France is developing bionic soldiers resistant to pain

France is developing bionic soldiers resistant to pain with microchip-enhanced brain power and superior hearing.

The country's ethical committee of the armed forces ministry gave approval in order for France to keep up with countries which are already working on similar projects.

Research is also being done to create pills which will keep soldiers awake for long periods and surgery to improve their hearing.

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Potential areas to be explored include implants to increase soldiers’ “cerebral capacity” and to make them immune to stress. Drugs to improve service member’s mental resilience in the event they were captured are also being considered.

French scientists are also looking to create implants which enable army headquarters to remotely track the location of soldiers.And they are also trying to devise drugs which will make soldiers resistant to pain or be able to tolerate being held in isolation.

The report warned that the French army could fall behind other countries which have already begun research into similar fields.

Without enabling research into technologies such as these, the French armed forces would be at a disadvantage compared to other countries’ militaries, the report added.

However, the committee did lay out an ethical framework for hypothetical interventions, saying they should not jeopardise soldiers’ “humanity” and their ability to reintegrate into civilian life.

Florence Parly, the French armed forces minister, who asked the committee to consider the issue of “augmented” soldiers in January, said that the “invasive” modifications were not part of thearmy’s current plans.