Two interesting articles on work to replace and upgrade human vision.  To begin, Gizmodo covers research to replace the retina with a micro-camera.  The mission being to replace lost vision with a chip that would record and stimulate the natural optical nerves with a chip. 

The second article, from medGadget, reports on an attempt to embed a visual feed into something as basic as a contact lens.  This would allow for a wide range of use from tourism to combat assistance to gaming, as the feed, if combined with GPS and directional awareness, could be overlayed on what the viewer can see in the moment. This could also have influence on education and psychology by adding/removing visual influences which might cause stress or distraction.

Naturally, once somone’s retina is replaced, it should be simple to include this type of visual overlay.

Air Force Developing Spy Planes That Can Recharge on Power Lines

What is that thing sitting on the power line besides someone’s sneakers, tossed up to wrap and hang?  Oh, that’s one of the Air Force’s new spy planes, draining ambient energy.  When I consider what robots will need to become self-reliant and, thus, autonomous, here is my list:

1.  AI that works and can adapt
2.  Fuel/power supply
3.  Ability to heal or replace worn parts

Seems this might handle #2 on the list. Fortunately, we’re still a bit away from serious AI (we hope).  Does make me think we might want to limit robot production to humans.  If robots control the robot factory, why not take it over and manage their own production?

Snorting a Brain Chemical Could Replace Sleep

Development of a nasal spray containing a natural hormone orexin A, as an effort to offset a variety of situations through which individuals suffer from sleep deprivation.  According to the article, the first application would be for individuals suffering from sleep apnea, but would be tested for soldiers/pilots to allow longer time on duty and could become a popular drug for individuals who work/study for loonger hours.  I can only imagine there would be an immediate consideration for ER doctors and support specialists working after natural disasters, though there is no comment on how this might effect fatigue.

They mention coffee users, who self-medicate as an effort to overcome the effects of poor sleep habits, and this reminds me of the introduction of caffeinated water and reports of how people began to make coffee using this extra source of caffeine.  As such, how soon might orexin A begin to appear in coffee chains, sports drinks and as a “shot” in our smoothie?  But, the combination of orexin A and caffeine may benefit those who require mental and physical lifts, as there is much concern over the use of caffeine in professional/collegiate sports to gain an edge. 

Two articles on Boeing military laser development.  One involves a jet based missile-destroying laser rig and the other is mounted on a Humvee for destroying IEDs.

I reacall a shooting, in NYC I believe, that made national news.  Soon after, morning shows were reporting on a trend of how bulletproof materials were being used to replace traditional fabrics in common items.  Bullet proof or energy dampening materials were in T-shirts, briefcases and umbrellas and were popular on Wall Street (I’ll be they are VERY popular considering the current economic crisis), according to my memory of the reports.

Dial forward several years and we see this trickling into children’s clothing and backpacks.  Stab proof uniforms are suddenly popular in Britain while bullet proof backpacks are of interest in America, clearly as a response to VA Tech and Columbine.  A sad transition into a violent future. 

Neal Stephenson called this one in Snowcrash.  Quoted from DARPATech:  “HEDSS will develop millimeter wave, real beam non-imaging radars
from components that, when integrated with a video subsystem to detect
and track, can rapidly identify HCEs [human carried explosives] beyond
the blast-effect ranges.”

Top 3 Robots Coming Soon to the Battlefield: Live @ DARPATech

Three robots and two of them, the MAV and OAV are flying/hovering cameras, capable of scouting terrain or individual objects.  While fascinating, Little Dog offers more insight into how robotic function will be networked in place of our current perspective that the ultimate robot will possess human-like centralization of sensory mechanisms and AI processing.  Why?  Why have a robot that can be blinded by one well placed charge?

Instead, creating mobile senses to create a 3-D terrain, most likely paired with on-board visual tracking, would create a device capable of navigating almost any environment.

Now, just pair Little Dog with any flying device and we have an entire army.  Air superiority with the ability to carry small charges or paint objects for targetting from larger, distant weaponry.  Ground forces to define lines of combat and corrral ground units.  DARPA certainly shows in interest in moving towards non-human warfare.

“Kill Proof,” Animal-Esque Soldiers; DARPA Goal

An idea from DARPA to mimic animal characteristics which will allow soldiers to survive both extremes and toxic environments.  If nothing else comes out of this, the ability to manufacture vaccines for “pennies a dose” would change medicine throughout the world.

First Armed Robots on Patrol in Iraq

The arming of military grade robots has begun.  Currently, these are radio controlled, but there must be an AI system in the works to enable these for independent ability to identify and fire upon hostiles.  I wonder what the interface would require?  Perhaps a human hand watching the camera feed, capable of disabling any response if it targets a friendly?  I could even see the AI grabbing an individual’s body heat “fingerprint” and tracing the individual through the battlefield to finality. 

Wireless Taser: Whole New Kind of Weapon

Danger Room has an excellent article on a round which discharges a jolt equal to a wired taser, making it possible to bring down an individual from a longer distance and by minimizing lethal force.  I won’t attempt to add to the article except to wonder how handy this will be when the ‘bots go error out and start hunting humans?  Might these eventually develop into EMP rounds?  Best bet to take the Terminator out in a single shot…