In order to save cryptocurrencies and data, a Tesla owner inserted two scannable chips into his hand. The chips also serve as a key to his house and access to his medical card. One of the chips also allows him to unlock his Tesla Model 3. Brandon Dalaly, 39, indicated that he did not utilize anaesthetic to relieve discomfort and that his first chip was much smaller than his second.
“The first one was a little bit smaller so it wasn’t as intense as shoving that giant rod into my hand. The first one came preloaded into a larger syringe. They pushed the syringe in and they popped in the chip similar to how they would microchip a dog.”
Brandon is part of a beta group of about 100 people testing the chips, which are manufactured by Vivokey. The chips are covered with biocompatible materials and are quickly enveloped by human tissue after insertion. Brandon described how the chips' capabilities are always growing as new downloadable features are added.
"The company that put this together literally has its own app store where you can wirelessly install apps into your body with these chips. And one of the apps just happened to be a Tesla key card. So that was the first app I installed on it because I have a Tesla and now I use that as my key when my Bluetooth key fails or I don’t have my key card. You just use your hand.”
Brandon stated that the chips are currently just a "fun party trick." He knows that people are wary about implanting technology in their body, but he points out that phones already track our every step.
How much does it cost to obtain a new chip? $300, which is most likely less than you anticipated. He then has the chip implanted by a piercer for $100.
"It’s not as bad as people think. Since I was a beta tester, I got the chip for $300 and then my installer charged me just $100 to put it in."