Researchers in Australia Attach “Backpacks” to Beetles and Cockroaches to Control Their Movements, hoping that these hybrid mechanical animals could become rescue “agents” in the future.
The “patients” are immersed in an ice water bath as a method of anesthesia for the upcoming procedure.
Once the necessary anesthetic state is achieved, Lachlan Fitzgerald, a student at the University of Queensland in Australia, begins the process by carefully attaching a small circuit board to the back of the “patient” to create a biological robot – part living being, part machine.
In reality, the “patient” is a beetle, and this backpack-like device sends electrical pulses to its antennae. This device allows Fitzgerald to control its movements while harnessing its innate agility.
Researchers in Australia attach “backpacks” to beetles and cockroaches to control their movements. (Source: CNN).
Fitzgerald, who is studying mathematics and engineering, stated: “We only intervene and guide it to go in the ‘right direction’ when it strays from the path we desire.”
He hopes to create a “search and rescue army” of insect-machines.
“After an urban disaster like an earthquake or bombing, when humans cannot safely access the disaster site, we could send a group of cyborg beetles to quickly and efficiently navigate to those areas” – he said.
According to CNN, the robotics lab where Fitzgerald works is placing control backpacks on giant burrowing cockroaches – a native Australian species that can grow up to 3 inches (8 cm) long – and darkling beetles.
Darkling beetles can “exist” in environments ranging from tropical savannas to arid deserts worldwide. Dealing with these insects does not bother Fitzgerald: “No, I don’t find them scary at all!” – he said.
Fitzgerald noted that cyborg insects have advantages over traditional robots. He explained that “insects are much more adaptable than artificial robotic systems, which must perform numerous calculations to handle all the different situations that may occur in the real world.”
He mentioned that cyborg beetles or cockroaches could assist in disaster situations by searching for and reporting the locations of survivors while also providing life-saving supplies before rescue teams arrive.
But first, Australian researchers must master the ability to “direct” the movements of the insects – a task that may “take some time.” Fitzgerald stated that although this work currently seems distant, in a few decades, cyborg insects could save human lives.
University of Queensland student Lachlan Fitzgerald hopes one day to use these hybrid insect machines as rescue “agents.” (Source: CNN).
Fitzgerald is not the only robotics researcher creating robots from living organisms.
Scholars at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) are also implanting electronic pacemakers into jellyfish to control their swimming speed. They hope that these biological jellyfish can help gather data about the environment deep in the ocean.
Last September, researchers at Cornell University introduced robots controlled by a type of king oyster mushroom. These robots sense and respond to the environment by harnessing electrical signals produced by the mushroom and the mushroom’s light sensitivity – they can be used to detect chemical indicators in the soil near crops to help determine when to apply additional fertilizer.
The rise of biological hybrid robots has sparked ethical debates, with some researchers advocating for better management and oversight.
Caltech scholars told CNN that they have been working with bioethicists to ensure that their interventions do not cause any stress reactions in the jellyfish they are “collaborating with.”
Fitzgerald stated that the beetles equipped with “backpacks” have a normal lifespan. “So, I don’t think they mind.” – he said. “Science still does not know whether they are truly conscious beings.”
Fitzgerald agreed that concerns for the species are valid, but he emphasized the benefits that hybrid robots offer: “I think the potential of this technology to save human lives in urban disasters is truly more important than any hesitations that may exist in this field.”
