Singapore's Nanyang Technological University mass-produces cyborg cockroaches by implanting electronic backpacks into their carapaces. They can "assemble" one in 68 seconds—much faster than manually inserting the gear. The research is to be published as Cyborg Insect Factory: Automatic Assembly System to Build up Insect-computer Hybrid Robot Based on Vision-guided Robotic Arm Manipulation of Custom Bipolar Electrodes.
The advancement of insect-computer hybrid robots holds significant promise for navigating complex terrains and enhancing robotics applications. This study introduced an automatic assembly method for insect-computer hybrid robots, which was accomplished by mounting backpack with precise implantation of custom-designed bipolar electrodes. We developed a stimulation protocol for the intersegmental membrane between pronotum and mesothorax of the Madagascar hissing cockroach, allowing for bipolar electrodes' automatic implantation using a robotic arm. The assembly process was integrated with a deep learning-based vision system to accurately identify the implantation site, and a dedicated structure to fix the insect (68 s for the whole assembly process). The automatically assembled hybrid robots demonstrated steering control (over 70 degrees for 0.4 s stimulation) and deceleration control (68.2% speed reduction for 0.4 s stimulation), matching the performance of manually assembled systems. Furthermore, a multi-agent system consisting of 4 hybrid robots successfully covered obstructed outdoor terrain (80.25% for 10 minutes 31 seconds), highlighting the feasibility of mass-producing these systems for practical applications. The proposed automatic assembly strategy reduced preparation time for the insect-computer hybrid robots while maintaining their precise control, laying a foundation for scalable production and deployment in real-world applications.
The big remaining challenge is enabling these cyborgs to operate autonomously rather than being remote-controlled. If that can be achieved, the researchers claim hundreds of such robots could be operated simultaneously for more expansive missions.
I was wondering if the bugs feel pain, and the latest is that bugs do in fact appear to feel pain. These ones are anesthetized for their transformation into cyborg slaves.
When the time comes, will you do your part?
