Every time Patrick Bomin makes a batch at a store or restaurant, it causes a stir. This 37-year-old doesn’t need a bank card or cell phone to pay. Alternatively, you can simply place your left hand near the contactless card reader and the payment is made.

“The feedback I get from the cashiers is invaluable!says Baumen, a Dutch security guard.

You can pay by hand because In 2019, a small push-up chip was implanted under the skin, reports BBC Mundo.

“This procedure hurts as much as someone on your skinBoomin’ dice.

The first time a microchip was implanted in a human was in 1998, but it has only been available for commercial use for the past decade.

When it comes to implantable payment chips, British-Polish company Walletmor says it became the first company to put them up for sale last year.

“The implant can be used to pay for a drink on the beach in Rio, a coffee in New York, a haircut in Paris, or at your local supermarket.Says founder and CEO Wojtek Paprota.Can be used anywhere contactless payments are accepted“.

Walletmor chip that It weighs less than a gram and is slightly larger than a grain of rice. It consists of a small chip and an antenna covered with a biopolymer, a material of natural origin resembling plastic.

Paprota adds that it is Completely secure, has the necessary permissions, works immediately after implantation and will remain in place without moving. It also does not require a battery or other power source. The company says it has sold more than 500 chips.

the technology you use Walletmore is NFC (Near Field Communication, Proximity Communication), and Remote payment system on smartphones. Other payment implants rely on radio frequency identification (RFID), the technology typically found in contactless physical debit and credit cards.

Convenience versus privacy

For many of us, the The idea of ​​implanting such a chip in our bodies can be frighteningBut a 2021 survey of more than 4,000 people in the UK and EU found that 51% of those interviewed would consider it an option.

But the report added that without giving relative numbers “Issues such as invasion and security are the main concerns“ for respondents.

Patrick Baumann says he has none of these concerns.

“Chip implants contain the same type of technology that people use every day“, Dice, “From key rings to unlocking doors, public transport cards such as Oyster (used on the London Underground) or bank cards with contactless payment functionality.“.

“The reading distance is limited by the small antenna inside the implant. planting It must be within the electromagnetic field of the reader RFID [o NFC] compatible. Only when there is magnetic coupling between the reader and transmitter can the implant be read.. “

He adds that he is not worried that his whereabouts can be traced.

“Los Chips React Use on pets to identify them when they are lost“, Dice. “But it is not possible to locate them using the RFID chip implant: the lost pet must actually be found. Then the whole body is scanned until the chip is found and read“.

However, the problem with these chips (and what causes concern) is if they become so Increasingly advanced and full of personal data. Conversely, if this information is secure and if it can be traced in reality.

Fintech or fintech expert Theodora Lau is co-author of Beyond Good: How Technology is Driving a Business-Driven Revolution.

Lau says implanted payment chips are fair An extension of the Internet of Things. It means another new way to communicate and exchange data.

However, while many people say they are open to this idea, as it will make paying for things faster and easier, The benefits and risks must be weighed. Especially since the embedded chips hold more and more personal information.

“How much are we willing to pay for convenience? Where do we draw the line when it comes to privacy and security? Who will protect critical infrastructure and the people who are a part of it?‘ asks Theodora Lau.

The dark side of technology

Nada Kakabadsi, professor of policy, governance and ethics at the University of Reading’s Henley School of Business, is also cautious about the future of more advanced embedded chips.

“There is a dark side to technology It can lead to abuse. For those who do not like individual freedom, it opens new and tempting doors Perspectives of control, manipulation and oppressionKakabadse dice.

“And who owns the data? Who has access to them? And is it ethical to chip people like we do with pets?‘, is questionable.

He warns that the result may be “The loss of power for the many in favor of the few.”

Stephen Northam, So says, Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Winchester Unjustified fears. In addition to his academic work, he is the founder of the British company BioTeq, which has been manufacturing contactless and implantable chips since 2017.

Its implants are aimed at people with disabilities who can use it to open doors automatically.

“We have daily consultations and We have performed over 500 transplants in the UKbut COVID slowed everything down a little bit“, invoice.

“This technology has been used in animals for years. They are very small, idle things. no risks“He argues.

Back in Holland, Baumann describes himself as a “biohacker”, Someone putting pieces of technology into their body to try and improve their performance. It has 32 implants in total, including door opener chips and built-in magnets.

“Technology keeps evolving, so I keep collecting more“, Dice. “My implants improve my body. I don’t want to live without them“, Dice.

“There will always be people who don’t want to modify their bodies. We have to respect that, and they have to respect us as biohackers.“.