Humanity's cyborg future taking shape

December 10, 2009, 8:13 AM — Italian researchers have proudly unveiled a robotic forearm that can be manipulated by the brain of an amputee. The robot hand can grip items, send tactile information back to its wearer, and is capable of a number of motions and gestures (some of which "cannot be disclosed because they were quite vulgar," noted one of the scientists). Meanwhile, an Austrian man who lost both his arms can now drive a car and drink beer without a straw, thanks to his artificial limbs.