Special to WorldTribune.com

There’s a certain entity within the Pentagon that’s quite (in)famous for developing terrifying robots, advanced weapons and futuristic tech. It’s called the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or, as most people know it, DARPA: the Department of Defense’s “mad science” division. While all the machines coming out of the agency make it seem like its sole purpose is to build a killer-robot army, DARPA has many, many other projects to speak of. In fact, DARPA’s at the heart of some of the most significant technological advances of our time. …

President Dwight Eisenhower founded DARPA way back in 1958 in order to develop cutting-edge technologies for the United States. Originally known as ARPA (same meaning, but without “Defense”), it was created as a response to the Soviet Union’s successful launch of Sputnik, which, according to DARPA itself, signaled that “a fundamental change was needed in America’s defense science and technology programs.” Since then, it’s been involved in several technological milestones; for instance, it developed an early networking system that went live in 1969 called the ARPANET. It’s one of the networks that eventually led to creation of the internet, which, suffice it to say, changed the world. …

Here are some of its most prominent, wackiest and latest projects: … These days, the agency’s probably most known for its advanced machines, some of which look undeniably unnerving. These include a number of Boston Dynamics creations, such as the four-legged Cheetah, which later became known as WildCat, that can sprint faster than Usain Bolt. BigDog, one of the company’s other DARPA-funded projects, is also a four-legged machine designed to traverse tricky terrains while carrying heavy supplies and equipment. …

In 2011, the division tested a hypersonic weapon by flying it across the Pacific Ocean, while it signed a $6 million contract to develop highly accurate laser-equipped sniper scopes last year. More recently, the agency unveiled a head-mounted display that tracks friends and enemies alike and lets soldiers communicate with each other.

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