Robotised insects may search collapsed buildings for survivors
They can detect movement, body warmth and exhaled carbon dioxide
WHY GO TO all the trouble of designing and building a drone if nature has already done most of the job for you? That is the attitude taken by the small but determined band of researchers who are trying to robotise insects. Some are working on turning flying critters like beetles into such cyborgs—perhaps for use in military reconnaissance or espionage. Others prefer to concentrate on the creepy-crawly side of entomology, by taking electronic control of cockroaches.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Roaches to the rescue”
From the March 26th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Science & technology
Should you start lifting weights?
You’ll stay healthier for longer if you’re strong
Does melatonin work for jet lag?
It can help. But it depends where you’re going
Training AI models might not need enormous data centres
Eventually, models could be trained without any dedicated hardware at all
How the Gulf’s rulers want to harness the power of science
A stronger R&D base, they hope, will transform their countries’ economies. Will their plan work?
Cancer vaccines are showing promise at last
Trials are under way against skin, brain and lung tumours
New firefighting tech is being trialled in Sardinia’s ancient forests
It could sniff out blazes long before they spread out of control