Cyber-implants going from science fiction to reality

High-tech implants that will let you buy groceries, get through locked doors and start your car with the wave of a hand may seem like something out of a science fiction novel — but they’re already here and some tech analysts say the state-of-the-art devices are decades away from becoming mainstream.

The controversial choice between convenience and privacy that the implants pose is being debated in Stockholm, where staffers at a handful of high-tech companies are weighing whether or not to have a tiny chip surgically placed in their hand that would allow them to do away with ID badges, keys and debit cards.

At Epicenter, a digital hub in Stockholm that is making the implants available to employees, 75 of the company’s 2,000 staffers have agreed to take part in the Orwellian experiment. The company’s co-founder and CEO, Patrick Mesterton, recently told The Washington Post the company is offering the implants “because it’s interesting” and because “we want to play around with technology.”

And though I am willing to embrace the benefits that cutting-edge tech like this offers, I worry the same chip that will allow you to do mundane things like open a locked door or turn on your printer will eventually become a GPS monitoring device capable of tracking the user 24 hours a day.

Despite assurances from Mesterton that the implants would be the exact same thing as “using a single key card,” he was quick to point out that people worried about being traced should remember: “Your mobile phone or internet search history poses a bigger threat than the RIFD chip we use ever would.”

The clear difference to me? I can always leave my cellphone and computer behind — I wouldn’t recommend chopping off your hand to ensure your privacy.

It’s a case of art imitating life — many outstanding books and films have already tackled this futuristic Catch-22.

In George Orwell’s famed novel “1984,” which recently topped Amazon’s best-seller list, the perils of living in a totalitarian surveillance state are detailed with horrific accuracy.

If you’re more of a movie buff, I recommend watching “The Matrix,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “Minority Report” and “Brazil” — all of which considered the same.

And though it may make for a fun Hollywood script, back here on planet Earth, where remembering an employee ID or a set of keys can be a hassle, the notion of nonstop monitoring of our daily routines is horrifying. Let’s hope it remains science fiction.