A team of scientists from the University of Queensland in Australia has developed a breakthrough technology that allows them to control cockroaches using tiny circuit board backpacks. The innovation, which involves attaching miniature electronic controllers to the insects, enables researchers to create a swarm of controllable critters.
Lachlan Fitzgerald, a student at the university, designed the system, which sends electrical pulses to the cockroaches’ antennae, allowing him to control their movements. The tech wizard believes that these machine search and rescue workers could be used in disaster situations where humans can’t safely access the site, helping locate survivors and deliver lifesaving drugs.
Experts are refining the work before it’s put into practice, but the potential is vast. Lachlan says that the beetles with backpacks attached have normal life expectancies, but there’s still debate about whether they’re conscious beings. Despite this, he believes the technology could save lives in urban disasters and outweighs any hesitations.
The research builds on previous work by Singaporean scientists who demonstrated how to command and direct cyborg insects. Their design integrates living insects with miniature electronic controllers, enabling robotic-like programmable control. The team tested their creation by controlling a swarm of 20 cockroaches in Madagascar, where one insect became the leader of the group.
While there’s still much to be done, this innovation has the potential to revolutionize disaster response and search and rescue efforts.
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/tech/13033601/cyborg-cockroaches-australia-queensland