In the event of a disaster or accident, we knew the rescue dogs. But for several years, researchers have been working on “cyborg” cockroaches, real cockroaches made capable of exploring places inaccessible to humans.
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This may be the future of first aid. Cockroaches controlled remotely by the emergency services, remotely controlled like drones, will be able to infiltrate anywhere in the rubble. They will be able to map an irradiated area, for example, or locate people stranded after an explosion or earthquake.
Why cockroaches? Because making a tiny, very agile robot, capable of sneaking everywhere, is technically impossible today. Hence the idea of researchers at the Technological University of Nanyang, Singapore, to take small robust insects, resistant to heat and radiation, like cockroaches, and transform them into robots that can be controlled remotely.
A squadron of 20 cockroaches
To control the insect remotely, we put a mini backpack stuffed with electronics and a sort of hat that will tickle its antennae. These cockroaches large enough to be able to carry this load are giant cockroaches from Madagascar, which can measure seven centimeters long. To make it go left or right, electrodes act on their antennas. To make him speed up or slow down, another is placed on his stomach, and it works! We can really make it go wherever we want. In addition, it maintains its autonomy to be able to bypass an obstacle if necessary. No surgery is required for this result. Simply remove the backpack and the hat, and the cockroach returns to a perfectly normal life.
For the moment, these rescue cockroaches are not carrying out missions. It’s still research. But we are already training them. Researchers have just managed to control a squadron of 20 cockroaches as if it were a single infantry unit. This will make it possible to survey a site more quickly, even if it is uneven and has many obstacles. The cockroaches follow the instructions. Their package has also been miniaturized so that they can carry a GPS and a human presence sensor.
If you have a phobia of insects, it is better to start treating yourself. Because in a few years, it may be a swarm of cockroaches that will come and save us under the rubble.