Sweden: Chipping Away

Technology is becoming a larger part of most of our lives, and for some, it is now in their lives.

Imagine simply swiping your hand above the cash register and all of your groceries are paid for. Now, imagine strolling into your office and unlocking the doors with a swing of your hand. Well, in Sweden, these actions do not have to be imagined. It is not magic, but rather technology, that has allowed this to happen. Hundreds of Swedish citizens have now invested in a chip that is embedded in their hands, claiming that it makes their lives ten times easier.

With an increasing focus on nano and microtechnology, scientists are experimenting ways to improve human life. One of their goals is to determine how they can design the smallest chips in the world to become the smartest computers to date. Apart from making monumental advancements in the medical field, such as methods of delivering drugs efficiently, microtechnology has once again made its way to the spotlight of our economy. The evolution of the biochip has been one that we have been seeing throughout the years. Not to mention, talk of such a product was featured in the television series Black Mirror. However, this technological fantasy of a smart chip has just become a reality because of the hard work of various companies in Sweden.

Recent advancements in the microtechnology field have resulted in thousands of Swedes, strolling through the streets of their town, with microchips embedded in their hands. The mastermind behind this new trend is Jowan Österlund, the founder and CEO of Biohax International, whose company has been dominating the markets for biochips. Jowan Österlund, a former body piercer, quickly grouped together a team of researchers and coders to develop and produce biochips. This company’s explanation of biochips includes that “tying your digital person to yourself with our Biohax Microchip implant, a biocompatible NFC implant, enables seamless digital interaction with most everyday encounters” (Biohax). Jowan’s former career as a body piercer provided him with a sense of how feasible it could be to even have a mini-computer inside a person.

Jowan Österlund’s Biochip

This chip can, in a way, be considered one’s identity— occupied with information about their credit card, health statistics, and passwords/keys. 28-year-old Szilvia Varszegi explains that “when another phone reads the chip, they see the [link] and they can open it in the phone browser,” (NPR, 2020). These chips allow small businesses to prosper and make connections between potential business partners within seconds. Not only does it make access to a variety of interfaces easy, but it also keeps all of the user’s information in one place. This can prevent issues such as getting a phone or wallet stolen, as people would resort to using a biochip rather than physical credit cards.

With the prevalence of biochips, another change that is being noted in the lands of Sweden is the decrease in the use of cash. Customers, and even suppliers and store owners, are now resorting to the ease of biochips chips. Many stores have even created policies indicating that they do not accept cash, and prefer biochips. Although this changing economic climate has hardly gotten any attention in today’s media, it does allow us to glimpse at a future that very possibly could be our own. It seems that a futuristic tale like ones we only read from novels could be a closer reality than we thought. Swedish citizens appear to be okay with walking around with all this information on them all the time, but how do we know that the convenience of a chip implant should be reason enough to disregard our lack of security? This uncertainty is rather uncomfortable for some people.

After all, who receives all of this data? Who can track and follow each and every one? Founder, Jowan Österlund, states that an outsider taking the chip would result in it being useless. The company’s developers in the biohacking field have made safeguards in place to ensure the safety and security of each and every one of their customers. This includes a decentralized network, which requires and allows individuals to create barriers and layers of security, to protect themselves. Clearly, this is one of many concerns that few citizens hold in this changing economy. Dozens of citizens have refused from receiving the implant as they do not feel safe with a piece of technology inside of them. Individuals might also feel like this ever-changing world might one day be filled with people who depend on this technology, thus creating a new norm.

Sources

ID, wallet, keys all in your hand: Sweden moves into the future with microchipping. (2019, October 14). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/id-wallet-keys-all-in-your-hand-sweden-moves-into-the-future-with-microchipping-71200837625

Jowan Österlund (Biohax International) on microchip implants | 15th European Trend Day. (2019, March 21). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwTgERXMxk

Savage, M. (2018, October 22).Erik Frisk, a Web developer and designer, uses his implanted chip to unlock his office door in Stockholm.[Photograph]. NPR. https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2018/10/19/erik-opening-his-office-door-d60d4c1b16f4fd04061945d9512b0d31da9bfb2f.jpg

Savage, M. (2018, October 22). NPR Choice page. NPR. https://choice.npr.org/index.html?origin=https://www.npr.org/2018/10/22/658808705/thousands-of-swedes-are-inserting-microchips-under-their-skin#:%7E:text=James%20Brooks%2FAP-,Jowan%20Osterlund%20holds%20a%20microchip%20implant%20in%20Stockholm%20in%202017,of%20the%20devices%20in%20Sweden.&text=In%20Sweden%2C%20a%20country%20rich,microchips%20inserted%20into%20their%20hands.