DARPA’s biotech division to develop new life forms

If the last year of work of the Agency for Advanced Defense Research and Development (DARPA) was spent on the creation of combat robots, cyborg soldiers and flying drones, then the next few years DARPA plans to devote to biotechnology.
The next generation of defense technologies will be modeled after natural life forms and wildlife. One of the main areas of research will be synthetic biology. It will help advance the study of production biomaterials that will turn living cells, proteins and DNA into a kind of genetic factories.

An even greater potential of synthetic biology lies in the creation of artificial life — completely new forms. These days, it’s not all that fantastic — more recently, scientists have managed to create the first synthetic chromosome developed using a computer and assembled from scratch in the laboratory. The first step towards artificially created man-made organisms has already been taken.

DARPA’s biotech division will also continue its research into controlled limbs. Last year, tests of unique chips were completed, which, after implanting into the skull, can transmit nerve impulses that control motor functions. In the long run, this leads to the creation of weapons systems controlled by human thought.

Another area of DARPA research is the development of bidirectional signal systems. Their goal is to create a new generation of prosthetics that are controlled by the human brain and simultaneously receive feedback impulses that allow you to feel physical touch.

Source: techcult.ru