Remote Control Cockroach Cyborgs “Our aim was to determine whether we could create a wireless biological interface with cockroaches, which are robust and able to infiltrate small spaces,” says Alper Bozkurt, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper on the work. “Ultimately, we think this will allow us to create a mobile web of smart sensors that uses cockroaches to collect and transmit information, such as finding survivors in a building that’s been destroyed by an earthquake. “Building small-scale robots that can perform in such uncertain, dynamic conditions is enormously difficult,” Bozkurt says. “We decided to use biobotic cockroaches in place of robots, as designing robots at that scale is very challenging and cockroaches are experts at performing in such a hostile environment…” …The new technique developed by Bozkurt’s team works by embedding a low-cost, light-weight, commercially-available chip with a wireless receiver and transmitter onto each roach (they used Madagascar hissing cockroaches). Weighing 0.7 grams, the cockroach backpack also contains a microcontroller that monitors the interface between the implanted electrodes and the tissue to avoid potential neural damage. The microcontroller is wired to the roach’s antennae and cerci. — North Carolina State University FJP: Wait, what?!  Image: A Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, with Sensor. Via North Carolina State University.

Remote Control Cockroach Cyborgs

“Our aim was to determine whether we could create a wireless biological interface with cockroaches, which are robust and able to infiltrate small spaces,” says Alper Bozkurt, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at NC State and co-author of a paper on the work. “Ultimately, we think this will allow us to create a mobile web of smart sensors that uses cockroaches to collect and transmit information, such as finding survivors in a building that’s been destroyed by an earthquake.

“Building small-scale robots that can perform in such uncertain, dynamic conditions is enormously difficult,” Bozkurt says. “We decided to use biobotic cockroaches in place of robots, as designing robots at that scale is very challenging and cockroaches are experts at performing in such a hostile environment…”

…The new technique developed by Bozkurt’s team works by embedding a low-cost, light-weight, commercially-available chip with a wireless receiver and transmitter onto each roach (they used Madagascar hissing cockroaches). Weighing 0.7 grams, the cockroach backpack also contains a microcontroller that monitors the interface between the implanted electrodes and the tissue to avoid potential neural damage. The microcontroller is wired to the roach’s antennae and cerci. — North Carolina State University

FJP: Wait, what?! 

Image: A Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, with Sensor. Via North Carolina State University.

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  1. wheredotheygo reblogged this from luisgpiercing and added:
    This is fucked up
  2. l3dgehead reblogged this from kattykeem
  3. kattykeem reblogged this from futurejournalismproject
  4. fromrusholmewithlove reblogged this from futurejournalismproject and added:
    It’s started. Prepare yourselves.
  5. 1cunthearu reblogged this from n1ck0l45
  6. sycoticmynd29 reblogged this from nathansummers
  7. xdogonfirex reblogged this from nathansummers and added:
    even a bit scary. But it makes me kinda sad for the roach since I have those as pets at home ): In reality tho
  8. n1ck0l45 reblogged this from jannabelleemopreme
  9. jannabelleemopreme reblogged this from nathansummers
  10. daxianme reblogged this from nathansummers and added:
    That’s scary and awesome and though science creeps me out some time, I still love it
  11. mtag reblogged this from sierra7
  12. bumbledoodle reblogged this from kitsunekon13
  13. nonamenoslogan reblogged this from nathansummers
  14. sierra7 reblogged this from reuters
  15. alexinwonderland reblogged this from reuters and added:
    Cooool.
  16. aishhcubee reblogged this from ririran
  17. ririran reblogged this from reuters
  18. colintedford reblogged this from futurejournalismproject and added:
    blurb about this sort...thing in years ago in...popular...
  19. xtravybrutalx reblogged this from reuters and added:
    we have the technology!
  20. ravenclawtimelady reblogged this from sterwood
  21. nardzbarr reblogged this from pyromaniacqueen
  22. blinddeafmute reblogged this from reuters
  23. shannonontheorange reblogged this from nathansummers
  24. keahna reblogged this from nathansummers
  25. boobsandbooks reblogged this from 6beersdeep
  26. smellzlikechildren reblogged this from nathansummers
  27. luisgpiercing reblogged this from nathansummers and added:
    Awesome
  28. psilocyb reblogged this from nathansummers
  29. 6beersdeep reblogged this from nathansummers and added:
    Remote Control Cockroach Cyborgs “Our aim was to determine whether we could create a wireless biological interface with...
  30. the77 reblogged this from nathansummers and added:
    Give me an xbox controller and i could rock this thing

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