Mobile Phone Tooth Implants

[WiNaDeYo]

I saw this on the Italian news last night and thought I'd check it out.

http://www.wired.com/science/discove.../2002/06/53302
(Now, is that guy just taking to himself, or what?)

Excuse Me, Is Your Tooth Ringing?

Soon the phrase "I've got something in my tooth" -- instead of conjuring up fears of root canal surgery and the like -- could refer to the latest in wearable wireless technology.

A new design for a tooth implant that receives digital signals from radios and mobile phones will be on display at the Science Museum in London beginning Friday.

Designed by Jimmy Loizeau and James Auger, research associates from MIT Media Lab Europe, this collaboration between the Science Museum and the Royal College of Art aims to increase public understanding of science, technology and the arts by showcasing young talent. Part of the "future products" exhibit, it is supported by the National Endowment for Science, Technology & the Arts.

"James and Jimmy's designs raises some real issues about how far we want to go with using biotechnology in our bodies; the possibilities are endless," said NESTA spokesman Joe Meaney.

With your jawbone playing antenna and your head the receiver set, your newly enhanced teeth could allow you to hear the alarm clock without waking your partner, tune into your favorite music and even receive stock market information while you're out playing golf.

Incorporating the technology is a relatively minor procedure. A micro-vibration device and a wireless receiver is implanted into a natural tooth during routine dental surgery.

Sounds are transferred from the tooth into the inner ear by bone resonance (digital signals being converted into audio). And for those who might be worried about a buzzing mouth, sound reception is assured to be totally discreet. "The vibrations are on a molecular level, so the user only experiences pure sound streaming into their consciousness," Loizeau says.

The implant is designed to work in tandem with either a dedicated device or a modified mobile telephone, which can pick up the long distance signals and transmit a local signal to the tooth receiver. Capable of being fully customized to suit user requirements, reception can be switched on and off at will with the aid of the dedicated device.

"We realize that having unwanted sound information arriving directly into the user's brain would resemble technological schizophrenia, therefore maximum control is essential." Auger says.

Currently the tooth works only as a receiver. "Basically for sound to be transmitted it needs to be created in the first place; speaking would (make moot) the discreet nature of the implant," Loizeau says.

For those high-volume lovers, the technology can be implanted in any number of molars. Having more than one tuneful tooth implanted creates a "surround sound" effect, a little like having lots of speakers in your car stereo.

With the minimal hardware required, estimated costs of the implant are quite low and because the dental surgery is pretty basic, the procedure is relatively cheap. With health issues being minimal, about the same as the issues rasied by the use of mobile phones, the tooth is expected to be available in markets in the near future.

Why would anyone want voices in their head?

"It offers a 'Darwinian' advantage to the user whereby they have an advantage over their competition, although not a random mutation but a chosen one," says Auger. "We are very interested in the ethical debate surrounding bionics and post-human evolution."

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[WiNaDeYo]

Took this out since it as causing problems...

[alyscat]

Ummm, the up to date link is for an april fools joke, I think.
alys