Neil Harbisson Biography

(Cyborg Artist Known for Being the First Person in the World With an Antenna Implanted in His Skull)

Birthday: July 27, 1984 (Leo)

Born In: Mataró, Spain

Neil Harbisson is a British-Irish cyborg artist of Spanish origin. He is also an activist for transpecies rights. He is famous for being the world`s first person who has an antenna implanted into his skull. He has also been recognized lawfully as a cyborg by a government. The antenna on his head, which he calls an ‘eyeborg’, can send audible vibrations through his skull so that the information can be reported to him. This can also include measurements of electromagnetic radiation, as well as phone calls and music, which can all be translated into audible vibrations. His antenna is also Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled. It can also allow him to receive signals as well as data from satellites. Harbisson thinks of himself as a technology, as well as a transpecies. He has also stated that he no longer feels 100% human. He is the co-founder of the Cyborg Foundation, an international organization which defends rights of cyborgs, as well as promotes cyborg art. They also support other people wanting to become cyborgs. He also co-founded the ‘Transpecies Society’ in 2017, which is an association known for giving voice to the people who have non-human identities. They also raise awareness of the problems and challenges faced by transpecies.
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Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In July

Age: 40 Years, 40 Year Old Males

Born Country: Spain

Artists American Men

Notable Alumni: Dartington College Of Arts

Ancestry: Irish Spanish, Spanish Irish

More Facts

education: Dartington College Of Arts

  • 1

    What is achromatopsia and how does it affect Neil Harbisson?

    Achromatopsia is a rare condition that causes total color blindness. Neil Harbisson was born with this condition, which means he sees the world in grayscale.
  • 2

    How did Neil Harbisson become the world's first legally recognized cyborg?

    Neil Harbisson became the world's first legally recognized cyborg by having an antenna implanted in his skull that allows him to hear colors. This unique device helped him overcome his color blindness.
  • 3

    What is the concept of transpecies and how does Neil Harbisson relate to it?

    Transpecies is the idea of transcending human limitations through technology. Neil Harbisson considers himself a transpecies individual because his antenna allows him to perceive colors beyond human capabilities.
  • 4

    How has Neil Harbisson used his cyborg technology to create art?

    Neil Harbisson uses his cyborg technology to create art by translating colors into sound frequencies that he can hear through his antenna. This unique sensory experience influences his artistic creations.
  • 5

    What are some challenges faced by Neil Harbisson due to his cyborg implant?

    Some challenges faced by Neil Harbisson due to his cyborg implant include societal acceptance, privacy concerns, and potential limitations on travel due to the unconventional nature of his implanted antenna.
Childhood & Early Life
Neil Harbisson was born on 27 July 1984 in Mataró, Spain. His mother was Spanish and his father was Northern Irish. From an early age, he suffered from Achromatopsia, an severe form of colour blindness, which resulted in him seeing in greyscale.
He was raised in Barcelona. He learnt the piano and also started composing music when he was 11. Later, at the age of 16, he attended the Institut Alexandre Satorras to study fine arts. He was granted a special permission to use no colour in his works. His early works are therefore, only in black and white.
In order to save three trees from being cut down, he had lived in a tree for several days when he was a teenager. Around 3000 people supported him and signed a petition, after which the city all announced that they would not cut the trees.
He moved to England when he was 19 years old, to attend the Dartington College of Arts where he studied music composition.
Continue Reading Below
Works
The movement of cyborg art, also known as cyborgism, began during the mid-2000s, in Great Britain. It is based on the creating and adding new senses to the body with the use of cybernetic implants. Neil Harbisson`s work of cyborg art is defined by him as the art of designing new senses as well as organs, to eventually merge with them. He also compares his practice of cyborg art to sculpture.
The Cyborg Antenna was permanently attached to Harbisson`s head in 2004. He had begun developing it in 2003, with Adam Montandon. Though many bioethical committees rejected the antenna implant surgery, eventually few anonymous doctors agreed for it. The sensory system allows him to feel as well as hear colours as audible vibrations inside his head. It can also feel colours like infrareds and ultraviolets which are invisible to the human eye.
Harbisson executed the first ever skull-transmitted painting in 2014. Colours were sent from audience members in Times Square, which was received by Harbisson`s brain. He was able to correctly identify and paint the same color stripes onto a canvas in front of a different audience. His artwork has been ranked together along with Marina Abramovic and Yoko Ono, as one of the most 10 shocking performances ever.
Neil Harbisson has made immense contribution to promote public awareness about transpecies, cyborgs, artificial senses as well as human evolution. He has given regular public lectures at several conferences, universities as well as LAN parties. He has also participated in music, fashion, science as well as art festivals, such as British Science Festival, London Fashion Week and Sonar.
A short film was made about Harbisson in 2013, which won the ‘Grand Jury Prize at the Focus Forward Filmmakers Competition at the Sundance Film Festival’.
In 2014, another fictional short film was made about Harbisson`s life. Another documentary film titled ‘Hearing Colors’ was made about Harbisson in 2015, which won the New York`s ‘Tribeca Film Festival X Award’. In 2016, he was also seen in a supporting role in the independent film ‘Adam Green`s Aladdin.’
Neil Harbisson has also appeared in numerous documentaries by networks such as ‘Discovery Channel’ and ‘Documentos TV’. He has also participated in several radio programs, and has also contributed in magazines and newspapers, like ‘The New York Times’ as well as ‘The Scientist’.
Family & Personal Life
The renewal of his British passport was rejected in 2004, as the UK Passport Office couldn’t allow someone to appear with an electronic device on their head. Therefore, he decided to write back and explain that he identified as a cyborg and his antenna should be treated not as a device, but as a body part. His photo was eventually accepted.
He is possibly single, and there is no information regarding his love life.
Facts About Neil Harbisson
Neil Harbisson is known as the world's first officially recognized cyborg, having an antenna implanted in his skull that allows him to hear colors.
He sees the world in a unique way, as he is colorblind and uses his antenna to interpret colors and sounds in a way that others cannot.
Harbisson co-founded the Cyborg Foundation, an organization that helps people extend their senses through the use of technology.
He has given numerous TED Talks and lectures around the world, sharing his experiences as a cyborg and advocating for the integration of technology into human bodies.
Harbisson's artwork often reflects his perception of the world through colors and sounds, offering a glimpse into his unique sensory experience.

See the events in life of Neil Harbisson in Chronological Order

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- Neil Harbisson Biography
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