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"I went [to the top of] Vehicle Assembly Building and looked down, and tears burst from my eyes. The size of this cathedral where the Rockets take off to go to the moon is so amazing."
- Ray Bradbury

Communications Implant  
  A surgically implanted device enabling the user to communicate with computer networks.  

Computers are an essential part of running the Todos Santos Independency, a single structure housing about 250,000 people just outside Los Angeles. Managers who require constant information are given implants that allow them to call up needed information from a computer system called MILLIE just by thinking about it.

"I used my implant to tell MILLIE what we wanted and she took care of it," Art said.

"I see," Sir George's eyes focused on nothing for a moment.

Art said "Mac, have they made any progress on swinging an implant for you?"

"Think the city's got an extra million bucks?"

Sir George said sympathetically "Very useful gadget, but you can communicate with a computer about as well with a good briefcase console." Reed and Bonner looked knowingly at each other. It was a look that sighted men might give each other in the presence of the blind.

From Oath of Fealty, by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven).
Published by Timescape in 1981
Additional resources -

It is not clear from the text how the authors thought the device would work. However, the use of such a device is explored thoroughly by the characters in a variety of contexts.

An earlier reference to an implanted transceiver (not thought activated) can be found in Robert Heinlein's novel, The Puppet Masters, published in 1941. See audio relay.

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Oath of Fealty
  More Ideas and Technology by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)
  Tech news articles related to Oath of Fealty
  Tech news articles related to works by Jerry Pournelle (w/L. Niven)

Communications Implant-related news articles:
  - Thoughts Become Words With Brain Implant
  - Real-Time Mind-Controlled Robotic Limbs Soon?
  - Synthetic Telepathy For US Military Borg-Style
  - Intel Developing Brain Chip Computer Interface
  - Building The World Wide Mind
  - Project Black Mirror Thought-Controlled iPhone
  - Brainput Finds Help For Your Brain
  - Rats Communicate Brain-to-Brain
  - Wireless Brain-Computer Interface

Articles related to Communication
Rats Communicate Brain-to-Brain
Microsoft Demos Spoken English To Chinese 'Universal Translator'
Kyocera Speakerless Smartphone (ala Gernsback)
Wavii Follows Your Selected News

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