iPayables Scholarship Winner
Congratulations to Christopher Naber student at the University of Cincinnati – Winner of the 2015 iPayables Scholarship. Christopher was awarded $1,000 to use for his education after winning our essay contest with the following entry:
The NanoWallet
“Hey buddy mind picking up my tab? I forgot my wallet again! Can you believe that?!” “Yes, Tim. Yes, I can…” We all know that guy or girl who pulls this trick, but why should we ever be without our wallet? The year is 2016, so why are we still checking our pockets to make sure we have our wallets? Why should we have to go through the gut wrenching feeling of wondering where we left that one item which contains the essentials to our lives? Those are the questions scientists and engineers have answered with the modern way people pay for goods and services – it is called the “NanoWallet”.
The NanoWallet, or “NoW”, is a tissue-like device that is applied under the dermis layer of the skin. Made with strong, skin-friendly material, it was engineered by a cache of engineers from the biomedical, nanotechnology and electrical engineering fields. It does not contain any potentially harmful electronic impulses that could deteriorate or transfer charge to the human body. Instead, the NoW contains a barcode that is unique to each person, and is read from a scanner using infrared light. The NoW is applied by means of a minimally invasive procedure that takes your family doctor only five minutes to implant.
Once the NoW is inserted, it is invisible to the human eye and safe from being copied. This is similar to the chips in credit and debit cards from 100 years ago that solved the card hacking crisis. NoW is completely safe from scammers and hackers at the register. Each person’s code is unique and represents an exclusive account that can have assorted features attached to it. Each account can have a credit and debit card linked to it and the user selects which account they would like to use at the touch screen register. Other accounts may also be registered to each individual unit; like various store memberships and gift cards. All these accounts may be monitored from any mobile device under the free NoW application. Inside the app, the user may view information from each account and control its’ settings. Things like credit line, credit score, savings and checking accounts, your favorite store point balances, and even gift card balances can be summoned and maintained from the application. Having this app gives each person using it constant financial situational awareness. Just as the touch phone has consolidated the computer, camera, and telephone onto one device; the NoW has consolidated all funds management into one place.
The personal information each user stores in the app software is communicated to the central hub, which communicates with each register no matter what the store. Though they are still called “registers,” they hardly resemble the clunky, change-ridden boxes of 10 decades ago. Now, five-inch touch screen displays fasten to the end of a checkout cell where the shopper scans their NoW under the infrared light. From here, one selects the account they utilize to pay for their goods/services, and if they would like to apply any customer cards or coupons. The genius behind the quick and easy display, is the software on each individual unit that communicates with the central hub which contains each person’s info on massive secured servers. It accesses their information in real-time and the customer chooses the account to pull funds from for the purchase.
The NanoWallet has also made online shopping very easy. While browsing online, once you have decided you want to purchase, pull up the online account and enter the unique secured finger print pattern onto the device when prompted at “checkout” and click purchase. The finger print pattern was created as a safer alternative to punching in a number. With all devices being touch screen and having finger print readers embedded into their frame, the engineers decided to have all ten finger prints registered in the system and a unique touch pattern created. The touch pattern would look something like this: left index, left pinky, right pinky, left ring, left middle, etc. Not only are peoples finger prints unique of each other’s, but there are an extensive number of possibilities to a 10 touch finger print pattern.
Like most advances in modern technology it received back-lash from portions of the public as being unnatural for the human body and unsafe. What these people fail to come to terms with is how much technology has progressed in other areas that have been accepted in the last 50 years. For example, parents are now given the option to globally track their children with a nan0-shot that the child may opt to have removed when they reach the age of 18 years. All domestic animals have been given chips as a way to maintain track of the pet. It also serves as a monitor to the animals’ vital signs if they are subject to extreme changes. Developments like these have driven the NanoWallet into existence where it is making a very positive impact on society!
The fast-paced culture of instantaneous knowledge that pushes people to seek being more informed has driven the great success of the NanoWallet. Individuals feel safer and more content in their life, managing less and knowing more with the convenience of the app. Paying for goods and services has come a long way in a hundred years, and it is anyone’s guess what the next 100 will bring!