Scientists Create Cyborg Cockroaches Controlled By Solar-Powered Backpacks (cnet.com) 30
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNET: In a new study, published Monday in the journal npj Flexible Electronics, an international team of researchers revealed it has engineered a system to remotely control the legs of cockroaches from afar. The system, which is basically a cockroach backpack wired into the creature's nervous system, has a power output about 50 times higher than previous devices and is built with an ultrathin and flexible solar cell that doesn't hinder the roach's movement. Pressing a button sends a shock to the backpack that tricks the roach into moving a certain direction.
Cockroach cyborgs are not a new idea. Back in 2012, researchers at North Carolina State University were experimenting with Madagascar hissing cockroaches and wireless backpacks, showing the critters could be remotely controlled to walk along a track. The way scientists do this is by attaching the backpack and connecting wires to a cockroach's "cerci," two appendages at the end of the abdomen that are basically sensory nerves. One on the left, one on the right. Previous studies have shown electrical impulses to either side can stimulate the roach into moving in that direction, giving researchers some control over locomotion. But to send and receive signals, you need to power the backpack. You might be able to use a battery but, eventually, a battery will run out of power and the cyborg cockroach will be free to disappear into the leaf litter.
The team at Riken crafted the system to be solar-powered and rechargeable. They attached a battery and stimulation module to the cockroach's thorax (the upper segment of its body). That was the first step. The second step was to make sure the solar cell module would adhere to the cockroach's abdomen, the segmented lower section of its body. [T]he Riken team tested a number of thin electronic films, subjecting their roaches to a bunch of experiments and watching how the roaches moved depending on the thickness of the film. This helped them decide on a module about 17 times thinner than a human hair. It adhered to the abdomen without greatly limiting the degree of freedom the roaches had and also stuck around for about a month, greatly outlasting previous systems. "The current system only has a wireless locomotion control system, so it's not enough to prepare an application such as urban rescue," said Kenjiro Fukuda, an expert in flexible electronics at Japan's Riken. "By integrating other required devices such as sensors and cameras, we can use our cyborg insects for such purposes."
Fukuda notes the design of the ultrathin solar cell could be applied to other insects, like beetles and cicadas.
Cockroach cyborgs are not a new idea. Back in 2012, researchers at North Carolina State University were experimenting with Madagascar hissing cockroaches and wireless backpacks, showing the critters could be remotely controlled to walk along a track. The way scientists do this is by attaching the backpack and connecting wires to a cockroach's "cerci," two appendages at the end of the abdomen that are basically sensory nerves. One on the left, one on the right. Previous studies have shown electrical impulses to either side can stimulate the roach into moving in that direction, giving researchers some control over locomotion. But to send and receive signals, you need to power the backpack. You might be able to use a battery but, eventually, a battery will run out of power and the cyborg cockroach will be free to disappear into the leaf litter.
The team at Riken crafted the system to be solar-powered and rechargeable. They attached a battery and stimulation module to the cockroach's thorax (the upper segment of its body). That was the first step. The second step was to make sure the solar cell module would adhere to the cockroach's abdomen, the segmented lower section of its body. [T]he Riken team tested a number of thin electronic films, subjecting their roaches to a bunch of experiments and watching how the roaches moved depending on the thickness of the film. This helped them decide on a module about 17 times thinner than a human hair. It adhered to the abdomen without greatly limiting the degree of freedom the roaches had and also stuck around for about a month, greatly outlasting previous systems. "The current system only has a wireless locomotion control system, so it's not enough to prepare an application such as urban rescue," said Kenjiro Fukuda, an expert in flexible electronics at Japan's Riken. "By integrating other required devices such as sensors and cameras, we can use our cyborg insects for such purposes."
Fukuda notes the design of the ultrathin solar cell could be applied to other insects, like beetles and cicadas.
"controlled by solar-powered backpacks" (Score:2, Insightful)
Cockroaches weren't very fond of sunlight in the first place.
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But they *are* cheap and easy to experiment on. And you could potentially steer them to "charging stations" that locked them in under a bright light. Make sure there's plenty of tasty food there too and you could probably train them to come back on their own volition pretty quickly.
Plenty of beetles like sunning themselves though. And if it works in crickets, perhaps it will in grasshoppers as well? Having a catapult and wings would make for a pretty mobile spy drone.
Do you want a cockroach apocalypse? (Score:4, Funny)
Because this is how you get a cockroach apocalypse.
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As if they needed the help...
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In other news, cockroach scientists announce that they have trained humans to supply their army with solar powered backpacks.
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Why bother with a injectible? They've already got most of the population under mind control via media.
dick move (Score:1)
This just seems mean to me for little research value. I doubt that "pressing a button sends a shock to the backpack". More like a shock to the cockroach, which can't express its feelings on the matter.
humanitarianism-washing it with crap about rescuing people from cities just makes me even more disappointed in the team
There's no shortage of things to research, find something else
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I lived near one of the researchers in NC working on this. They were looking not only to see how they can interact with brain on the cockroach, but use it for real practical purposes like searching rubble for survivors after a disaster. We already know that cockroaches can find their way virtually anywhere if they want if we can then use that to see and direct where they go we can use that to our advantage without having to develop an entire locomotion system that can work in all the environments a cockro
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I don't believe something has to be anthropomorphized to impute feelings to it. (I don't believe man to be the only animal capable of feelings)
I don't think anyone has any evidence that people literally have souls, and if we're talking figuratively then as far as I'm concerned people that don't think animals have feelings of their own lack a soul.
I don't feel it is incumbent on me to convince anyone of my beliefs (or on anyone else to adopt my beliefs) but I reserve the right to consider anyone that doesn't
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But I think something has to have a certain neurological capacity to have feelings. A starfish has neurons for detecting noxious stimuli like acid, but it's *total* neuron count is around 500, so I doubt they *experience* pain despite having pain neurons. Pain is surely a more primitive phenomenon than awareness; and without awareness I don't see how something can "experience" anything.
A cockroach is a different kettle of fish; it has roughly a *million* neurons. That's still tiny compared to the tens of
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NC? North Carolina?
A lot of the scientists working on this have Japanese names.
Why is it always the Japanese?!
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More like a shock to the cockroach, which can't express its feelings on the matter.
They don’t simply shock it, it’s not the 60’s anymore. They cut off its antennae and wire electrodes directly into its nervous system. But don’t worry, the wires inserted into its brain to get its feedback are already being worked on. I’m sure there are practical uses for this technology but I can’t command anything to mind at the moment.
Nothing new here. (Score:2)
I mean it isn't even new with the cockroaches they've been doing this crap for decades but we've been using cattle prods for a lot longer.
low wage jobs of the future (Score:4, Funny)
Welcome to your new job. We've got some company swag for you, go ahead and try on this backpack...
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Welcome to your new job. We've got some company swag for you, go ahead and try on this backpack...
Jeff [nytimes.com], is this your alt account?
Oh, look animal torture (Score:1)
How clever.
Sadistic cunts.
Didn't they watch The Fifth Element? (Score:4, Funny)
This idea is doomed to failure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
I for one... (Score:2)
I've seen this (Score:2)
Rick and Morty already did this a few years ago (Score:2)
I'm Pickle Rick, beeyotch!
Does The World NeedMore Cockroaches? (Score:2)
Does the world need more cockroaches?
Then you put a cyborg force multiplier on top of an already undesirable situation?
What could go wrong?
Here's a Photo of one (Score:2)
https://futuretom.files.wordpr... [wordpress.com]
NY high tech (Score:2)
My Vote for Evil (Score:2)