A Wisconsin company has become the first in the U.S. to implant microchips in its employees in order to improve efficiency.
Chief Executive Todd Westby of software company Three Square Market says “it’s the next thing that’s inevitably going to happen, and we want to be part of it.”
Kstp.com reports: Just as people are able to purchase items at the market using phones, Westby wants to do the same thing using a microchip implanted inside a person’s hand.
“We’ll come up, scan the item,” he explained, while showing how the process will work at an actual break room market kiosk. “We’ll hit pay with a credit card, and it’s asking to swipe my proximity payment now. I’ll hold my hand up, just like my cell phone, and it’ll pay for my product.”
More than 50 Three Square Market employees are having the devices implanted starting next week. Each chip is about the size of a single grain of rice.
Along with purchasing market kiosk items, employees will be able to use the chip to get into the front door and log onto their computers.
Each chip costs $300, and the company is picking up the tab. They’re implanted between a person’s thumb and forefinger. Westby added the data is both encrypted and secure.
“There’s no GPS tracking at all,” he said.
No one who works at Three Square Market is required to get the chip implant.