If you are afraid or disgusted by cockroaches, know that things can get even worse. Even before it was the subject of some weird sci-fi movie, Japanese researchers developed cyborg cockroach remote control system. That’s right, cyborg cockroaches. The results of the study were published in the journal NPJ Flexible Electronics, owned by the prestigious journal Nature.

Read the original article on cyborg cockroaches

The study titled “Integration of ultra-soft organic solar cells into the body of cyborg insects with intact mobility” was developed by researchers from RIKEN, one of Japan’s largest research institutes. O the developed system uses a wireless control module, a rechargeable battery and a flexible solar cell. The device is located above the body of cockroaches and does not interfere with the movement of insects. Madagascar cockroaches, approximately 6 cm in size, were used to test the system.

Why is a cyborg cockroach useful?

Despite the fact that it seems like something completely unnecessary, researchers are trying to create cyborg insects – part insect and part machine, in order to inspect hazardous areas and monitor the environment. For a cyborg cockroach to be viable, the animal must be remotely controlled for extended periods of time. The use of a rechargeable battery with a photocell also increases the autonomy of the cockroach. After all, the system eliminates the need for a place where cyborg cockroaches need to recharge.

According to the researcher in charge of the project, Kenjiro Fukuda, the solar array is capable of generating a load of 12.2 mW with a thickness of 0.004 millimeters. Fukuda notes that the flexible system developed at RIKEN could be adapted to breed other types of cyborg insects. “Given the deformation of the thorax and abdomen during movement, a hybrid locomotion system with rigid elements in the thorax and ultra-soft elements in the abdomen seems to be the best design for cyborg cockroaches. the strategy can be adapted for other insects such as beetles or even flying insects such as cicadas.“.

The idea is certainly ingenious and has its practical application. Either way, it can’t be a very pleasant sight to see hundreds of 2-inch cyborg cockroaches roaming around like a remote-controlled army.

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Source: Nature, Twicktown.

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