Singaporean experts have tested the management of a swarm of cyborg insects. To do this, live Madagascar cockroaches were equipped with tiny computer "backpacks" and released into the desert.
How cyborg cockroaches work
During the study, experts indicated the direction of movement to the insects, so that they moved to the right or left. The pulses were transmitted using electrodes in "backpacks" attached to the insect senses. In addition, cockroaches could bypass obstacles without the intervention of experimenters.
Of the 20 arthropods involved in the experiment, one occupied a leading position, the others were led. The leader knew the location of the main target, while others only knew the relative location of the neighboring cockroaches. This made it possible to streamline the movements of the swarm. In addition, as the researchers noticed, the insects helped each other. So, cockroaches turned over their fallen brethren on their backs.
As the developers noted, the study shows the possibilities of integrating biological organisms with artificial technologies, and in the future such a swarm of cyborg insects can be used to search for people after natural disasters.