On some Swedish trains, passengers carry their e-tickets in their hands. About 3,000 Swedes have chosen to put microchips (微芯片) beneath the skin between fingers. The chips, which cost around $150, can hold personal facts, credit-card numbers and medical records. They depend on Radio Frequency ID (RFID), a technology already used in payment cards, tickets and passports.

There are 10,000 people with chip implants (植入) around the world. Sweden, home to several microchip companies, has the largest share. People can order do-it-yourself kits. And sometimes they get T-shirts that say “I got chipped”.

Jowan Österlund, the founder of BioHax, a Swedish firm, argues that chips are safer than mobile phones because it is harder to steal information from them. But some people still have worries. RFID chips do not have GPS, but they leave a trail when they are used to open doors, operate printers, etc. In 2004 a Mexican government official and his workmates had chips placed in their arms that tracked who had accessed important information.

So why take the risk? Less trouble is one reason. The equipment for microchip implants exists wherever new payments are accepted. Sweden is well suited, as the world’s second most cash-less country (after Canada).

But the chips have little use unless all companies agree to work together. Few shops recognize this chip implants yet, even those organizations that do have had some troubles in the beginning. When Swedish rail officials began scanning passengers’ microchips, they saw private information rather than evidence of ticket buying. For now the chips are used largely as business cards, keys or to store important information.

So the desire to win notice or admiration is another explanation. Chip enthusiasts want to equip human bodies with technology. Elon Musk, an American businessman has spent money on this technology that connects machines with human brains, which caused fears from some Christians.

Next time you’re in a public place, take a look around you, and count how many people are using their phones. I can tell you now that it is probably more than half, whether you’re on public transport, in a cafe or simply walking down the street.

I’m not saying that I am not an example of this, but it always amazes me how people can spend so much time on their phones without actually talking to anyone in particular.

For example, I recently visited London and travelled on the tube while I was there. Apart from the people asleep, almost everybody else was on their phones, and because of the nature of the tube, it is difficult not to see exactly what they are all doing. Of course, being underground it is difficult for you to get any signal, which rules out texting or using the Internet, but there is still plenty you can use your phones for. People were playing games, reading articles and listening to music, and I am sure that as soon as they emerged from the train station they would start texting or calling or checking their emails.

Recently, my smartphone broke and had to be sent off to the warehouse for repair for a week or so. In the meantime I had to use a really old, basic phone just to keep me in touch with my family and friends. All I could do on this phone was send text messages, make calls and play one game. And I loved it. I loved being free from the Internet, and I really didn’t mind not having constant updates about what my friends were doing or what the latest celebrity story was. It allowed me to spend more lime taking in my surroundings.

However, I knew that as soon as I got my smartphone hack I would be one of those people once again. Perhaps I should just go back to using the basic phone and forget my smartphone.

If you’re homeless and looking for a temporary shelter in Hawaii’s capital, expect a visit from a robotic police dog that will scan your eyes to make sure you don’t have a fever. That’s just one of the ways public safety agencies are starting to use Spot, a new robot that runs around with quick movement.

The police officials experimenting with the four-legged machines say they’re just another tool to keep emergency responders out of harm’s way as they search for dangers.

Joseph O’Neal, an officer of the Honolulu Police Department, said the robot has protected officers, shelter staff and residents by scanning body temperatures between mealtimes at a shelter where homeless people could quarantine(隔离) and get tested for COVID-19.The robot is also used to remotely interview individuals who have tested positive.

The company that makes the robots, Boston Dynamics, says it’s trying to do a good job of explaining to the public and its customers what Spot can and cannot do. “One of the most difficult tasks is accurately explaining the state of the technology to people who have never had personal experience with it,” said Michael Perry, vice president of the company.

There are roughly 500 Spot robots now in the wild. Perry said they’re commonly used by companies to check dangerous areas. Spot is also used to monitor construction sites, mines and factories, equipped with whatever sensor is needed for the job.

It’s still mostly controlled by humans, though all they have to do is tell it which direction to go and it can climb stairs or cross over rough areas. It can also operate autonomously, but only if it’s already memorized a road and there aren’t too many surprise obstacles(障碍). “The first value that most people see in the robot is taking a person out of a dangerous situation,” Perry said.