Brain-Computer Interfaces: U.S. Military Applications and Implications, An Initial Assessment

The Department of Defense is developing brain-computer interface technology that allows the brain to communicate directly with machines. This technology may eventually be used, for example, to monitor a soldier's cognitive workload, control a drone swarm, or link with a prosthetic. However, the breadth of potential applications should be studied systematically, and policy, safety, legal, and ethical issues must be addressed before deployment.