Earthquakes, tornadoes, air strikes — all around the world, countless lives are lost not just to the direct impacts of disasters, but those that are trapped in the resulting wreckage.
Search and rescue efforts, both professional and amateur, are dangerous in themselves, as digging through rubble creates risk for secondary collapse and exposure to hazardous materials. Meanwhile time is short, and the larger the affected area, the harder it is to search efficiently and effectively. Dogs can sniff out people, but these specialized pooches are often rare compared to the vast footprint of the wreckage.
A team of scientists out of Singapore and Japan believe they have a rather unconventional tool to offer search-and-rescue efforts: swarms of cyborg cockroaches. The research is published in Nature Communications.
Developing Cyborg Insects
For the last two decades, researchers have been developing technology that allows them to remotely control live insects through implants to their nervous systems. Early work developed remote-controlled flying beetles (Mecynorrhina torquata), and quickly expanded to include Madagascar hissing cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa).
