Did you mention that some scientists have experimented with an actual implant?

Yeah, there is a lot of work being done today in nanotechnology and I think there is at least one scientist who has implanted an electrode in his arm that is actually connected to one of his major nerves. He can control the electrical output of this electrode purely through thought, which is rather astonishing when you think about it - that we�re that close to being able to create implants that are not terribly different from what we might be seeing in the Borg.