The Pentagon’s already got brain-controlled prosthetics, and they are a major improvement over old-school artificial limbs. The devices are far from perfect, however. They rely on metal implants, which aren’t compatible with the body’s tissues, and they can only transmit a few signals at a time — turning what should be a simple movement into a Herculean task.
Now, DARPA-funded researchers are convinced they’ve found a way to make prosthetics truly life-like: laser beams.
A team led by experts at Southern Methodist University is making swift progress towards prosthetic devices that rely on fiber-optics, and would offer a wearer the kind of seamless movement and sensation experienced with a flesh-and-blood limb.
Read More: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/11/fiber-optic-prosthetics
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