Electronic chips are usually associated with something found in computers or phones, but in Denmark they are becoming more and more popular inside humans.

According to Jyllands-Posten newspaper, more Danes are having Near Field Communication (NFC) chips implanted into their bodies – usually in their hands – to allow them to, among other things, unlock doors and interact with their smart phones.

“It’s typically people who are very experimental who want the NFC implant,” Tim Engel, an amateur piercer, told Jyllands-Posten. “I know professional piercers who are fine with putting in the chips, as long as they are hygienically safe.”

The lack of clear legislation regarding the procedure means that it's often piercers not doctors who carry it out. Engel estimates that about 50 Danes have a NFC chip in their bodies.

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Here to stay
Preben Mejer, the co-founder of tech researcher and consultant Innovation Lab, agrees with Engel that the chips are becoming more popular. And it’s a trend that won’t wane anytime soon.

“We will see many more people using technology in their bodies in order to increase the human capacity,” Mejer said.

“The consequences will be that some people, for good or bad, will be able to act in a way that humans have not been able to do before. It could develop much akin to the beauty ideal of today, which has seen some people use plastic surgery to get the body they desire.”