Sweden where you can use microchip in the hand instead of paper tickets

7 years ago - Published in Alternative investments, Finance

Swedish rail company SJ Railways is now accepting tickets via microchips implanted into the hands of its commuters. The microchip and app exchange information using near-field communication (NFC) – the same wireless data transfer technology used by Apple Pay, Android Pay and Amiibo.

Each SJ Railway customer’s microchip is given a membership number, which can be updated through the SJ Railways app on a smartphone. Once a microchipped rider gets onto the train, he or she can simply put his or her hand out to be scanned by the conductor.

As the conductor moves through the train to check tickets, passengers are able to simply hold out their hand for the conductor to scan and check ticket information. SJ Railways claims it is the first travel company in the world to offer this service.

In June, SJ Rail, the Swedish train operator, announced that around 100 people were using microchips to pay for their journey. 
But in a new interview with the BBC, it was revealed that an estimated 3,000 people now use the service. 
In a video, the Travel Show's Ade Adepitan said: 'So far around 3,000 people in Sweden have a microchip.' 
Commuters with a microchip in their hand are able to have their ticket loaded directly onto the device.

SJ Railways' decision to launch the microchip follows the success of a similar scheme implemented by local business partner Epicenter, an innovation centre for technology and start-up companies in central Stockholm.

Members of Epicenter are given the option of using a microchip implant rather than a swipe card to access the company's premises. Through the collaboration, SJ's business passengers had access to a daily pass at Epicenter, which led to several SJ customers expressing an interest in the microchip implants.

"Some of SJ's business passengers at Epicenter contacted us and asked about the possibility of using the microchip for the train journey," said Lina Edström from the SJ business sales team. "We soon realised it was feasible with a few developments in our mobile platforms."

As well as at Epicenter in Stockholm, Swedish company BioHax has also rolled out the microchip technology at Wisconsin company Three Square Market, which offers microchip implants to all of its workers. The microchips enable staff to make purchases and log into computers with the wave of a hand.