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Art? Professor surgically implanted a camera in his head

By Boonsri Dickinson | December 6, 2010, 12:14 PM PST

A New York University researcher was curious to know what went on behind him. So what did he do? He implanted a camera in his head.

I have one word for this. Wow.

Meet NYU artist Wafaa Bilal, the man with who had a surveillance camera implanted in the name of art. The project is called The 3rd I. A wire connects the camera to a computer, which is carried around in a special bag.

The titanium implant will record the world behind him, in one-minute intervals for a year. The project will be shown live at the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Qatar.

Expect to get some uncomfortable shots of Bilal in bed or in the shower. Although, the footage has been pretty boring so far. But if he’s roaming around campus, he’ll have to put a lens over his third eye for privacy issues.

This seems creepy and awesome at the same time. Your thoughts?

via Popular Science and BBC

Related on SmartPlanet:

How a webcam can record your vital signs

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About Boonsri Dickinson

Boonsri Dickinson was a contributing editor for SmartPlanet from 2010 to 2012.

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RE: Art? Professor surgically implanted a camera in his head

Every time someone wants to justify a lame-brain idea, they call it art. Then, the glitterati can ooh and ahh at the emperor's clothes, remarking how smart this person is and why didn't they think about it, too.

Now this guy truly has an extra hole in his head.

Posted by jimmy37

15th Dec 2010

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But if he?s roaming around campus,...

Pardon me, but "But if he?s roaming around campus, he?ll have to put a lens over his third eye for privacy issues." is nearly completely untrue!

Only in places where people "'reasonably expect privacy," might it be necessary to cover up (assuming you meant "lens cap" where you wrote "lens. ")

Posted by wizoddg

7th Dec 2010

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RE: Art? Professor surgically implanted a camera in his head

My guess is he will land in jail, or frequently be threatened with it.

Our post office in Texas does not allow pictures to be taken inside. I tried to take a picture of a package I was mailing, and the clerk became quite insistent I stop and put the camera away.

If he tries to go into a government building, I'll bet he will not be granted entry. No filming in government buildings.

If he walks past a government building, he's breaking the law, because you can't take pictures of government buildings.

If he goes to the gym to work out, he'll probably won't be granted entry.

If he walks past police officers, he will be guilty of filming them and of wire tapping law variations that are already being litigated today.

Will a woman want to have sex with him knowing pictures are being taken?

If he walks through old or new full body scanner technology at air ports, it's against the law to take pictures. These scanners will soon be at bus and train terminals. Imaging him telling the people the device plugged into his head with a wire that goes to a bag he is carrying is not a bomb with visual detonator that goes off when he passes his target for assassination.

Imaging him traveling to foreign lands that are already more paranoid than the U.S.? Try walking past an Israeli soldier with an automatic weapon and he knows what you are capable of.

Imagining him going to a men's room and standing in front of a urinal, and he accused of being a perp or beat to a pulp for being a sex deviant who likes to take pictures of other men.

He goes to a park, and behind him are children playing. He's charged with taking pictures of children not related to him.

We are having more and more laws being passed that make taking pictures a crime where we would not expect it to be a crime. Even taking pictures of police or army personnel committing crimes is a crime.

It will be of interest as he makes his study to follow the legalities he's confronted.

Posted by dwsimpso

7th Dec 2010

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What a waste.

My guess is your hard earned tax dollars are at work here. Is this what are stimulus money got us?

Posted by Hates Idiots

8th Dec 2010

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RE: Art? Professor surgically implanted a camera in his head

I don't understand why an actual implant needed to be used. It seems senseless to risk any type of surgery. Why instead, would you not install a very small camera within a piece of headwear such as a hat? Surveillance cameras are so small with today's technology that it could easily be installed, and made obvious or invisible. This would also avoid the recording of useless footage such as sleep or private footage such as showering.

Posted by dahill2@...

8th Dec 2010

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RE: Art? Professor surgically implanted a camera in his head

Posted by jimmy37

15th Dec 2010

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