Latest news with #cyborgbeetles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Cyborg Beetles Could Be Unlikely Heroes in Future Disaster Rescues
Disaster victims trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building or mine may one day be rescued by a tiny and unlikely savior: a beetle with a backpack. Researchers have made major strides in cyborg technology, creating a breed of cyborg beetles that can climb walls, obstacles, and sloped surfaces while being remotely guided by a video game controller. Called "ZoBorgs," the cyborg beetles are a collaborative effort between The University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales, both in Australia, and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. To imbue their darkling beetles (Zophobas morio) with remote control, the researchers equipped them with a microchip backpack that sends electrical signals to the beetles' antennae or forewings (elytra), prompting them to move in different directions. Related: Darkling beetles are also known as 'superworms' for the worm-like form of their larvae. These creatures may help the world in multiple ways. Culinarily, they're a rich source of fatty acids and protein, commonly consumed in countries like Mexico and Thailand. The larvae also love dining on one of the world's most prevalent plastics, polystyrene, which is used to make common conveniences like packing materials and disposable cutlery. This is not good for the beetles, but copying how they digest the substance could help us tackle the plastic waste problem. At up to 32 millimeters (1.26 inches) in body length and about 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) in height, darkling beetles are small and nimble, possessing natural gifts that allow them to maneuver where robots cannot: within the tight confines of dense, jumbled rubble. Featured in Advanced Science, the new study harnesses the beetles' natural gifts and "adds programmable controls that allow for precise directional guidance, without affecting the lifespan of the beetle," says engineer Thang Vo-Doan of the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at The University of Queensland. These programmable controls are transmitted via a beetle-backpack with electrodes that act like electrical reins. Stimulating the antennae causes the beetle to turn, decelerate, or walk backwards. Stimulating both elytra causes acceleration or forward walking, while stimulating a single elytron causes sideways movement. As a result, the ZoBorgs can cross obstacles equal to their body height with a success rate of 92 percent. They can also move from horizontal to vertical surfaces with a 71.2 percent success rate – a rate unmatched by previous cyborg insects or robots. Lachlan Fitzgerald, an engineer at The University of Queensland, explains that while "robots at this scale have made strides in locomotion, the transition from horizontal surfaces to walls remains a formidable challenge for them." But not so for the ZoBorgs. Plus, using beetles means that researchers do not have to design actuators, sensors, or control systems – the beetles are already naturally equipped by many millions of years of evolutionary adaptations. These climbing adaptations include flexible, adhesive footpads, gripping claws, and rigid but agile body structures. In combination with their antennae, insects use sensors in their legs and mechanoreceptors in their exoskeletons to sense physical stimuli, such as surface textures and vibrations. Future advances may focus on improving the beetles' climbing ability and autonomy by incorporating an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides real-time, non-visual data like acceleration and other forces. The addition of a compact, lightweight visual camera can further boost control mechanisms, and will be necessary for identifying trapped individuals in search and rescue situations. Finally, cyborg advances described here could inspire innovations in robotics, such as the incorporation of beetle-like feelers to improve robots' navigational abilities. Notably, scientists maintained ethical practices to ensure the beetles' well-being. Compared to other animals used in research, the beetles lived in relatively ritzy conditions, sleeping on wheat-bran bedding and eating fresh apple slices. Following the experiments, they received care for the remainder of their three-month lifespans. This study demonstrates that cyborg science is making essential strides. It may not yet be the robotic organs promised by science fiction, but a cyborg beetle may be just as likely to save lives. This research is published in Advanced Science. Quantum Breakthrough Could Make Your Devices 1,000 Times Faster New Viral Indie Rock Sensation Reveals They're 100% AI ChatGPT: 5 Surprising Truths About How AI Chatbots Actually Work
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Remote Controlled 'Cyborg' Beetles Could Help Rescue Crews During Natural Disasters
Remote-controlled "cyborg beetles" could be used to help discover people trapped in collapsed buildings or mines, according to new research. Australian scientists have equipped darkling beetles with removable backpacks that can be controlled using a video game remote. Dr Thang Vo-Doan, a researcher at the University of Queensland who led the study, explained that the backpacks control the beetle's antenna and forewings through the use of electrodes. "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," Dr Vo-Doan told Scimex. "Our work harnesses these gifts and adds programmable controls that allow for precise directional guidance, without affecting the lifespan of the beetle." Research Assistant Lachlan Fitzgerald further noted that the insects can be directed to move side-to-side and climb vertical walls. "While robots at this scale have made strides in locomotion, the transition from horizontal surfaces to walls remains a formidable challenge for them," Mr Fitzgerald said. He also highlighted that the insect's "sophisticated sensing capabilities" and "soft environmental interactions," which a synthetic bug would lack, make them ideal for disaster environments. Dr Vo-Doan stated that while a tethered power supply was used for the climbing test, the beetles had also shown the ability to climb with a battery equivalent to their own body weight. "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," Dr Vo-Doan said. "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 Independent
01-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
‘Cyborg' beetles could help rescue crews locate survivors after natural disasters
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. '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,' Dr Vo-Doan told Scimex. 'Our work harnesses these gifts and adds programmable controls that allow for precise directional guidance, without affecting the lifespan of the beetle.' Research Assistant Lachlan Fitzgerald added that the insects could be guided to move side-to-side and up vertical walls. 'While robots at this scale have made strides in locomotion, the transition from horizontal surfaces to walls remains a formidable challenge for them,' Mr Fitzgerald said. He said the insect's 'sophisticated sensing capabilities' and 'soft environmental interactions', which a synthetic bug would not have, are perfect for disaster environments. Dr Vo-Doan said while a tethered power supply had been used for the climbing test, the beetles had also demonstrated the ability to climb with a battery equivalent to its own body weight. '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,' Dr Vo-Doan said. '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'. In 2016, Singaporean scientists were able to control stag beetles by attaching a similar device to the insect's back. Professor Hirotaka Sato, who worked on both projects, said at the time: "This technology could prove to be an improved alternative to remote-controlled drones as it could go into areas which were not accessible before." "For example, it could be used in search-and-rescue missions as it could go into small nooks and crevices in a collapsed building to locate injured survivors."
