Robots <\/p>\n
Nidhi Subbaraman NBC News <\/p>\n
18 hours ago <\/p>\n
Alper Bozkurt \/ NC State University <\/p>\n
Remote-control roach? <\/p>\n
Hundreds of cyborg insects carrying radio transmitters like backpacks may one day scurry in to help emergency responders survey damaged or contaminated buildings after an earthquake, chemical spill or nuclear reactor accident. <\/p>\n
The cyborg bugs could give responders \"a quick picture of the environment,\" under conditions that may be dangerous or inaccessible to human rescuers, said Edgar Lobaton, assistant professor of electrical engineering at North Carolina State University. <\/p>\n
Edgar Lobaton \/ NC State University <\/p>\n
Artist's conceptualization of how a swarm of roaches could help map an area. <\/p>\n
Roboticists have been making inroads into swarm technology in the last few decades, but groups of insects have been working together for millions of years. Roaches are natural explorers, and one species, the Madagascar hissing cockroach, is big enough to carry a decent-sized electronics lab on its back, Lobaton told NBC News. Compared to their fully robotic counterparts, insects are also naturally energy-efficient. <\/p>\n
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Originally posted here:<\/p>\n
Don't panic! These cyborg roaches are trained for emergencies<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Robots Nidhi Subbaraman NBC News 18 hours ago Alper Bozkurt \/ NC State University Remote-control roach? Hundreds of cyborg insects carrying radio transmitters like backpacks may one day scurry in to help emergency responders survey damaged or contaminated buildings after an earthquake, chemical spill or nuclear reactor accident Continue reading