[noste]

What fascinates me in this article (and in other similar efforts), is the ambient nature of these new senses. While it is true that you can look at a compass in order to find the magnetic north, I'd imagine it is very different to "just know" where it happens to be at any given moment.

That being said, there is interesting stuff to be done without DIY surgeries. For example, Christina Kubisch used to auralize electromagnetic fields using some portable gear, and wander around urban areas listening sounds made by security systems, WLAN hotspots, and the like (see interview here: http://www.christinakubisch.de/pdf/Kubisch_Interview.pdf ).

[ippisl]

Wearable see-through displays can also give this ambient sense. they're quite expensive(but getting cheaper) , starting at $2000.