The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently announced the creation of a new division which will work in merging technology and biology in producing innovations for national security.
The division, called the Biological Technologies Office (BTO), was developed to create technologies inspired by the principles of life sciences. According to Information Week, the agency believes that biology is one of the core sciences which could be useful in developing more capable and efficient defense mechanisms. The BTO will expand the work previously done by existing agencies such as the Defense Sciences (DSO) and the Microsystems Technology Offices (MTO).
Existing projects for these offices include neuroscience, microsystems, and sensor designs. A new project which will be made by BTO is the Hand Proprioception and Touch Interfaces (HAPTIX) which has the goal to develop interfaces that would work as limbs for amputees. The program will cover facets such as electronics, packaging, and neural interface.
The development of prosthetics that have nerve interfaces has always been a goal for DARPA. In 2006, they launched the Revolutionizing Prosthetics Program, and they have also worked on the Reliable Neural-Interface Technology (RE-NET). To date, RE-NET is considered as the leading research when it comes to developing efficient, reliable, and high-performing peripheral interfaces which can detect and comprehend signals from nerve endings.
Aside from these projects, the new agency will also research on warfighter capabilities, gaining new information regarding living-system relationships, and harness biological systems and apply their principles in defense technology.
DARPA director AratiPrabhakar appointed Geoff Ling as the director of BTO. In a March 26 testimony, speaking before the House Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats, and Capabilities, Prabhakar said in a press release,
