Russian engineer inserts smart chip under his skin

THERE’S smart technology — and then there’s this.An engineer has inserted a chip from his public transport card under his skin. The results aren’t quite what he expected.

Pic shows: The engineer's hand where the microchip was inserted. A Russian engineer has posted a video showing how a sliced his own hand open in a DIY operation to insert the chip from a subway card under his skin. It means that every time Vlad Zaitsev goes to use the underground, he only needs to places hand by the scanner for the machine to recognise he is a pass holder, and to allow him through. Video footage posted by the young man online shows him holding his hand up to a scanner on the wall to open a door, and then a short while later the operation in which kitchen roll is used to soak up the blood as somebody wearing plastic gloves slices open his hand and inserts the chip taken from the Troika public transport card under his skin. It is then sewn up with plastic thread. Despite the gruesome sight of the scar, the young inventor insists that it didn't cause any pain and there were no complications afterwards. He said: "It is the perfect solution to not have to worry about losing an expensive season ticket, or even a kick the door, although I admit it's not going to be everybody's cup of tea." He said he the chip in silicon before implanting inside to prevent it causing infection or reacting against his body, and admits that the plan has not worked as well as he. Vlad said: "Not all of the scanners seem to have a very strong signal to read the Troika card, and they don't always manage to read the chip." But he said he had no regrets and added: "The main thing was that I wanted to know what it felt like to have achieved under the skin, it actually opens up a whole range of possibilities and I think anybody else that tries it will quickly see what I mean." The Troika card chip that used can be recharged at local shops and the money credited can then be used to pay for commuter trains and express trains to and from airports serving the Russian capital. Troika cards can be also used to rent bikes in the city center during the summer. But he said the p

THERE’S smart technology — and then there’s this.

A Russian engineer sliced open his own hand in a DIY operation to insert a chip from a public transport smart card under his skin.

It means that every time Vlad Zaitsev goes to ride the Moscow subway, he only needs to place his hand by the scanner to pass through the gates.

Despite a gruesome scar, Mr Zaitsev said the chip, from a Troika public transport card, hadn’t caused him any pain and there were no complications afterwards.

“It is the perfect solution to not have to worry about losing an expensive season ticket ... although I admit it’s not going to be everybody’s cup of tea,” he said.

Now that’s commitment.

He coated the chip in silicon before implanting it to prevent infection but admits that the plan has not worked as well as he had hoped.

“Not all of the scanners seem to have a very strong signal to read the Troika card, and they don’t always manage to read the chip.”

But he said he had no regrets and added: “The main thing was that I wanted to know what it felt like to have achieved under the skin, it actually opens up a whole range of possibilities and I think anybody else that tries it will quickly see what I mean.”

Like public transport smartcards around the world, Moscow’s Troika cards are recharged at local shops and are used to pay for commuter trains and express trains to and from airports serving the country’s capital. Troika cards can be also used to rent bikes in the city centre during the summer.

Mr Zaitsev said he had also been able to program the chip to unlock his office.

He now plans to have a second chip from his credit card implanted into his left hand so he can use it to pay for things when he goes shopping.

“I can’t imagine anybody stealing my credit card if I have implanted under the skin of my hand.”

Unfortunately some scanners aren’t sensitive enough to pick up the chip under his scan.