Important Innovations

Biodegradable, Wireless, Tiny Implants Courtesy:  Northwestern University - Bioelectric Medicine Pulses of Electricity to Accelerate Nerve Regeneration Northwestern University researchers and Washington University neurosurgeons have developed the first example of bioelectric medicine.  It's an implantable, biodegradable, wireless device.  It speeds nerve regeneration and improves healing by pulses of electricity targeted directly at the site. Size of a Dime The implant is tiny.  It's the size of a dime and has the thickness of a piece of paper.  It delivers pulses of electricity to damaged nerves.  In lab tests on post-operative animals, it proved very successful in accelerating the regeneration of nerves and enhancing the recovery of muscle strength and control. Naturally Disappears In a week or two, the implant biodegrades, is naturally absorbed into the body and totally disappears.  The next steps will be testing it on humans.  The research team believes that

Controlling Drones and Aircraft by Brain Waves Image from DARPA Mind over Matter The US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency DARPA is working on highly innovative technology that enables humans to control drones and full-sized aircraft by their minds' brain waves.  It's command and control by thoughts. Microchip Implant that Sends and Receives Data For the DARPA research, a micro-chip was implanted into a volunteer's brain. In simulations with drones on computer screens, the person was able to command and control the drones. DARPA also disclosed at a recent symposium the system works with swarms of drones and multiple aircraft.  The user is able to steer multiple jets at once. The user of the microchip can send and receive signals from the aircraft and understand the dynamics of its environment. Innovative & To Some Controversial Thinking To some this is controversial research.  DARPA's mission is to provide the US military wi