Companies implant chips in their employees. Will this be the trend in the future?

Decades ago, identification technology only appeared in science fiction works, but now it has become a very common thing. In modern life, face scanning, fingerprint unlocking, and iris recognition are as common as swiping a card. Everyone should be familiar with chip recognition. There are such chips in various documents, passports, and ID cards. The application of implantable chips in animals has also been for decades and is very mature. But if one day, when you go to work, your boss tells you that he wants to implant a chip in you to "punch in", will you accept it? Amal Graafstra is an American technology entrepreneur. Because he hates opening doors and keys, he implanted an RFID chip in his hand. With the help of a card reader, he can easily enter and exit his home and office. But will becoming a "cyborg" be the trend of the future? This article is translated from medium's original article titled "Microchipping workers is a thing. Should it be?"

Amal Graafstra

Whenever Amal Graafstra enters his office, logs onto his computer, or walks into his home, he doesn’t have to fumble for his keys, his electronic card, or even his password. He simply waves his hand and enters.

That's because Amal Graafstra has a chip implanted in her body.

Graafstra has implanted a thin electronic device, about a centimeter long, in his palm. The device relies on near-field communication technology (NFC) to allow a networked door or other device to recognize that it is indeed him approaching. For the device to work properly, Graafstra needs to be several centimeters away from the target, about the distance between two magnets.

Near-field communication (NFC), also known as near-field wireless communication, is a set of communication protocols that allow two electronic devices (one of which is usually a mobile device, such as a smartphone) to communicate within a few centimeters of each other. NFC is used in contactless payment systems, just like credit cards, electronic tickets, and smart cards in the past, and will allow mobile payments to replace or support such systems.

NFC is used in social networks to share contacts, photos, videos or files. Devices with NFC can act as electronic ID cards and key cards. NFC provides a low-speed connection that is easy to set up, and can also be used to guide more powerful wireless connections.

Graafstra envisions a time in the near future when many people will have chips implanted in their bodies - whether it's employees who need permission to enter heavily guarded areas or anyone who needs access to sensitive information and important documents. He said implanting chips in employees may be the next generation's solution for corporate security. Compared to passwords, ID cards, or even biometric information such as facial recognition, chips are less likely to be hacked and have absolutely no "resistance."

The implant consists of a metal chip and antenna encased in a sterile, biocompatible glass cylinder. “Employees don’t need to use badges, passwords or keys, they don’t have to worry about forgetting or losing them, and companies don’t have to spend as much energy and time managing these credentials,” Graafstra said. His company’s chips can be implanted by state-registered body piercers.

Graafstra has a big interest in microchipping employees. He runs a startup called Dangerous Things that sells the technology to other companies. Graafstra says the company chose such an edgy name to attract early adopters, especially businesses that are usually eager to adopt new technologies. In 2016, Dangerous Things sold 30,000 to 40,000 implantable devices, he said. While only five companies in the world officially offer Graafstra's product to their workers, he said that doesn't mean they are the only ones willing to try implantable chips.

Graafstra said Apple, Google and Samsung have also purchased these products for employees, although these companies have not officially acknowledged their interest in the technology. Buyers certainly "are not going to come out and say, 'We are going to implant chips in our employees,' they may just try it out and see if it's interesting... I think there are more companies that buy these things for their employees, but they don't disclose it to the public or talk about it," Graafstra explained.

Microchip companies have gained national attention this summer, ever since Three Square Market, a vending machine company in Wisconsin, asked its employees to voluntarily get microchips. Three Square Market also invited a third-party notary to implant the chips into the hands of about 50 employees. With these devices, Three Square Market employees can open doors, log into computers, and buy snacks with a touch of their hands. The chips are made by Swedish company BioHax International.

We don't think it's weird to have a chip implanted. We did find it weird at first, but you can also say, 'The chip is nice, it's different.'

——Todd Westby, CEO of Three Square Market

Other companies may follow suit: Three Square Market has partnered with Sweden's BioHax International to become its exclusive U.S. distributor. Three Square Market CEO Todd Westby told a radio reporter that a variety of different companies, including the health care community, have expressed interest in the microchips. "If you're a tech company, it's exciting," Westby told CNBC in August. "We don't think it's weird anymore. We just decided to do it because we thought it was novel enough... I guess you could say 'It's cool, it's different.'

In addition to Graafstra, four other Dangerous Things employees have been implanted with electronic devices, either in their hands, between the thumb and index finger; in their arms, just above the wrist; or in the fleshy part just below the pinky finger.

What does it feel like to have a chip implanted? "It's like when you put on a leather shoe and your little toe is a little bit compressed," Westby of Three Square Market told CNBC.

Despite Westby and Graafstra's enthusiasm for microchips, not everyone is excited about the possibility of implanting microchips. For one thing, there are big questions about privacy. "Beyond the privacy issue, how does the device access the network? Is the data encrypted? What kind of data is collected and how long is it stored?" said Jamie Winterton, director of the Global Security Program at Arizona State University, an interdisciplinary research group. He also said, "How much private information should be stored on this device? This question will cause some other disputes in terms of privacy."

And can employees really trust that their employers won't track them after work hours? "I want the data collected to just be employee identification, 'OK, this is so-and-so, so-and-so entering and exiting the building,'" Jamie said.

Beyond privacy concerns, there's the question of whether the convenience and security offered by implantable chips is too creepy or whether using them in an employment relationship is "over the top"? Andrew Challenger, vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a hiring and outplacement firm, said the "intrusive" nature of the devices would reduce their appeal. Challenger's company tracks workplace trends. "If this is a big trend, I'd be shocked."

Challenger said we don't need microchips because everyone carries a smartphone. Most phones contain a memory chip with a radio frequency identification code that stores information on the phone. "We don't need an implant for that."

Graafstra said the microchip should not raise privacy issues. He said that once the device is implanted, it will only be "powered up and do its job" when it is near a reader and needs to read information. He believes that being able to actually have a "cryptographic token" on a person that cannot be attacked will become increasingly important in the future.

Steve Morgan, founder and editor-in-chief of Cybersecurity Risk Market Research, said that while implantable devices are "more secure than something with a keyboard attached," that alone won't deter all bad actors with malicious intent.

"Somewhere down the chain of command, there are people who have gained access to all digital devices - every type of software and hardware, legal or illegal. This includes implants.

—Steve Morgan

Morgan responded in an email. For example, newly discovered vulnerabilities in implanted pacemakers could affect patients, highlighting that embedded technology is not actually secure. Morgan said: "The biggest risk facing society is that people have some misunderstandings and have a false sense of security and believe that the latest and greatest innovations are hacker-proof."

Source: 36Kr

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