This patent from Microsoft has been applied for in June of 2019 and recently approved, but it remains to be seen if this system will see the light of day in real consumer world. Major companies often apply for futuristic patents like this to protect themselves against future copyright infringements, but this one might be different. Bill Gates doesn’t like to joke. 

Microsoft has a recently approved patent for using bodily heat, fluids, and brainwaves to measure and analyze block chain reactions that can result in digital currency, such a Bitcoin mining. So does it mean that humans will replace machines and complex algorithms to generate data and perform various computations for Bill Gates without the need of technology? Well, not exactly, but let’s explore further.

How would it work?

Instead of computers performing mathematical problems while using huge amounts of processing power, we, humans, would be connected to MRI machines, heat cameras, heart rate measuring technology, and infrared sensors to generate cryptocurrency through monitoring of our body physical responses and brain movement. In essence, we would become flesh and blood crypto miners!

Human body could be tracked and measured while we engage in a specific task and rewarded with cryptocurrency. Tasks would be pretty simple – looking at an ad, using internet services, interacting with chat bot, browsing a website, or engaging in social media. There are 28 total tasks that we would work on. Our brain activity and body heat would be measured, recorded, and used in the mining process. 

Huge amounts of energy and machines to solve problems would no longer be needed if we unconsciously would perform those tasks and become “proof-of-work” for cryptocurrency systems. Such “proof-of-work” is needed to deem the transaction valid and mine cryptocurrency in the block chain system that is currently used in a cryptocurrency generation.  We would not do it for free though – a chunk of cryptocurrency would await all participants.

In addition to brain and heat patterns, the patent lists body fluids and other organ movement and flow. That can sound quite scary – thanks, Bill!

Bitcoin is not the only cryptocurrency this would work for; in fact, the patent doesn’t determine the exact types. There could even be an entirely new digital payment system created just for human block chain activity. There are no certain plans if and when this system will be developed, if at all, and Microsoft is staying mum about it. 

To end this exploration into our possible future of live crypto miners, it’s worth noting that the patent was approved March 26, of 2020 with publication number that ends in 060606. Do you think it’s a coincidence? Some of us don’t.