Warwick describes the tense moment when the array of pins was fired into his functioning nerve using a miniature pneumatic device, risking permanent loss of sensation in his hand. Early results show clear signals when he clenches his fist, and researchers plan to feed ultrasonic sensory data directly into his nervous system, potentially granting him a sense that no human has ever possessed. The professor reports occasional electrical "zings" as his nerves adapt to the implant.
Art also covers the FDA's same-day clearance of the VeriChip implantable identification device for the U.S. market, news of a potential first human clone reportedly eight weeks along, and reports of a possible magnetic pole reversal based on anomalies detected by the Orsted satellite.
Key Moments
World's first cyborg, hand still works: Bell introduces Warwick as the world's first cyborg fresh out of surgery, an array fired into his median nerve. Warwick reports he has full dexterity - the surgeon kept asking through the operation if he could still feel his fingers, and the answer was always yes.
Reading emotion off the nervous system: Warwick describes the next experimental step: capture nerve signals during extreme joy, pain, or excitement and learn to recognize them. Even without understanding what the signals mean, the team plans to fingerprint the pattern for 'Kevin's very excited.'
Adding an extrasensory sense - ultrasonic: Warwick is most excited about pumping signals back the other way - feeding ultrasonic input directly into his nervous system to give him a sense humans don't naturally have, with the nerves expected to grow toward the technology over time.
Implant on the internet - and the surveillance worry: Warwick concedes that linking himself to a computer that's on the internet 'opens things up,' and addresses a caller's worry about governments forcibly implanting and tracking citizens - calling that a different and serious matter.
Beaming emotion person-to-person - and torture: Warwick predicts emotional signals could soon be 'blasted from one person to another' - and feeding in memories or game-play. Bell instantly flips it: find the right two wires, hook a prisoner to a game of Pong, and walk away. Warwick agrees it's the dark side.