But a new breakthrough from Harvard researchers has produced the first "cyborg" tissue, created by embedding functional, biocompatible nanowires into lab-grown flesh.

ENGADGET: Harvard scientists grow human cells onto nanowire scaffold to form 'cyborg' skin

"We already have a functional link running in the lab, and we are aggressively moving to higher bandwidths, " said Mario Paniccia, director of Intel's Photonics Technology Lab.

WSJ: IBM Claims Breakthrough in Laser-Based Chips

Associate Professor Gregg Suaning, of the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering and a project leader in the national bionic eye consortium, Bionic Vision Australia (BVA), said the new, 98-channel microchip, now undergoing preliminary lab testing, was a major step towards the goal of a functional bionic eye.

ENGADGET: Bionic eye closer to human trials with invention of implantable microchip