Viennese security entrepreneur Thomas Urbanek says he is “feeling fine” in an interview with The International, just a day after undergoing his fifth microchip implant.

Urbanek, CEO of security solutions company Taurus Sicherheitstechnik, now has three chips in his left hand and two in his right.

The implants enable him to lock and unlock doors, start cars, control alarm systems, store passwords and contacts, access cryptocurrency, and much more.

“I don’t carry a single key either at home or at the office,” Urbanek told The International.

The latest chip, measuring two centimetres, was implanted in a €300 procedure on Thursday. “I have to wait one or two weeks for the swelling to go down before I can start using it,” Urbanek added.

Urbanek isn’t alone in Austria when it comes to chip implants. “I’d say there are a couple of hundred others, but I’m the one who’s decided to make it public,” he explained.

There’s a reason why he chose to do so. “I consider myself forward-thinking, and it’s important for me to talk about the future of technology.”

Addressing speculation online, Urbanek clarified that the chips cannot track him via GPS. Similar to NFC chips found in credit and debit cards, they are passive and require an external energy source, such as a door or a cashier terminal, to read them.

Urbanek first encountered chip implants six years ago when a customer wanted to control their home entry system through a hand-implanted chip. But it wasn’t until 2020 that Urbanek decided to delve into the technology himself. While visiting a security expo in Germany, he underwent his first implant.

Looking ahead, Urbanek has no plans to halt his experimentation. “I may even consider having one in my leg too; there’s still so much potential for what these chips can do,” he remarked.