US firm to implant employees with RFID chips

US firm to implant employees with RFID chips

An American company is inviting employees to get RFID chips that can be used to buy food in the office break room implanted in their hands.

Three Square Market, which makes self-service micro markets for office break rooms, says it expects over 50 staffers to volunteer for the free chips, which it is working with Sweden's BioHax on.

The employees will get chipped at a 'chip party' on 1 August, after which they will not only be able to make contactless purchases at the firm's micro market but also open doors and log into their computers.

Todd Westby, CEO, three Square Market, says: "We foresee the use of RFID technology to drive everything from making purchases in our office break room market, opening doors, use of copy machines, logging into our office computers, unlocking phones, sharing business cards, storing medical/health information, and used as payment at other RFID terminals.

"Eventually, this technology will become standardized allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc."

Comments: (16)

Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson - BioTechnologies - Sydney 25 July, 2017, 09:13Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes

That is really lame I'm afraid to say.

It would make much more sense, albeit more expensive to some extent, to use a biometric reader for all those requirements.

A Finextra member
A Finextra member 25 July, 2017, 09:261 like 1 like Once hacked (e.g. lifted fingerprint), bio cannot be "reissued". Implant can be extracted.
A Finextra member
A Finextra member 25 July, 2017, 09:38Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes Great. Tracked 24x7. Who would be nuts enough to have any sort of teachable implant.
A Finextra member
A Finextra member 25 July, 2017, 09:55Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes Anon not carrying a smartphone?..
A Finextra member
A Finextra member 25 July, 2017, 11:09Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes

Dont shout "FREE CHIPS" too loud in America.....in the wrong environment you could be trampled to death in the rush

A Finextra member
A Finextra member 25 July, 2017, 14:46Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes

I think not.

A Finextra member
A Finextra member 26 July, 2017, 05:09Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes Anon does have a smart phone which he can switch off and leave at home.
A Finextra member
A Finextra member 26 July, 2017, 06:58Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes Anon does not see any cameras (including other smartphones) around him/her? And actually gets the battery out switching the phone off?
A Finextra member
A Finextra member 26 July, 2017, 08:04Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes Oh dear, do you work for the chip company? I know about the cameras, I live in UK with more CCTV per head than anywhere else but I could opt to live in a country without cameras, or up a Welsh mountain. I'm not stepping over a line where someone plonks a chip inside me me, if you want to go ahead, be my guest.
A Finextra member
A Finextra member 26 July, 2017, 08:261 like 1 like

No, I don't. I simply "slept with Keira Knightly". I thought we have all moved on beyond Big Brother fears and are now focusing, in the UK, on gender neutrality instead. BTW, speaking of that and implants... ))

A Finextra member
A Finextra member 26 July, 2017, 09:55Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes You can't assume that because you have moved on from 'big brother' fears the population at large has. Well actually of course you can assume that, good luck with your assumption.
Shlomo Cohen
Shlomo Cohen - PRNS - Jerusalem 26 July, 2017, 13:361 like 1 like

Are those who carry the chip aware that their whereabouts is known within the firm, but potentially also out of it; how much time they spend in the toilets, at the coffee shop, etc.? It looks like TOTAL CONTROL to me, and I clearly do not like it.

A Finextra member
A Finextra member 26 July, 2017, 14:39Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes Don't confuse anonymous knowledge with control.
A Finextra member
A Finextra member 26 July, 2017, 15:11Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes Don't confuse trusting some people with trusting everyone ... anonymous knowledge is fine until it isn't anonymous ...
Shlomo Cohen
Shlomo Cohen - PRNS - Jerusalem 26 July, 2017, 18:311 like 1 like

And when someone is fired, he/she is dragged to surgery? or his/her RFID is disabled and he/she has to remove the chip by his/her own means (reimbursed by social security?). Not for me, thx

A Finextra member
A Finextra member 27 July, 2017, 07:54Be the first to give this comment the thumbs up 0 likes

Its all a bit of hype isnt it...  Why risk invasive surgery (which it is) with the potential for inadvertant side effects, when the same thing could be carried in a watch strap, Ring, bracelet,  ID card, wallet, mobile phone, glasses etc.   I wonder what the disclaimers look like from the inserting company, and also what the insurance premium is in the event of any unwanted health issues.  When you chip a cat - the advice is dont wash the animal for a week..    

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