Technology is definitely making things theatrical for Australian Shanti Korporaal. She was able to install microchips in both her hands that give her what she refers to as Jedi powers. Korporaal got the idea from her love of the Star Wars franchise growing up.
“I grew up watching ‘Star Wars,’” Korporaal told The Washington Post by phone early Friday morning. The mystical powers of the Force made a lasting impression. Now, like a Jedi, she has the power to wave through doors that we muggles would need to open by key fob.
Her friends might think the idea is a little strange, but Korporaal isn’t at all worried about their preconceived notions.
“I can open doors without a key and they can’t.”
How is this possible you may ask. She’s simply using the same technology we’ve always known about and taking it a step further.
Thanks to the RFID chip embedded in one hand, Korporaal can unlock her office’s garage with a back-handed bump to a scanner as she zips into work on her Vespa. On the other hand in the same spot, the fleshy space between her thumb and forefinger, sits a near-field communication chip that stores her health and contact data. She can feel a chip’s hard lump if she probes with a finger; otherwise, she’s used to them by now.
FID technology itself is fairly mundane — it works passively, similar to a barcode, requiring no internal energy source. (If your pet is microchipped, that’s an RFID chip inside Buddy, too.) The NFC chip in Korporaal’s other hand, likewise, is of the same type used in Apple Pay systems. The goal with that chip, she said, is to use her hand like a wallet.
This may sound creepy, but imagine never having to worry about losing your car keys ever again? I’m here for it. Can they get this technology to the United States now?
Flip the page to see more video of Korporaal’s Jedi powers.