Why Some North Texans Are Bio Hacking

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ADDISON (CBS11) -We live in a digital world filled with computers, cell phones even fitness trackers.  People now use technology for everyday conveniences.

But how far would you go to make life easier?

We found dozens of people here in North Texas getting skin-deep, high-tech implants.

Krissy Heishman is among those who have had a Radio Frequency Identification chip implanted.

The process is called, bio hacking.

It's the size of a grain of rice implanted between her right index finger and her thumb.

Why would someone do this?  Convenience for one.

Heishmann says to end the hassle of carrying a security badge at work.

"So I'd be swiping this thing every time I went in and a lot of times I'm carrying this stuff and it was really inconvenient," says Heishmann.

So, with just a wave of her now bionic hand, Heishman's identity is scanned and verified.

CBS11 found others getting tagged with Near Field Communication chips.  These work with things like smartphones and locking cars.

With wireless technology continuing to get smaller, microchipping is becoming more mainstream.

But getting implanted isn't happening in a doctor's office or at a hospital.  This "experience" is offered to body-modification clients at Skin Art Gallery in Addison.

Ryan Mills is among very few people in the country performing this procedure.

Anyone can buy the implants and the syringe. They come from here.

It's use at your own risk, but the founder of www.DangerousThings.com,  Amal Graffstra suggests being implanted by a doctor or a licensed body piercer.

They are not considered medical devices which is why a body modification artist can legally perform the implanting procedure.

Despite skepticism that things like this are happening at Skin Art Gallery Mills says, "I've heard a couple of people on the conspiracy theory side of this talk about tracking or the government.  There are much more dangerous things in our day to day lives.  Our internet histories.  Our cell phones.  These are something to make our lives a little bit easier and that's what technology is all about."

The cost? Between $100 and $140 dollars.

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