is contained in the microchip.
Possible hacking — Hackers may be able to access or change the information on your chip.
Poll
Would you get a microchip embedded in your body? Vote in The Wonder of Tech poll and let us know your thoughts:
Your Thoughts
Do you like the convenience of having a microchip embedded in your body? What information would you like to have in your microchip? Would you accept a job that required you to have a microchip implanted in your hand? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below!
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* Microchip image (edited) courtesy of Alejandra H. Covarrubias via Flickr and Creative Commons
Hi Carolyn,
Amazing indeed! 🙂
I’ve seen such things happen in the movies, and not to see it happen in reality is something else! No, not at all – I would never get such a microchip embedded, no matter what!
I agree there are several advantages and the convenience too perhaps, for both the person and the company, but I find more cons as compared, just as you mentioned. I wouldn’t mind spending a little extra time to sign up or do those tasks…lol…no chips for me! Liked the video about it too!
Thanks for sharing. Happy Friday – glad the weekends here 😉
Hi Harleena, Yes, the convenience of not having to carry ID or a wallet seem very compelling, but a microchip embedded in your hand my seem a bit invasive. I do wonder how many of Epicenter’s employees took advantage of the offer and got chipped.
You’re right, this does seem like something from the movies, but a lot of tech is first found in fiction before it makes its way to reality!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Harleena. Happy weekend ahead!
It’s pretty easy for me to say, “No way! I would never do that.” sitting at home drinking coffee. The way things are progressing we might not have a choice a few years down the road though, at least if we want to work and make money.
Who knew we would all run around with a track-able smart phone in our pockets ten years ago. This is just another step in the same direction.
Hi Silke, Great points. Many of the functions of a microchip could be completed by a smartphone. With iPhone HealthKit, emergency responders can ID you and get relevant health history even if you’re unconscious. But if you don’t have your phone with you that isn’t a solution.
We could also wear wristbands with this information, which would be less invasive than a microchip and less permanent. The implantation in the video seemed quite painful!
I don’t know where tech is taking us in the future, but the poll results will be interesting!
No, no, no! A thousand times no! This is how it starts: convenience and safety?!?! Imagine – it could be hacked!?!?!? Ah no!
Lori
Hi Lori, Are you sure? I mean think of the incredible convenience. You would never have to worry about leaving your ID behind when you leave your house.
Well, you don’t seem to be alone in your opinion, judging from the poll results!
Hi Carolyn,
I think it’s great that you brought this topic up…
I will not hesitate to say this is a terrible idea for anyone who cares about their lives, their freedom and the direction of this world.
And I’m not being overdramatic.
Not surprised to see it being promoted as a beneficial asset to someone’s life…but if people understood the big picture, they would say no without hesitation.
Thanks for bringing awareness to this. I only hope people do some additional investigating to see what this is really all about.
Hi Dana, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, I enjoy covering the impact of tech on society and this development has the potential to have a significant impact on society. Good point, that this decision has influence not just on the person agreeing to it but on others who may be swayed by others who have chosen to be chipped.
Thanks so much for your visit and for sharing your thoughts with us, Dana.
OUCH and NO I will never do this. If something goes wrong with the chip, they’d have to operate me again, open up and embed it again. Yikes!!! No way!!! No thank you. I’ll take the extra hassle of getitng my keys in my hand and getting my creadit cards in my wallet. People nowadays are getting just too lazy or what. Are we too busy that we can’t even get a simple key into a car or a building. Wow…
Angela
Hi Angela, Yes, getting the chip removed may be even more painful than getting it embedded, especially if scar tissue has formed. While the chip may make life more convenient initially, if something goest wrong then the chip won’t seem very convenient. I do find the poll results fascinating though!
Hi Carolyn,
I hate to say this but this is where I see our world heading and I hope I’m not around by then.
Seriously, I know they do this to animals but I didn’t have Kayla microchipped. I understand why it would be important to do, I’ve heard some horrible stories of pets going missing and were put down because they had no identification on them in order to find the owner. In my mind I wouldn’t want anything like that living under my skin so I’m not going to do it to her. The only way she will ever go missing is if someone breaks into my home and steals her or takes her when we are on our walk. Of course if that’s the case her ID is on her at that time.
Anyway, as long as I can prevent something like this happening I will. I was even upset the last time I went to get my drivers license renewed and they took my fingerprints. In my mind only criminals should have their fingers printed and trust me, I’m not criminal. I think it’s against our free right myself.
Anyway, I took the poll and most people seem to be leaning that way too. I sure hope it never comes to this.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Yes, I can understand why you’re not comfortable with being chipped. If you don’t even have your dog Kayla chipped then you probably wouldn’t want to be chipped yourself. I had to have Astro chipped when I moved him to England, but I had already had him chipped. I wouldn’t want to have to explain to my girls how we couldn’t find Astro if he were ever missing. One time the girls left our gate open and we got a call from the police that someone had found Astro and brought him to the police station!
I’m glad that the employer in Sweden made the chipping optional. I wonder how many employees would have quit if the chipping had been a requirement!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Adrienne. I’ve never seen more lopsided poll results at The Wonder of Tech!
There are some valuable benefits and risks involved. However, it seems so close to having a “mark of the beast” (Revelations 13:17) that I would be very concerned about the implications for my soul. I know that tech publications usually have no interest in spiritual issues related to innovations but many people should we aware of what those could be.
I am a bit reassured that the large majority of those who answered the poll are against it.
Hi Benjamin, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Yes, there are many reasons for being against human implantation of microchips. No matter what the reason, almost every Wonder of Tech reader seems to be against this tech development!
Hi, Carolyn,
Very interesting topic indeed. Wow! I think we already have a lot of convenience created for us with technology as I’m sure you agree. In fact, I don’t even use a key to start my car. I simply push a button.
With regards to security being an advantage, I don’t think it would be very long before someone figured out how to hack into that chip.
Personally, I would never allow any type of chip to be embed into my body for any reason, and I see that I am part of the majority (82%) of folks who feel the same way.
Definitely food for thought, appreciate you sharing.
Talk soon,
ËœCarol
Hi Carol, Yes, tech keeps advancing but not all advancements are positive ones. It’s important to avoid thinking “newer is better” no matter what the implications are.
You’re wise to think of the hacking potential. There could be concerns both that information could be accessed or added to the chip by hackers.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and voting, Carol.
Hi Carolyn,
Its a strange idea to put a microchip just for a job. I personally won’t go for it at all. People do need privacy and if the chip can track where I am then its not what I would go for. Better to leave job, hahahaha.
Though I am shocked some of the employess opted for this. May be to check or they are getting paid high, whatever the idea is. And I am quite satisfied to see the poll results that maximum is against this.
Hi Aditya, Yes, I am certain that this won’t be a popular development elsewhere. From the poll results, it’s hard to understand how any employee would agree to being chipped. I didn’t see any information about any incentives given to employees who agreed to be chipped. Imagine if you got chipped and then were let go because of cutbacks the next day? It could happen.
Yes, the poll results are a definitive No!
sure would help world security.. everyone being chipped.. n tracked.. wouldn’t take years to find the bin ladens of the world…or the jihady jamies
Hi Michael, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech. Yes, chipping may help governments keep track of terrorists. But it’s hard to imagine that terrorists or other criminals would agree to have chips implanted in them. But who knows if mandatory chipping of humans is in our future?