Implants & Technology -- The Future of Healthcare? | Kevin Warwick [TEDx]

Kevin Warwick is Professor of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, where he carries out research in artificial intelligence, control, robotics and cyborgs. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the IET.

Kevin was born in Coventry, UK and left school to join British Telecom, at the age of 16. He took his first degree at Aston University, followed by a PhD and research post at Imperial College, London. He subsequently held positions at Oxford, Newcastle and Warwick Universities before being offered the Chair at Reading.

As well as publishing over 500 research papers, Kevin's experiments into implant technology led to him being featured as the cover story on the US magazine, Wired. Kevin has been awarded higher doctorates (DSc) both by Imperial College and the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, and has received Honorary Doctorates from Aston University, Coventry University, Bradford University and Robert Gordon University. He was presented with The Future of Health Technology Award in MIT, was made an Honorary Member of the Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, and has received The IEE Senior Achievement Medal, the Mountbatten Medal and the Ellison-Cliffe Medal. In 2000 Kevin presented the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, entitled "The Rise of the Robots".

Kevin's research involves the invention of an intelligent deep brain stimulator to counteract the effects of Parkinson Disease tremors. The tremors are predicted and a current signal is applied to stop the tremors before they start -- this is to be trialled in human subjects. Another project involves the use of cultured/biological neural networks to drive robots around -- the brain of each robot is made of neural tissue.

Kevin is perhaps best known for his pioneering experiments involving a neuro-surgical implantation into the median nerves of his left arm to link his nervous system directly to a computer to assess the latest technology for use with the disabled. He was successful with the first extra-sensory (ultrasonic) input for a human and with the first purely electronic telegraphic communication experiment between the nervous systems of two humans.

TEDxWarwick - Kevin Warwick - Implants & Technology -- The Future of Healthcare?