Cyborg cockroaches are being developed in Australia to help with search and rescue missions, specifically by delivering emergency medical aid to survivors trapped in hard-to-reach places.
Robotic insects for rescue
The research team, based in Australia, is using giant burrowing cockroaches for these experiments. The insects are living organisms fitted with electrodes, microchips, and electronic devices for remote control. Operators steer them to their targets, and some carry cameras to transmit images while others are equipped with automated injection mechanisms.
The cockroaches are anesthetized while the electronics are attached. After the equipment is removed, they retain lifespans comparable to other cockroaches. The system uses a 31-gauge needle measuring 6 millimeters in length and a reservoir with a maximum capacity of 0.5 milliliters. So far, the experiments have been conducted only on silicone materials and ex vivo pig skin, and no treatment has been tested on humans.
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Testing the system
In separate tests of the injection mechanism, the system achieved a 90-percent success rate. For the full mission test, the team used five cockroaches, with each completing five runs. All 25 runs reached the designated target area. In 18 runs, the insects successfully completed the entire sequence of moving to the target, stabilizing their position, activating the injection mechanism, and delivering liquid to the target, for an overall success rate of 72 percent. When the injection needle was activated at a distance of no more than 150 millimeters, the success rate reached about 95 percent.
This level of precision is difficult to achieve when trying to take advantage of the insects’ natural movements. The cockroaches must reach the correct locations and keep their bodies sufficiently stable for the injection mechanism to operate. The hardware, autonomous control capabilities, and overall reliability of the system still require further field testing.
While the technology shows promise, it faces significant hurdles before deployment. Real disaster environments are far more complex than laboratory conditions. The next challenge is improving the system’s reliability on uneven terrain, in confined spaces, and in areas filled with debris. Signal degradation is another issue; Bluetooth signals can weaken when passing through concrete or soil, while images transmitted over Wi-Fi can be delayed or disconnected in obstructed areas.
Future goals
Dr. Vo Doan Tat Thang, director of the University of Queensland’s Bio-Robotics Laboratory, told Tuoi Tre that cyborg insects have mainly been developed for search and reconnaissance missions over the years. The researchers wanted to take the technology a step further by exploring whether insects could provide assistance after locating a person in distress.
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Associate Professor Do Thanh Nho, director of the University of New South Wales’ Medical Robotics Laboratory and a member of the research team, said the biomedical significance of the technology lies in its potential to deliver medical assistance to people in danger before rescue teams are able to extract them and provide treatment. In the long term, the researchers aim to perform targeted medical interventions under human supervision in areas that conventional medical technologies cannot reach.
The team hopes that within five to 10 years, with sufficient resources for further research and field testing, such insect teams could be deployed in real-world emergency situations.
Dr. Vo Doan Tat Thang said the team’s long-term goal is to build a multi-insect system in which different cyborg insects can perform different tasks. Some could search for survivors or carry cameras and environmental sensors, while others could transport emergency or medical equipment to locations that humans cannot yet reach. “Our goal is not to replace rescue teams,” Thang said. “This technology is intended to give them another means of observing, reaching and potentially assisting people in places that are too dangerous or nearly impossible to access directly.”