Japan researchers develop cyborg cockroach remotely controlled

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Japan researchers develop cyborg cockroach remotely controlled

TOKYO Kyodo researchers have developed a rechargeable cyborg cockroach that can be remotely controlled for use in search and rescue missions, Japan's Riken research institute said.

The team attached 4 micrometer ultrathin solar cell film to the backs of Madagascar cockroaches, which are around 6 centimeters long and easy to handle because they do not fly, in experiments led by the state-backed institute.

Despite the attached electronic components, the cockroaches could still move freely as the team interleaved adhesive and non-adhesive sections onto solar cell films to accommodate the insects' natural movement.

The team could control the cockroaches movements by applying electrical stimulation to a sensory organ, called the cercus, at the rearmost segment of the insects with the help of the solar cell, via a wireless control module attached to the thorax.

Two minutes of remote control capacity was allowed by a 30 minute charge.

Cyborgs, which are integrations of machines and organisms, can be used not only to replace defective body parts, but also to realize functions that exceed its normal capabilities, the team said.

The team hopes that the latest study will be a useful tool to the practical use of cyborg insects, such as the ability to search for survivors trapped in rubble or to collect data in hazardous zones.

Kenjiro Fukuda, a senior research scientist at Riken said that wireless communication consumes a lot of power and that we want to improve the amount of electricity generated by solar cells in the future.

He said that the method to attach the solar panels used in the latest study could be applied to other insects.