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Biotech Security Transportation Technology

Tesla Owner Implants RFID Chip From Her Model 3's Keycard Into Her Arm (theverge.com) 135

A Tesla driver figured out a way to implant the RFID tag from her Model 3's keycard into her forearm. Now, all she needs to do to unlock and turn on her car is to hold her forearm near the console -- no physical key fob or smartphone required. The Verge reports: Amie DD is a software engineer and self-described "maker of things." In a video, she explained that she had implanted an RFID tag in her arm years ago, which she had used to open her home's front door and to send a smartphone's browser to her personal website. When she preordered her Model 3, she realized that she could probably do something similar with the keycard. She didn't have any luck transferring the software to her existing chip, so she decided to extract the card's chip and implant that into her arm. To do that, she dissolved the card using acetone, and had it encased in a biopolymer. From there, she went to a body-modification studio to have the chip (about the size of a Lego mini-figure) implanted into her forearm. In another video (warning, there's some blood), she shows off the implantation. She also documented her process on Hackaday. She told The Verge that the chip does work, but the range from her arm to the console "isn't the greatest." It's only about an inch, but she's hoping that it'll improve as the swelling of her arm goes down.
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Tesla Owner Implants RFID Chip From Her Model 3's Keycard Into Her Arm

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  • So progressive (Score:4, Insightful)

    by niftydude ( 1745144 ) on Monday August 12, 2019 @09:15PM (#59081300)
    I too would love to have surgery every time I buy a new car.
    • by msauve ( 701917 ) on Monday August 12, 2019 @09:20PM (#59081310)
      "I too would love to have surgery every time I buy a new car."

      They cost an arm and a leg these days.
    • Will probably prevent people from going into debt changing car models every 2 years if everytime they bought a car they needed minor surgery

    • I too would love to have surgery every time I buy a new car.

      That's your trade in all sorted Mr. Jones, now we just need the key.

      /snaps surgical glove

    • "about the size of a Lego mini-figure"

      What's that in real measurements?

      Is being incapable of saying "centimeters" or "meters" a requirement for journalism these days?

      • If you took a credit card, and cut an oval around the CC#, with a 1/4" margin, that would be about the size of it.

        About the size of courage, IMO. I don't love my car even 1/10th that much, and it never fails me.

        • If you took a credit card, and cut an oval around the CC#, with a 1/4" margin, that would be about the size of it.

          About the size of courage, IMO. I don't love my car even 1/10th that much, and it never fails me.

          Courage the cowardly dog? He's pretty big.

      • by v1 ( 525388 )

        What's that in real measurements?

        Somewhere between "too big" and " way too big".

        There is NO way that tech should be that large. The antenna, sure, those can take up some AREA. But not VOLUME. A typical milfare token antenna is about the size of a quarter. (and 1/4 as thick) The electronics are about the size of the cross section of a pea. (also close to flat)

        That would be a bit annoying to implant due to the area, but nowhere NEAR as annoying to have under the skin as a lego figure - that's HUGE for a t

        • by Rei ( 128717 )

          It's not that big [googleusercontent.com]. You're right - the antenna is what takes up a lot of "space" on the card, but minimal volume, while the chip itself is tiny.

          Here's [hackaday.io] what they modified it to for implantation.

      • "about the size of a Lego mini-figure"

        What's that in real measurements?

        Is being incapable of saying "centimeters" or "meters" a requirement for journalism these days?

        I think it's because it always starts the English vs metric wars all over again.

    • Meh (Score:5, Insightful)

      by spineboy ( 22918 ) on Tuesday August 13, 2019 @06:32AM (#59082040) Journal

      All you really need is a good sized needle to put this in, like they do with pets.

      Taking it out however - you'll need a small incision.

      I'm a surgeon, who's used to making 1-2 ft long incisions, for big surgeries, and I wouldn't want a chip under my skin.

    • To be accurate, she implanted an RFID chip in her arm a long time ago. This is a story because apparently she rediscovered RFID cloning, but this time with a Tesla!

      • by ceoyoyo ( 59147 )

        It's right in the summary: she tried cloning it but couldn't get it to work so she cut up the card and implanted the RFID bit. Now she's got two.

  • You can get that kind of surgery in Iceland?

  • by Dallas May ( 4891515 ) on Monday August 12, 2019 @09:20PM (#59081312)

    "Look we aren't going find a parking spot. Can we just valet?"
    "Afraid not."

    • Can we just valet?

      Sure. A Model 3 comes with two card keys and the owner can get extra cards [tesla.com] for $25 each.

      P.S. She took an RFID setup that was designed with antenna wires in a loop, and rolled those up into a little cylinder in her arm. I'm not surprised that the range "isn't the greatest". But yeah, she's not going to lose the key.

      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        Seems a bit drastic, I'd much rather go with a ring or bracelet that I can replace when I change car or it breaks down.

        • Comment removed based on user account deletion
          • Because ignition switch key lock cylinders have never been a problem, amirite? COUGH GM HRRFFFF

            • Because ignition switch key lock cylinders have never been a problem, amirite? COUGH GM HRRFFFF

              Every car I've had except my jeeps have had lock cylinder problems. And I think the Jeep thing is just luck so far.

              Older cars can be very cool, but in reality, the build quality of modern vehicles is impressively superior.

              My first serious car, a 1965 Buick Skylark, was a great car. But despite care, it hardly made it past 100K miles. And that was with nickel-diming after 50.

              My first minivan was a 84 voyager. 4 cylinder crap that couldn't get out of it's own way. Now a 4 cylinder engine can bark pr

          • Meh call me a Luddite but I'll stick with my old dependable Ranger, just stick key in ignition, turn and go. No computerized crap to break on me, no need for a diagnostic computer to work on it, just good old simple mechanical everything. As a nice bonus because it is so simple its easy to work on and parts are plentiful and cheap, just price one of the computer brains on a new truck and enjoy youre coronary when you find out how much it costs to replace the damn thing.

            Oh and its about to hit its 20th BDay in a few months and still purrs like a kitten, will any of the EVs out today be around in 20? Kinda doubt it.

            I'm surprised you have email or a computer.

          • Re:Valet parking (Score:4, Insightful)

            by drinkypoo ( 153816 ) <drink@hyperlogos.org> on Tuesday August 13, 2019 @08:50AM (#59082476) Homepage Journal

            Your ranger can be hotwired by any dildo who can find the ignition switch, probably on the bottom of the column. There are good things about it, but there are also bad things.

            • Who'd risk jail for a Ranger? I leave my beaters unlocked to save windows and park near vehicles worth stealing.

              • Who'd risk jail for a Ranger?

                Someone who wanted to use it for a crime. Although to be wise, they should steal an import.

          • Meh call me a Luddite but I'll stick with my old dependable Ranger, No computerized crap to break on me, no need for a diagnostic computer to work on it, just good old simple mechanical everything.

            Your 1996 or later Ranger has OBD2 [scanneranswers.com] on it so it has a diagnostic computer. It has plenty of electronics you apparently aren't aware of. And I very much doubt that it is particularly dependable given the age and make and likely mileage. Maybe it works fine for you and that's cool but that perceived simplicity does come with a cost. And just because you find it easy to repair doesn't mean it is reliable. Personally I prefer a car I don't have to repair over one that is easy to repair. And speaking of th

          • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

            Meh call me a Luddite but I'll stick with my old dependable Ranger, just stick key in ignition, turn and go. No computerized crap to break on me, no need for a diagnostic computer to work on it, just good old simple mechanical everything

            "twist and go" is a hallmark of a computerized engine, FYI.

            ECUs have been in play since the 80s when they became common and Electronic Fuel Injection became practically standard.

            If your Ranger was mecvhanized, you'd usually have a choke control, have to worry about vapor loc

          • by steveha ( 103154 )

            good old simple mechanical everything

            Internal combustion engines are a well-understood and mature technology. However, now that we have battery technology that doesn't suck for cars, electric is going to win in the long term.

            I always ask people "when was the last time you had to do maintenance on the electric motor in your refrigerator or your vacuum cleaner?" They get it, pretty quick... electric motors just work, and work, and work. You don't have to change their oil, tune them up, or do anything else

        • Seems a bit drastic, I'd much rather go with a ring or bracelet that I can replace when I change car or it breaks down.

          Considering the number of keyless entry systems out there, I'm surprised no one is doing this yet. It would be a little like having a jewelry counter at the dealership. Pick out what you want and get the jewelry you like.

          Some people would even want to accessorize, so there is a pretty good profit potential for multiple sales.

          BTW, my SO loves me wearing my fob around my neck. It's cut down my Key loss rate by 99.9 percent.

      • Range is close to zero for the unmodified cards. It will work through my wallet, if I touch my wallet with the key in it to the car's B pillar, but not much more.

  • Hold me (Score:5, Funny)

    by theskipper ( 461997 ) on Monday August 12, 2019 @09:21PM (#59081314)

    At some point the world is going to revert back to normal, isn't it?

    I'm being serious. It will, right?

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      At some point the world is going to revert back to normal, isn't it?

      No, just like the rest of us you will just keep getting older and crankier.

      • by DogDude ( 805747 )
        No, just like the rest of us you will just keep getting older and crankier.

        Thank you. That's reassuring.
      • So that means in the future I'll be as cranky as you 5-digit guys. Bleak bro.

        • So that means in the future I'll be as cranky as you 5-digit guys. Bleak bro.

          If you're lucky. That's the goal, but not everybody makes it. Here's a tip: Save as much money as you can. Old-You will appreciate it very much, and will know how to then enjoy all the free time you'll have. Don't buy a fancy car. Don't make "bold" investments. Make those boring ones that grind out a return year after year. OK, end of old-guy speech.

    • by stooo ( 2202012 )

      Define "Normal".
      But first, read 1984.

    • No, it's going to get more fucked up, which will become the new normal. And so on and so on.
  • by ndykman ( 659315 ) on Monday August 12, 2019 @09:30PM (#59081330)

    I mean, a body modification specialist definitely has the experience and training to isolate key structures to make sure no nerves are damaged or anything. I mean, there's books and YouTube videos after all.

    Then again, on the off chance it does go wrong, a doctor will be happy to charge you a small fortune to try and fix it. You know, like the eye surgeon trying to save the eyesight of somebody that had dye injected into their sclera because, you know, self expression.

     

    • Witness Captain Cyborg [wikipedia.org]. Also, my dog has a chip in her. They just put it under your skin. It's safe enough and well enough understood unlike trying to change your eye color (which can be done with contacts).
    • The technology is pretty well proven. Most dogs & cats are chipped these days. The technology seems to work well (although the lifespan of dogs & cats is less than people).

      However, the pet chip readers have to be held pretty close to chip (usually in the shoulder) to read.

      It seems like there are less invasive ways of not losing your keys -- bracelet, ring (or even pockets!). It also seems like if you are going to this much trouble, you should design a smaller chip rather than just cutting the key ca

      • by ndykman ( 659315 )

        Well, those chips are specifically made for the purpose. They are much smaller (the size of a grain of rice) and therefore much easier to place. But, as you noted, the size limits proximity requirements.

        Not the same as melting down a plastic card, covering up the important bits, making a incision in your forearm, working that in place and hoping the whole thing doesn't move around too much.

    • I mean, a body modification specialist definitely has the experience and training to isolate key structures to make sure no nerves are damaged or anything.

      Meh. Inserting something under the skin is very low risk as long as everything is sterile and the something is a material that doesn't cause allergic reactions. Body modification places do it all the time.

  • That has got to be Rei.

  • Surely it would be much easier to implant the chip rectally! Granted, given the range I suppose it would require serious gymnastics to get it into position near the console...
  • Body modification and medical procedures / Skin implant procedures
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • by Adambomb ( 118938 ) on Monday August 12, 2019 @10:21PM (#59081412) Journal

      Honestly i think the creepiest part is that the functionality seems to be poorer than a fob in ones pocket. What is the fucking functional advantage here? If there isn't one, why the hell would you do that?

      • Honestly i think the creepiest part is that the functionality seems to be poorer than a fob in ones pocket. What is the fucking functional advantage here? If there isn't one, why the hell would you do that?

        Well, unless you've just been in a sword fight, you will never lose or forget your car key.

        • Well, unless you've just been in a sword fight, you will never lose or forget your car key.

          Perfect for dementia patients who want to keep driving, but not a situation that comes up much for the rest of us.

        • Good luck trying to sell the car. Since she will still be able to start the car unless she gets the chip removed, the next owner is going to want a discount to rechip the car.

          Just another step up from selfie attention seeking behaviour.

      • by Livius ( 318358 )

        I can admit to being old-fashioned sometimes but I really see a trend of massively diminishing returns with a lot of 'innovations' and 'new' technologies. The advantages seem frivolous and the risks and costs disproportionately high. The health risks for example are pretty small in this situation but they still exceed whatever value there is in having a chip in one's arm over simply having a card at the end of a lanyard.

        I'm not opposed to innovation but I oppose sacrificing simplicity and reliability for

      • To get headlines on tech sites and be internet famous for about 4 seconds.

      • What is the fucking functional advantage here?

        "Impression, sometimes called a view or an ad view"

    • It doesn't creep me out, by I do think she is a fucking moron. seriously getting something implanted in you that is absolutely positively going to be obsolete within a year or two is just beyond logic.
    • Tattoos creep me out but not as much as eyebrows that have been penciled on. A chip hidden under the skin out of site that serves some kind of purpose is not a problem.

      At my brothers bachelor party I had a stripper with more tattoos than a biker gang that kept wanting to play with my hair. My brother and his friends thought it was hilarious later when they found out how much it creeped me out,

  • I very much hope that in order to test this silly prank she had to uninstall the Tesla app that unlocks her car using NFC with a range of meters not centimeters. A totally derivative demonstration of concept. OK. I admit it, she one upped me. I just heated my keycard and bent it into a slight curve before supergluing it to the inside of my wrist. My 3D Tat sure is going to look stupid next to her permanent suture scar in the shape of the Tesla logo.
  • Is she self-driving?
  • by pablo_max ( 626328 ) on Tuesday August 13, 2019 @12:01AM (#59081542)

    Sounds like "Tesla owner" is the new "Florida man".

  • Her original idea - using it as a suppository - failed miserably.

  • Kevin Warwick (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Warwick#Project_Cyborg) got there first and, worse, there are now implants for 'employees' (AKA wage slaves, with 'brands'): https://eu.usatoday.com/story/... [usatoday.com]. In general, for a couple of seconds of extra convenience, this is pretty stupid and somewhat dystopian.

    In one of Mark Adlard's books, perhaps this one: https://www.goodreads.com/book... [goodreads.com] someone gets their hand removed because the 'remover' wishes to use the access chip inside it. Just sayin'...
  • More like IF the swelling goes down.

  • by DrXym ( 126579 ) on Tuesday August 13, 2019 @03:17AM (#59081764)
    Putting herself at risk of a serious infection and acquiring a noticeable scar just so she can open a car without a phone. Except she probably carries the phone anyway and she'll probably sell the car in a few years too. Super dumb.
    • Putting herself at risk of a serious infection and acquiring a noticeable scar just so she can open a car without a phone.

      So, let market researchers and TLA authorities track your movements just so you can open a car without a key.

    • It's just standard RFID hardware she put in years before having the Tesla. She just cloned her key card onto it, and somehow this is a story.

      • No, that's wrong. She did already have an RFID implant, but she wasn't able to clone the Telsa key card onto it. So instead she dissolved the plastic of the card and converted the electronics into a new implant.

    • Putting herself at risk of a serious infection and acquiring a noticeable scar just so she can open a car without a phone.

      Did you look at her? She's covered with tattoos, has several body piercings and already implanted a different RFID chip in her hand. Either (a) she doesn't care about this risk, or (b) she knows how to minimize it or (c) both. In any case, someone like her is clearly unafraid of a little pain, blood and easily-mitigable risk of infection.

  • ...the autopilot can also take control of the driver!
  • If a car i stolen the insurance will asks back all the keys, excluding some special cases, like robbery. A missing car key could be a big hassle to get the insurance to pay.
    I'm not sure that the implanted piece will be considered a key anyway.
    Besides, a mechanical key has the big advantage that is a cheap mechanism to lock the steering wheel.
  • by sad_ ( 7868 )

    yes, finally, having to cary a key or phone on you is such a drag!
    who still does that? Neanderthals?

    • I've been avoiding the phone bit for the last decade and it has been a rather pleasant experience. If I could get away without having to carry my keys and wallet that would be even better. However I am a little leery of switching entirely to electronic transactions to pay for things, I like having the cash option. And of course switching to having all these things implanted carries the downsides of using bio-metrics. If you have to rekey for any reason it'll probably be a lot more trouble and expense to fix

    • I drove my wife's car this weekend for the first time. It has one of those push to start things. I had no idea where to put my keys. I'm not used to needing a place to store them while driving.

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • I just bought a new car. It has a remote that the car detects from 1-3 meters from the car. Now I know here in the United States manufacturers use the 433MHz range. And I just so happen to have my amateur radio license and I want to see what happens when I key up at 6W to being able to get into the car.
  • A few years back a Wisconsin company did something similar. What's the big fuss?

    > July 25, 2017
    > A Wisconsin company is offering to implant tiny radio-frequency chips in its employees – and it says they are lining up for the technology.[...]
    > Employees who have the rice-grain-sized RFID chip implanted between their thumb and forefinger can then use it "to make purchases in their break room micro market, open doors, login to computers, use the copy machine," 32M said.[...][/quote]

    > https:/ [npr.org]

  • The title should read "Random moron implanted some crap into her arm". There. Not everything has to be about Tesla.

  • Hasn't she ever heard of bracelets? Much easier to hand over when you sell the car as well.
  • Now the paperwork with the chip explodes as it must state not for use in a human body. Also would the FDA come down on her for running a human medical experiment without permission?

    The world as many prefer it.

  • Amie apparently missed the class where they expressed the virtue of not tightly coupling your components together.

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