DARPA Develops Implant With “Terminator” Vision: “Plugs directly into a person’s DNA and visual cortex”

Mac Slavo

For now, the technology is in “crude” form undergoing R&D through animal testing, specifically with the neural connections of a zebrafish.

In the longer term, DARPA researchers (the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) believe the gene modifying optical technology will be able to restore vision to the blind and impaired, and replaced current conceptions of virtual reality, with an internal display that will provide vital stats and more about the target, err, object in view.

Cyborg Moth "Biobots" Preparing For Flight

Photo credit: Alper Bozkurt

Nicholas West

The military-science industrial complex continues its pursuit of modeling drones after nature in order to hide in plain sight. While there have been some successes in this area with systems like RoboBee, nature's flight pattern is proving to be difficult to perfectly replicate, as well as providing steep challenges in energy consumption.

Enter cyborgs. While mice have long been tested upon in the areas of direct mind control, it is cyborg insects that are currently leading the way. In October of last year, I wrote about a pet cyborg project called RoboRoach that was essentially open source, mail order neurosurgery for kids. While few people seem to have ethical concerns over insects, we would do well to take a look at how the mechanization of living beings is starting, and where it ultimately might be heading.