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Watch DARPA's magic bullets change course to hit moving targets

Watch DARPA's magic bullets change course to hit moving targets

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We already have smart guns, but DARPA has taken the next logical step — the defense agency has built smart bullets. The military agency has shown off new footage of its Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance — shortened to EXACTO rounds — that show the smart bullets maneuvering in mid-air to hit moving targets.

DARPA first showed off its EXACTO technology in a video released last year. The clip highlighted the agency's advanced bullet as it's fired from a rifle, showing it veering off course half-way through its flight to hit a designated area. This new video, taken during tests earlier this February, shows the rounds compensating for the acceleration of a moving target, deviating from their natural course to slam into their torso-shaped objective.

EXACTO bullets were first shown off by the military agency last year

The agency says the tech will help snipers quickly identify targets in hostile and remote locations such as Afghanistan, where high winds and dusty terrain would otherwise send rounds off course. The new rounds are designed for professional snipers, but it appears the technology is advanced enough to find its target without a dead-eyed veteran behind the scope: the video shows that even when DARPA lets a first-time sniper pull the trigger, the EXACTO rounds still find their mark with creepy accuracy.

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