Editing Kevin Warwick (section)

===Project Cyborg===
Probably the most famous research undertaken by Warwick—and the origin of the nickname "Captain Cyborg"<ref name=cyborg1/><ref name=cyborg2/><ref name=cyborg3/> given to him by ''[[The Register]]''—is the set of experiments known as Project Cyborg, in which an array was implanted into his arm, with the goal of him "becoming a [[cyborg]]".<ref name="doi10.1001/archneur.60.10.1369|noedit">{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1001/archneur.60.10.1369| pmid = 14568806| title = The Application of Implant Technology for Cybernetic Systems| journal = Archives of Neurology| volume = 60| issue = 10| pages = 1369–73| year = 2003| last1 = Warwick | first1 = K. | last2 = Gasson | first2 = M. | last3 = Hutt | first3 = B. | last4 = Goodhew | first4 = I. | last5 = Kyberd | first5 = P. | last6 = Andrews | first6 = B. | last7 = Teddy | first7 = P. | last8 = Shad | first8 = A. | doi-access =  }}</ref>

The first stage of Project Cyborg, which began on 24 August 1998, involved a simple [[RFID]] transmitter being implanted beneath Warwick's skin, which was used to control doors, lights, heaters, and other computer-controlled devices based on his proximity.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/professor-has-worlds-first-silicon-chip-implant-1174101.html| title=Professor has world's first silicon chip implant| website=[[Independent.co.uk]]| date=1998-08-25| access-date=2 September 2017| archive-date=15 October 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015193357/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/professor-has-worlds-first-silicon-chip-implant-1174101.html| url-status=live}}</ref> He explained that the main purpose of this experiment was to test the limits of what the body would accept, and how easy it would be to receive a meaningful signal from the microprocessor.<ref>''Wired Magazine'' 8.02 (February 2000), [https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.02/warwick.html 'Cyborg 1.0: Interview with Kevin Warwick'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127154449/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.02/warwick.html |date=27 November 2013 }}. Retrieved 25 December 2006.</ref>

The second stage of the research involved a more complex neural interface, designed and built especially for the experiment by Dr. [[Mark Gasson]] and his team at the University of Reading. This device consisted of a [[BrainGate]] sensor, a silicon square about 3mm wide, connected to an external "gauntlet" that housed supporting electronics. It was implanted under local anaesthetic on 14 March 2002 at the [[Radcliffe Infirmary]] in [[Oxford]], where it was interfaced directly into Warwick's nervous system via the [[median nerve]] in his left wrist. The [[microelectrode array]] that was inserted contained 100 [[electrode]]s, each the width of a human hair, of which 25 could be accessed at any one time, whereas the nerve that was being monitored carries many times that number of signals. The experiment proved successful, and the output signals were detailed enough to enable a [[robot arm]], developed by Warwick's colleague Dr. [[Peter Kyberd]], to mimic the actions of Warwick's own arm.<ref name="doi10.1001/archneur.60.10.1369|noedit"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_550084.html |title=Professor becomes world's first cyborg |date=22 March 2002 |website=[[Ananova]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020323100648/https://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_550084.html |archive-date=23 March 2002 |url-status=dead |access-date=17 October 2019}}</ref>

By means of the implant, Warwick's nervous system was connected to the Internet at [[Columbia University]], New York. From there he was able to control the robot arm at the University of Reading and obtain feedback from sensors in the finger tips. He also successfully connected [[Ultrasonic transducer|ultrasonic sensors]] on a baseball cap and experienced a form of extrasensory input.<ref>Warwick, K, Hutt, B, Gasson, M and Goodhew, I. "An attempt to extend human sensory capabilities by means of implant technology", Proceedings IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, Hawaii, pp.1663–1668, October 2005</ref>

In a highly publicised extension to the experiment, a simpler array was implanted into the arm of Warwick's wife, with the ultimate aim of one day creating a form of [[telepathy]] or [[empathy]] using the Internet to communicate the signal over huge distances. This experiment resulted in the first direct and purely electronic communication between the nervous systems of two humans.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Thought Communication and Control: A First Step using Radiotelegraphy |journal= IEE Proceedings - Communications|volume=151|issue=3|pages=185|doi=10.1049/ip-com:20040409|year=2004|last1=Warwick|first1=K.|last2=Gasson|first2=M.|last3=Hutt|first3=B.|last4=Goodhew|first4=I.|last5=Kyberd|first5=P.|last6=Schulzrinne|first6=H.|last7=Wu|first7=X.|doi-broken-date= 7 December 2024}}</ref> Finally, the effect of the implant on Warwick's hand function was measured using the [[University of Southampton]]'s Hand Assessment Procedure (SHAP).<ref>{{cite journal|title=Case studies to demonstrate the range of applications of the Southampton Hand Assessment Procedure|journal=British Journal of Occupational Therapy|volume=72|issue=5|pages=212|doi=10.1177/030802260907200506|year=2009|last1=Kyberd|first1=P. J.|last2=Murgia|first2=A.|last3=Gasson|first3=M.|last4=Tjerks|first4=T.|last5=Metcalf|first5=C.|last6=Chappell|first6=P. H.|last7=Warwick|first7=K.|last8=Lawson|first8=S. E. M.|last9=Barnhill|first9=T.|s2cid=3293666}}</ref> There was a fear that directly interfacing with the nervous system might cause some form of damage or interference, but no measurable side effect (nor any sign of rejection) was encountered.

====Implications====
Warwick and his colleagues claim that the Project Cyborg research could result in new medical tools for treating patients with damage to the nervous system, as well as assisting the more ambitious enhancements Warwick advocates. Some [[transhumanism|transhumanists]] even speculate that similar technologies could be used for technology-facilitated telepathy.<ref>{{cite web|title=Evolving Towards Telepathy|date=26 April 2004|author=Dvorsky, George |url=http://archives.betterhumans.com/Columns/Column/tabid/79/Column/267/Default.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706064752/http://archives.betterhumans.com/Columns/Column/tabid/79/Column/267/Default.aspx|archive-date=6 July 2007|publisher=Betterhumans }}</ref>