He is 37 years old and 32 chips under his skin, and with one of these he makes payments by simply touching his hand to a contactless reader.

It is the story, told by the BBC, of Patrick Peuman, a Dutch security officer who calls himself a "biohacker".

"The reactions I notice at the cashier are priceless," he tells the magazine, explaining that installing a subcutaneous chip causes the same annoyance as a pinch.

The technology that involves the implantation of microchips in the human body is no longer a novelty for decades, but that of Peuman is certainly an extreme case. According to a 2021 poll reported by the BBC and conducted on 4,000 Europeans, about 51% of respondents would consider installing a chip under the skin.

Paumen has also implanted chips in his body to open doors. "The technology continues to evolve, so I continue to collect more. I wouldn't want to live without them," he tells the BBC, adding that he has no concerns about security or privacy.

"The systems - he explains - contain the same type of technology that people use every day. From remote controls to open doors, to bank cards or cards for public transport".

The implanted payment chips are just "an extension of the Internet of Things," a new way to connect and exchange data, explains Theodora Lau, tech and fintech expert, co-author of the book "Beyond Good: How Technology Is Leading A Business Driven Revolution. ”The Anglo-Polish company Walletmor, one of the first to make these systems available to the general public, has created subcutaneous chips for human use that do not reach a gram in weight and are barely larger than a grain of rice.

(Unioneonline / vl)