Employees are getting microchips put in their hands at this US company

Impact

For the first time ever, employees at a U.S. company will voluntarily get microchips implanted into their hands.

The microchips, although totally unnecessary, could make working a lot easier. Employees at the tech company Three Square Market will be able to log onto computers, share business cards, unlock phones, open doors, buy snacks in the break room and store information with a mere tap of their fingers. The microchips are roughly the size of a grain of rice and will be inserted in between each person’s thumb and forefinger.

Each one costs about $300, but the company will pay the way for employees daring enough to get the implant (and they promise that there won’t be any hacking, GPS tracking or data breaches).

Though it sounds like an unusual work commitment, it’s not a permanent one. If anyone changes their mind after the fact — or wants to switch jobs — they can always have the chip removed in a way that’s somewhat like pulling out a sliver, ABC News reported.

It may be a first for the U.S., but more than 100 employees at a Swedish company are already using these microchips, which are based on near-field communication technology seen in pet microchips and in mobile payment systems.

“The international market place is wide-open and we believe that the future trajectory of total market share is going to be driven by who captures this arena first,” the Wisconsin-based company’s COO, Patrick McMullan, said in a release. “Europe is far more advanced in mobile and chip technology usage than the U.S. and we are thrilled with the growth opportunity this enhancement will bring to us.”

It could be the first step into a new era, when Americans include body modification on their list of “modern conveniences.”