{"id":15728,"date":"2022-12-13T08:22:15","date_gmt":"2022-12-13T08:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nftandcrypto-news.com\/crypto\/not-medical-advice-bitcoiner-implants-lightning-chip-to-make-btc-payments-by-hand\/"},"modified":"2022-12-13T08:22:17","modified_gmt":"2022-12-13T08:22:17","slug":"not-medical-advice-bitcoiner-implants-lightning-chip-to-make-btc-payments-by-hand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nftandcrypto-news.com\/crypto\/not-medical-advice-bitcoiner-implants-lightning-chip-to-make-btc-payments-by-hand\/","title":{"rendered":"Not medical advice: Bitcoiner implants Lightning chip to make BTC payments by hand"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Lightning Network continues to shock the Bitcoin (BTC) community. A swiss IT Professional called F418 (not his real name) surgically implanted a Lightning-enabled chip into his right hand to make Lightning Network (LN) payments.<\/p>\n

An X-Ray image of the chip implanted into F418’s hand. Source: Youtube<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking with Cointelegraph, F418 said he experimented with body modification and LN payments for fun. He does not recommend that Bitcoin enthusiasts take the layer-2 payments network, the LN, into their own hands as he did. \u201cThe use is just to show that it is possible and you can do stuff like that.” He added that most people carry cards, it\u2019s just his hand has the wow factor: <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s funny if you are doing a presentation as I sometimes do presentations about payments and talk to people that are working in banks, and they make \u201cBig Eyes\u201d if they see that [my hand]. You don\u2019t need to have the implant.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Cointelegraph first met with F418 in his home country of Switzerland at the LN-friendly Plan B Lugano Conference. His attempts to pay failed as the first implant F418 used was \u201cDefective.\u201d Undeterred, F418 visited a medical professional to surgically remove the implant before trying again. <\/p>\n

The second attempt succeeded. The chip sits neatly in his right hand and can now make LN payments\u2013without reaching for a Bolt Card or a smartphone. But does it hurt, Cointelegraph asked. \u201cI don\u2019t feel anything\u2013even when I go to the gym,\u201d he replied.<\/p>\n

\"\"
F418 taps his hand on the back of his phone to pay for two beers and some crisps. Source: Youtube<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nonetheless, F418 brings up certain risks to the procedure. While the process is medically safe, \u201cThe only problem with the implants is that you can not make them really safe. It\u2019s not the same security as the bolt card\u2013you can only do LNURL withdraw; it\u2019s not safe.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plus, if you make a mistake during the implantation process, it\u2019s not a good idea to take the chip in and out of the body. It could cause harm or infection, F418 explained, so it’s best to get it the right the first time.<\/p>\n

In brief, the NFC chip works identically implanted in F418\u2019s hand enables him to make LN payments without the need for a physical device, such as a smartphone or card. He can simply hold his hand near a compatible NFC reader to initiate a payment. It\u2019s arguably the most convenient Bitcoin payment, allowing for quick and easy transactions without the need for any additional equipment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

NFC, or Near Field Communication technology use cases have bubbled up in the Bitcoin world. Indeed, NFC payments over the LN have surged in popularity since the introduction of the Bolt Card, first trialed over lunch on the Isle of Man, and now available in \u2018Bitcoin Country,\u2019 AKA El Salvador. <\/p>\n

F148 shows the tiny raised insert of the chip to Cointelegraph during a call. Source: Google Meet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s straightforward to set up an NFC card, sticker or even a sock to work for payments (see below Twitter video).\u00a0However, it\u2019s worth noting that F418\u2019s NFC implant into a human is the first of its kind. F418 has made the entire process open-source and accessible\u2013including health warnings\u2013on GitHub. He has called the process “Lightning Paw.”<\/p>\n

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Paying for a coffee with #Bitcoin<\/a> Lightning NFC and a pair of @mtsocks<\/a> \u26a1\ufe0f<\/p>\n

ANOTHER WORLD FIRST?!?! pic.twitter.com\/E4c0eei3v1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Molly Spiers (@CoinCornerMolly) December 10, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The LN is a second-layer payment protocol that operates on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. It allows for near-instant and near-free transactions by enabling users to make multiple payments without having to wait for the transactions to be confirmed on the blockchain. In essence, the LN creates a network of payment channels between users, allowing them to transact directly without the need for each transaction to be recorded on the blockchain.<\/p>\n

Related:\u00a0Subway accepts Bitcoin, so users can get a sandwich on the Lightning Network<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

As for F418, he continues to tinker with Bitcoin and, increasingly the Lightning Network. IT professional and extreme sports enthusiast by day, he’s a Bitcoin hobbyist \u201cwho likes to try stupid stuff\u201d by night. He joins thousands of Bitcoin hobbyists around the world who continue to build on Bitcoin despite the brutal bear market. Speaking from home in Switzerland, he told Cointelegraph:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have an open network where everyone can do innovative things; it will always have the advantage of a closed system that only a couple of people can work on it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Just don\u2019t try this at home, anon. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n