The Bionic Man

W hen I hear the phrase “humanimplantable electronics,” I must confess that I feel a bit queasy. It conjures up a more extreme image of pervasive computing than is usually justified. However, my perspective is that of a relatively healthy person in his 40s, without any physical handicaps. If my hearing was impaired or my heartbeat arrhythmic, I might be keen to find a remedy—and, at this time, an electronic implant would probably be the way to go. Putting my emotional reaction aside, when I think about the possibilities of implantable technology, it actually begins to sound pretty cool.