By day there were tech entrepreneurs, students, web designers and IT consultants - but that night they were going to be transformed into cyborgs. It may sound like the beginning of a science-fiction novel, but in fact it is a recollection of real events, by bio-hacker Hannes Sjoblad. He organised the so-called implant party, which took place in late November and was one of several he has arranged. At it, eight volunteers were implanted with a small RFID (radio frequency identification) chip under the skin in their hand. Mr Sjoblad also has one.

He is starting small, aiming to get 100 volunteers signed up in the coming few months, with 50 people already implanted. But his vision is much bigger. "Then will be a 1,000, then 10,000. I am convinced that this technology is here to stay and we will think it nothing strange to have an implant in their hand."
 
Currently the chip acts as a simple security interface, allowing users to open their door without a key, although to do so they need to buy a new door lock, which are at the moment still expensive. With a tweak to an Android phone, it can also unlock the device. But there is potential beyond that. "I believe we have just started discovering the things we can do with this," Mr Sjoblad says.

"There is huge potential for life-logging. "With the fitness-tracking wearables at the moment, you have to type what you are eating, or where you are going. Instead of typing data into my phone, when I put it down and tap it with my implant it will know I am going to bed. "Imagine sensors around a gym that recognises, for instance, who is holding a dumb-bell via the tag in your hand. "There is an ongoing explosion in the internet of things - the sensors will be all around for me to be able to register my activity in relation to them."