Artist implants 'third ear' on his own arm

Performance artists are known for pushing the bounderies, but one Australian has astonished his contemporaries by having a third ear implanted onto his arm.

The Cypriot-born eccentric Stelios Arcadious spent 10 years searching for a surgeon willing to perform the controversial operation.

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He got his wish after working as a Research Fellow at Nottingham Trent University's Digital Research Unit. The ear was grown in a lab from cells and implanted into the 61-year-olds left forearm in 2006.

Mr Arcadious said he thought art "should be more than simply illustrating ideas." Once the ear has fully developed he hopes to get a microphone implanted as well.

"It is more of a relief at present than an ear but it is still recognisable as an ear," he said.

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The last operation was in September 2006 and its only now that I'm about ready for the next step.

"I hope to have a tiny microphone implanted to it that will connect with a bluetooth transmitter; that way you can listen to what my ear is hearing."

An audience in Newcastle Centre For Life was introduced to Stelarc's latest project, a 'walking head' robot which will be a feature there for a month. The six legged robot with its head on a screen is one of the highlights of the Dott 07 design festival.

It is programmed to respond to someone entering the room, so every visitor will be treated to a little robot dance.










Mr Arcadious' ear is similar to the Vacanti mouse