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## Implantation Backup Article

### courtesy Kathy Kasten

    Tuesday August 25 2:59 PM EDT

    Professor claims to receive first chip implant

    By Neil Winton, Science and Technology Correspondent

    READING, England (Reuters) - Professor Kevin Warwick
    claimed on Tuesday to be the first person in the world to
    have a computer chip surgically implanted into his body.

    Warwick told a news conference that a glass capsule about
    one inch long and one-tenth of an inch wide containing an
    electromagnetic coil and a silicon chip was inserted into
    his arm on Monday.

    "It is a research experiment. I don't know how long we will
    leave the implant in but it's looking at what's possible
    now in terms of communicating between a computer and
    myself," Warwick said.

    Warwick is head of the Cybernetics Department at the
    University of Reading. He demonstrated the chip in action
    by walking through the front door of his department.

    "Good morning, Professor Warwick. You have five new E
    mails," said a computerized voice activated by the inserted
    chip.

    The human as computer had many applications, but also
    dangers, Warwick said.

    "Possibilities could be that anyone who wanted access to a
    gun could do so only if they had one of these implants," he
    said. "Then if they actually try and enter a school or
    building that doesn't want them in there, the school
    computer would sound alarms and warn people inside or even
    prevent them having access.

    f"The same could be true at work where employees could be
    tracked in and out of the building to see when they are
    there.

    "This is a technology where there are big positives but
    there are also big negatives. Do we want to hand over
    control to machinery or to have buildings telling us what
    we can do or can't do?"

    "I'm really looking at what's technically possible. I'm
    excited about the future prospects, particularly the human
    body communicating and interacting with a computer. There
    are a lot of exciting possibilities."

    Warwick said the chip was implanted by his own doctor, who
    advised him to have it removed within 10 days.

    There was a danger of infection, although Warwick was
    taking antibiotics.

    Reading University said in a statement that this was the
    first chip to be surgically inserted into a human.

    "It is therefore not known what effects it will have, how
    well it will operate and how robust it will be. Professor
    Warwick is therefore taking an enormous risk -- for the
    transponder to leak or shatter within his body could be
    catastrophic," the statement said.

    Warwick shrugged off the dangers.

    "It doesn't hurt any. I took some Nurofen just before the
    operation.  It feels uncomfortable; it feels as though
    there's something in my arm, but it doesn't feel
    unpleasant."

    "Cybernetics is all about humans and technology
    interacting. For a professor of cybernetics to become a
    true Cyborg -- part man, part machine -- is therefore
    rather appropriate," Warwick said.

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