Microchips? Was that in the job description?
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How a Swedish company is turning its employees into cyborgs
For Epicenter Stockholm, being ahead of the game with regards to technological advances is a goal that the digital company works toward, “based on the founding teams extensive knowledge in building companies designed to create innovation with impact” (part of a statement taken from their website). In January 2015, true to their word, came a new concept of installing microchips (which use Near Field Communication or NFC, found in contactless credit cards) between the thumb and index fingers of employees, enabling them to operate all forms of machinery in the workplace (i.e. locked entrance/exit doors) with a mere wave of a hand.
Patrick Mesterton, the company’s CEO, reported convenience of use as the most significant benefit of the innovative technology, replacing the need for cards and keys (around 150 of Epicenter’s 2000 employees have adopted the concept thus far). A further beneficial gain to the company is that they can accurately track an employee’s daily progress and habits (e.g. clocking in and out of work) as the chip remains with them regardless.
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Mesterton also commented on the difficulty of getting employees on board with the idea and even admitting he had his own concerns before getting the syringe injection himself, explaining, “Putting things into your body is quite a big step to do and it was even for me at first.” Before putting it all into perspective, “But then on the other hand, I mean, people have been implanting things into their body, like pacemakers and stuff to control your heart. That’s a way, way more serious thing than having a small chip that can actually communicate with devices.”
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