Advancing technological discoveries have changed how we function. Through these advancements, people can communicate with their loved ones all over the world in a matter of seconds, order dinner or groceries to be delivered to their homes, from their offices, and many other incredible conveniences. The downside to these advances is an invasion of privacy. It is because of that, many people are hesitant to take part in “keeping with the times”
However, a man living in Malta has decided to become microchipped in order to make his life even more convenient. Interestingly, he’s not the only person to do so.
Technology TV Host, Turned Cyborg.
Ian Busuttil Naudi a 44-year-old technology buff, living in Malta has become microchipped. He hosts a television program in his country that’s all about technology. His enthusiasm made him a perfect candidate to try out this new microchip technology and he couldn’t be more thrilled, stating “I love technology. I feel that this is the future, and I want to be part of it as it starts.”
He can use this microchip at the grocery store to pay for things. He just swipes his wrist in the same way you would a credit card. He explains how people respond to his checkout process and the responses are about as expected. Ian says, “People at first look puzzled but then they say, ‘I would expect something like this from you’.” He says he has filmed the reactions of other people and finds amusement in this, So much so that he will be making a compilation that you can check out on his Instagram.
Read: Convenient Or Risky? First Implanted Microchips Promise The Public To “Make Their Life Easier”
The Future of Microchip Technology.
Ian has been interested in microchip technology since 2008 although it has been around since the 1990’s. He estimates that more than 1000 people worldwide are currently walking around with an implanted microchip. Ian paid more than 199 Euros for the chip, which is roughly the same in US Dollars. He had to have a procedure done with local anesthesia.
After Ian was given the numbing medication a surgeon made a small incision on his left hand and implanted the microchip. It is so tiny that it could be placed between the bones that connect his ring and pinky fingers. He says the microchip has a lifespan of 9 years and that he didn’t feel the implantation at all. Although there was some redness, swelling and scarring during the healing process.
Ian said the previous versions weren’t equipped to carry the contactless pay technology and he wasn’t so intrigued as he is now. Ian goes on to state that he believes, “The chips will become more popular in the medical industry.” He then explains other features of this microchip technology that might be available in the future could include, “Records of blood type, next of kin, previous operations and even voice-recorded messages, can all be included in a chip.
Read: Thousands Of Swedes Are Inserting Microchips Under Their Skin
Others Are Onboard!
Steven Cilia, another citizen of Malta, has 3 microchips including one to replace his car keys. We’ve, likely, all been in a position where we’re meant to pay for something, go to grab our wallets, and realize we’ve misplaced them. Or been running late for work only to realize our keys aren’t where we thought and now we’re frantically running around our homes in search of them. Other countries like Sweden are also working on microchip technology.
An estimated 4,000 Swedish citizens have a microchip implanted into them and the number is growing. This microchip technology is a breakthrough on convenience going one step further than the little computers most of us carry around in our pockets, our smartphones.
If you’ve ever read 1984 by George Orwell then you know of a dystopian nightmare in which giant television screens are always watching you. There is no escape. It is because of this book, and many like it, that people are acutely aware of how involved the government is in our lives. If you’ve never read it, talk with someone around you about a certain product and you will most likely see adverts of that product the next time you login to your Facebook.
It is because of this kind of invasion to privacy that many people feel a sense of apprehension when it comes to the idea of being microchipped. They feel that their private conversations are being tapped and their every move is being tracked. Everything in life has pros and cons and microchip technology is no different. There is a level of privacy that one must be willing to give up, but the exchange is never again having to worry about where you left your keys or wallet, and maybe even one day, your medical record card.
Keep Reading: The microchip implants that let you pay with your hand
Sources
- “The man with a microchip that allows him to buy things with his body.” Times of Malta. Daniel Ellul. October 6, 2022.
- Instagram. ianbusuttilnaudi.
- “Thousands Of Swedes Are Inserting Microchips Under Their Skin.”