Catching a flight can be a time consuming endeavor from checking in luggage and printing a boarding pass to getting through security. Tech companies are now looking to make airport experiences a lot more convenient by streamlining the process using microchip technology, reports The Telegraph.
Dutch traveler Andreas Sjöström has become the first to use wireless tech at an airport. Sjöström, vice president at technology consulting company Sogeti, was able to pass through security and board his flight at Stockholm Arlanda Airport using the near-field communication chip (NFC).
“A few weeks ago I had an NFC chip implanted into my hand, just beneath the skin,” says Sjöström in a YouTube video. “In this video I use the chip to pass through Stockholm Arlanda airport, through security, at the lounge, and finally through the gate to the aircraft.”
The NFC is small -- approximately the size of a grain of rice -- and is injected into the user’s hand using a syringe. The traveler would need to upload their member ID to the xNT implant, which is made by American company called Dangerous Things, and then press their hand on a NFC scanner.
This technology is not new, as it has been used for unlocking doors, controlling phones, and digital payments. How does it work? The NFC chip emits a low power radio-frequency signature that is recognized by sensors, reports The Guardian, and has to be implanted between the thumb and pointer finger. Once embedded, the NFC chip can eliminate the user’s need for keys, a wallet or, in this case, a boarding pass.
Unfortunately for those interested, Sjöström’s experience was an experiment and the company has no plans to roll it out to the general public. Plus, the process is limited by the fact that travelers will always have to provide a valid ID when traveling.
"The big issue with the states is that we're much more invested in security theater," said Amal Graafstra, CEO of Dangerous Things to Mic. "The whole idea behind NFC is that you go through the process of getting interviewed and validating who you are. There's simplicity. But in the U.S., it's big, bulky imposing machinery that does all kinds of bio-scans. Without that big display of pseudo-security, I don't think it'll work in the U.S."
