‘Cyborg' beetles could help search-and-rescue teams in aftermath of natural disasters, scientists say
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Remote-controlled 'cyborg beetles' could be used to help discover people trapped in collapsed buildings or mines, research has revealed.
Australian scientists equipped darkling insects with removable backpacks which could be controlled with a video game remote. University of Queensland researcher Dr Thang Vo-Doan, who led the study, said the backpacks controlled the insect's antenna and forewings through the use of electrodes.
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How remote-controlled cyborg BEETLES with microchip backpacks could help save lives in horror disasters
REMOTE-controlled cyborg beetles wearing microchip backpacks could be used to save lives in horror disasters. Two boffins at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane, Australia, are building the smallest search and rescue team. 6 PhD scholar Lachlan Fitzgerald and Dr Thang Vo-Doan with two of the beetles Credit: SWNS 6 A darkling beetle equipped with a removeable microchip backpack Credit: SWNS 6 Scientists believe it could cut the time down it takes to find someone in rubble Credit: SWNS They say the plan could cut the time it takes to find someone trapped under rubble from days to hours. The darkling beetles (Zophobas morio) can be controlled with video game controllers if they are fitted with the chips, The chips shock the beetles into moving in a certain direction by stimulating the insect's antenna or hardened forewings known as elytrons. So far, they've been able to move the cyborg bugs side-to-side and up vertical walls. Read more on science Dr Vo-Doan said: "Beetles possess many natural gifts that make them the masters of climbing and manoeuvring in small, complex spaces such as dense rubble, that are difficult for robots to navigate. "Our work harnesses these gifts and adds programmable controls that allow for precise directional guidance, without affecting the lifespan of the beetle." The science is being done by a team of researchers at the Biorobotics lab in UQ's School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, who hope to test the technology in a live situation within five years. Fitzgerald said: "While robots at this scale have made strides in locomotion, the transition from horizontal surfaces to walls remains a formidable challenge for them. Most read in Science "This difficulty arises from the need for active foot pads, soft environmental interactions, and sophisticated sensing capabilities - all things that our cyborg insects possess naturally that allows them to access any area that is required in a disaster environment." Dr Vo-Doan said while a tethered power supply had been used for the climbing test, the beetles were able to climb with a battery equivalent to its own body weight. Watch as Frankenstein cyborg cockroaches fitted with backpacks come to life to form army of search & rescue bugs The team is next working on cameras and a compact and efficient power system to enhance the beetle's mobility and versatility. Dr Vo-Doan said: "If people have been trapped under an extensive amount of rubble, you want to be able to find them as quickly as possible and start planning how to get them out. "We hope to produce a tool that can easily move through chaotic environments to pinpoint a person's exact location, provide clues to any injuries, and give rescuers a picture of what needs to be done to free them". The cyborgs also use a minimal amount of power on each run compared with miniaturised robots that are currently being modelled. 6 The boffins hope to be able to test the beetles in a real life situation in five years Credit: SWNS 6 Having the backpack attached doesn't lower the beetle's life expectancy Credit: SWNS It's not the first time that beetles have been fitted with backpacks and used for search and rescue. Scientists in China Boffins have also created a Stuck on the back of real-life Madagascan hissing cockroaches, the chip sits on a panel that uses an infrared camera and a series of sensors to collect and send data to first responders. The original idea for the hero insects comes from Professor Hirotaka Sato. He witnessed the devastation caused by the 2011 Japanese earthquake first-hand and quickly realised there needed to be a faster and more effective way of finding survivors and victims. He said: 'Our motivation is purely to use this technology for search and rescue. To save people from disaster.' 6 Scientists in Singapore have created a set of cyborg cockroaches with robot brains on their backs
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‘Cyborg' beetles could help search-and-rescue teams in aftermath of natural disasters, scientists say
©UK Independent Today at 00:30 Remote-controlled 'cyborg beetles' could be used to help discover people trapped in collapsed buildings or mines, research has revealed. Australian scientists equipped darkling insects with removable backpacks which could be controlled with a video game remote. University of Queensland researcher Dr Thang Vo-Doan, who led the study, said the backpacks controlled the insect's antenna and forewings through the use of electrodes.
