Remote-controlled cockroaches could be dispatched to monitor dangerous environments not easily accessible to humans
Tue, Sep 13, 2022-
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Remote-controlled cockroaches could be dispatched to monitor dangerous environments not easily accessible to humans
An international joint research group consisting of researchers from the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR), Professor Shinjiro Umezu from the School of Creative Science and Engineering in Waseda University, and Professor Hirotaka Sato from Nanyang Technological University, has found a way to remotely control and recharge Madagascar cockroaches by equipping them with a tiny wireless control module powered by a rechargeable battery, all without inhibiting their natural movement.
As the rechargeable battery is powered by an on-board solar cell, it can remain continuously charged for long periods of time, allowing cockroaches to be controlled for an extended period without the need to return back for recharging. This would be crucial for time-sensitive and long-distance missions.
To make this possible, the team had to engineer a special backpack that could fit on the 6cm-long cockroaches’ dorsal abdomen and hold the 0.004mm ultrathin organic solar cell modules securely while allowing the insect freedom to move. The backpack attached to the thorax of the cockroach was 3D-printed using elastic polymer as its material and made to match the precise shape of the creature. It was adhered securely and was found to be attached to the cockroach even after a month of activity in its breeding environment.
Figure*: Close-up illustration of the special backpack attached to the dorsal abdomen of the cockroach
When the team charged the batteries with artificial sunlight for 30 minutes, they successfully managed to control and maneuver the cockroaches’ wirelessly.
Cyborg cockroaches that are both remote-controllable and rechargeable can offer many potential real-life applications to using insects for purposes such as hazardous area inspections, urban search and rescue, or environmental monitoring, etc., which would be otherwise unsafe or inaccessible to humans. The strategy used in this research could also be combined with other components such as sensors, and the functionality of these cyborg cockroaches could be further expanded to other insects in the future!
Link to the Research paper: Integration of body-mounted ultrasoft organic solar cell on cyborg insects with intact mobility
