Biohacker who inserted travel card chip into his body gets fined for not having ticket

Australian man Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow (yes, that's his real name), 33, has been in a legal dispute with public transport authorities over not having a ticket.

Meow-Meow argued he did have a valid ticket. It was just implanted inside his hand.

The biohacker inserted a near-field communication (NFC) chip coated with biocompatible plastic into his hand last year, so he didn't have to use a card. The chip was from an Opal card, Sydney's equivalent to London's Oyster.

Still, Meow-Meow plead guilty on Friday morning in Newtown Local Court to the charges of using public transport without a valid ticket and not producing a ticket for transport officers, resulting in a A$220 fine and A$1,000 in legal costs, according to ABC News.

Meow-Meow's lawyer argued the introduction of contactless payment through services like MasterCard means transport laws should allow all technology, including implants, to be used as tickets.

The judge in the case, Michael Quinn, said that Meow-Meow had to respect current laws, even if one day they may be changed to include all sorts of tech.

While disappointed, Meow-Meow will replace the Opal card chip with another that will hold information like credit cards and memberships. The future is coming, whether legislators like it or not.