An unusual, new program is becoming the norm at a technology company in Sweden. The company, called Epicenter, offers to place a microchip in its workers. It asks them for permission to inject the electronic device in the employee’s body. Each microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. It works like a ‘swipe card’ an employee might use to enter an office building. It can open doors, operate printers, and even buy food, all with just a wave of the hand. The injections have become very popular. Epicenter even has parties for its workers who want to get microchips implanted. The biggest benefit, I think, is convenience, said Patrick Mesterton, Chief Executive Officer of Epicenter. It basically replaces a lot of things you have, other communication devices, whether it be credit cards or keys, he adds. The technology itself is not new. Some pet owners use virtual collars with microchips on dogs or other animals. Companies use microchips to follow the movement of products to buyers. Yet this technology has never before been used to follow so many people.
Title: Swedish Company Is Putting Microchips in Workers
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/swedish_microchips.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Swedish Company Is Putting Microchips in Workers' data-article-id='2305'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='8958'>An unusual, new program is becoming the norm at a technology company in Sweden.</span> <span data-start-time='8958' data-end-time='17438'>The company, called Epicenter, offers to place a microchip in its workers.</span> <span data-start-time='17438' data-end-time='25500'>It asks them for permission to inject the electronic device in the employee’s body.</span> <span data-start-time='25500' data-end-time='31333'>Each microchip is about the size of a grain of rice.</span> <span data-start-time='31333' data-end-time='38792'>It works like a ‘swipe card’ an employee might use to enter an office building.</span> <span data-start-time='38792' data-end-time='50375'>It can open doors, operate printers, and even buy food, all with just a wave of the hand.</span> <span data-start-time='50375' data-end-time='55146'>The injections have become very popular.</span> <span data-start-time='55146' data-end-time='63063'>Epicenter even has parties for its workers who want to get microchips implanted.</span> <span data-start-time='63063' data-end-time='72625'>The biggest benefit, I think, is convenience, said Patrick Mesterton, Chief Executive Officer of Epicenter.</span> <span data-start-time='72625' data-end-time='84104'>It basically replaces a lot of things you have, other communication devices, whether it be credit cards or keys, he adds.</span> <span data-start-time='84104' data-end-time='88438'>The technology itself is not new.</span> <span data-start-time='88438' data-end-time='96000'>Some pet owners use virtual collars with microchips on dogs or other animals.</span> <span data-start-time='96000' data-end-time='102458'>Companies use microchips to follow the movement of products to buyers.</span> <span data-start-time='102458' data-end-time='109500'>Yet this technology has never before been used to follow so many people.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/swedish_microchips.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=8420 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/what_does_norm_mean.m4a'>What does norm mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='proper or acceptable'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/unusual.m4a'><span>unusual</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/proper_or_acceptable.m4a'><span>proper or acceptable</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/inject_rice.m4a'><span>inject rice</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/swipe_a_card.m4a'><span>swipe a card</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=8421 data-hint-location='63063' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/what_is_the_biggest_benefit.m4a'>What is the biggest benefit?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='convenience'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/opening_doors.m4a'><span>opening doors</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/buying_food.m4a'><span>buying food</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/convenience.m4a'><span>convenience</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/using_the_printer.m4a'><span>using the printer</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=8422 data-hint-location='25500' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/each_chip_is_about_the_size_of__blank_.m4a'>Each chip is about the size of <span class='blank'>a grain of rice</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a grain of rice'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/a_pet_collar.m4a'><span>a pet collar</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/a_bowl_of_rice.m4a'><span>a bowl of rice</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/a_grain_of_sand.m4a'><span>a grain of sand</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1788/a_grain_of_rice.m4a'><span>a grain of rice</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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