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.

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 recognizable as an ear," he said.

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.