Third arms! Memory transfer! Flying robots! If you didn't get to "Things That Will Change the World - and Blow Your Mind" at this year's Global Conference, the video is must-see TV.

The applications for the technologies that panelists demonstrated ranged from medical therapies to search-and-rescue operations to spy missions worthy of James Bond. In fact, moderator Richard Sandler identified Jay Schnitzer, director of the Defense Sciences Office at DARPA, as a "younger, more handsome version of Q."

While all the technologies were amazing, the audience favorite seemed to be the prospect of controlling your own third arm.

As Schnitzer explained, a mechanical arm created by Dean Kamen's DEKA company can be controlled by the brain. Video showed an injured veteran using the arm for the first time and holding hands with his girlfriend. Before the arm was tested on humans, similar experiments were done using monkeys. With one arm restrained, the monkeys quickly learned to control the mechanical arm. In later experiments, when the monkey's own arm was untied, it could control all three limbs.

"Might I add, that arm doesn't necessarily need to be in the same ZIP code," Schnitzer said, drawing gasps from the crowd.

Just as incredible is DARPA's memory transfer project. Electrodes were implanted in a mouse's brain. As the mouse navigated what was basically a maze, the information was transferred to a hard drive. That knowledge was transferred to a second mouse, enabling it to more quickly navigate the maze. The applications are endless, but as Schnitzer said, it could significantly reduce the 10,000 hours of training that makes an expert surgeon or fighter pilot.

Here's a taste of what the two other panelists are working on:

Joel Burdick and his team at CalTech are using a combination of robotics training, electrical stimulation and drugs to help patients with spinal cord injuries regain mobility almost immediately and voluntary motion in as little as four weeks. (His presentation comes right after the introductions in the video.)

Nathan Michael detailed how his department at the University of Pennsylvania has created flying robots that can make decisions without human interaction. They can explore their environment - adjusting for wind and light conditions - and build 3D maps that could be used for search-and-rescue or military missions in addition to broader applications such as manufacturing. (Michaels' presentation starts roughly 30 minutes into the session.)