Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Swedish company promotes biochip implant to carry your COVID passport

A Swedish tech company is leading the way on implanted microchips to carry COVID passports.

As COVID-19 continues to rage with the spread of new variants, having your health pass accessible is becoming increasingly essential. But would you be willing to have it actually implanted in your hand?

That’s one use DSruptive Subdermals has been promoting for its implanted microchips.

The Swedish company, specialised in implantable microelectronics, wants to use its implants as a medical aid to track COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Biochips use near field communications (NFC), the same technology used for contactless payment, which allows them to be scanned by other devices, such as smartphones, door readers, and payment terminals.

"We know that the world of connected devices, the Internet of Things as a lot of people call it, speaks the language of NFC [...] So when I have a chip in my hand it allows me to speak the language of all these devices and interact with them effortlessly," said Hannes Sjoblad, Managing Director of DSruptive Subdermals.

The biochip, which is the size of a grain of rice, can be used to carry COVID passports.


But it also means that the microchip could give your data away as it can be scanned by anyone with a reading device.

"The real issue is data handling, which will be an issue later on with how data is stored... if the data is not secure, someone can get your information and once it's out there, it's hard to get back," warned Ben Libberton, a microbiologist working for MAX IV Laboratory, in an interview to Euronews Next in June.

However, to steal information from the chip, a person would first need to know that you have an implant, then touch it with a smartphone to activate it. Sjoblad also assures that the chips cannot track your location.

"They don't have a battery, they cannot transmit a signal by themselves, so they are basically passive. They sit there asleep,” he said.

“They can never tell your location, they're only activated when you touch them with your smartphone, so this means they cannot be used for tracking anyone's location.”

Implanted microchips aim at making daily life more convenient and are already used by a number of people and companies around the world to replace keys, access cards and IDs.

In 2018, Sweden’s state-owned train company even trialled biochips as a replacement for train tickets.

Amanda Black, manager of Epicenter, a digital hub in Stockholm that has made the chip available to its workers in recent years, said she feels the chip is even safer than traditional ways to store datas.

"Well I think it's very much part of my own integrity to have myself chiped and keep my personal data there with me, I actually feel that it's even more control in my hand having it in my own hand," she said.

Another company, Biohax International, who is behind the microchips used by the Swedish railways company, is working with health partners so that its microchips contain health information.

If someone is brought unconscious to the hospital, for instance, a simple scan of the chip could give doctors information about the patient’s pre-existing conditions.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×