Ever wish you could help DARPA build our future robot overlords ? Wish no more, friends, because DARPA's new open-source program will let you in on the action.

DARPA's making the DARPA Open Catalog, a collection of the publically releasable elements from its findings over the years, available to public. Why is Uncle Sam's far-out research wing willing to share its secrets? Free labor, folks. The goal of the program is to get the science and R&D communities to test and evaluate the catalog, and ultimately, build communities around government-funded software and research.

All the goodies are available right now to would-be tinkerers and mad scientists. And, keep in mind that the more folks that take advantage of DARPA's generosity, the more info it'll add to the catalog. Gotta give a little to get a little, right?