Military Plans Cyborg Sharks

[420inTN]

Bill Christensen
Technovelgy.com 2 hours, 3 minutes ago

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) has taken another page from science fiction writer William Gibson's book by creating a neural implant to enable engineers to remotely manipulate a shark's brain signals. This would eventually allow them to control the animal's movements and possibly decode their perceptions.

Given that sharks have senses that humans don't have (like the ability to sense electromagnetic fields), it could open up some interesting uses.

The implant consists of multi-channel neural ensemble readers and stimulators, diverse controllers and sensors. In addition, the DARPA researchers want to use their setup to detect and decipher the neural patterns that correspond to shark activities like sensing an ocean current, a particular scent in the water or an electrical field. If they can succeed in these experiments, it might be possible to control a free-swimming shark; it could be trained to track enemy ships or submarines, or to detect underwater mines or cables.

more, full story here

[420inTN]

1. But will they have fricking laser beams? n/t

[Kolesar]

3. Now evidently, my cycloptic colleague informs me that that can't be done.

Can you please remind me what I pay you people for? Honestly, throw me a bone here...what do we have? ap

[megatherium]

2. It seemed like a great idea at the time. But when they

are trapped in their undersea lab with the huge, intelligence-enhanced predator that they created outwitting them and picking them off one by one -- they will regret it.

[Moderator]

4. Sorry, not LBN

Posted last week

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2141308