The US Defence Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has developed a brain-computer interface that is capable of allowing humans to communicate with machines telepathically. The “cortical modem” lays a heads-up display over a user’s natural vision, and holds the capability of curing blindness and enabling “electronic telepathy and telekinesis”, according to computer expert Peter Rothman. ibtimes.co.uk reports: While still a long way from production, the direct neural interface (DNI) chip would be shaped like a coin, around 1cm wide, and could conceivably cost as little as $10 (£6.50). As outlined at the Biology is Technology conference in Silicon Valley last week, the interface provides a direct link between the brain and an external device or software through manipulation of the visual cortex. Phillip Alvelda, chief of DARPA’s Biological Technologies, told the conference how the device could replace all virtual reality glasses, such as the Oculus Rift, by bypassing the visual sensory system entirely The project builds on the work of Karl Deisseroth in the field of optogenetics, according to H+ Magazine which was in attendance at the California conference. Optogenetics involves the controlling of light-responsive proteins within the brain through targeted light emission. DARPA has led the way in a number of [...]