If an earthquake occurs in the not-too-distant future and survivors are trapped under tons of rubble, the first responders to find them may be swarms of cyborg cockroaches.
This is a potential application of a recent breakthrough by Japanese researchers who demonstrated the ability to mount “backpacks” of solar cells and electronics on bugs and control their motion via remote control.
Kenjiro Fukuda and his team at the Thin-Film Devices Laboratory at Japanese research giant Riken developed a flexible solar cell film that is 4 microns thick, 1/25 the width of a human hair, and can fit on an insect’s stomach.
The film allows the roach to move freely while the solar cell generates enough power to process and send directional signals to sensory organs on the bug’s back.
The work builds on previous pest-control experiments at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and could one day result in cyborg insects that can enter dangerous areas more efficiently than robots.
“Batteries in small robots run out quickly, so the search time is reduced,” Fukuda said. “A key advantage of (the cyborg insect) is that when it comes to insect movement, the insect causes itself to move, so the electricity required is nowhere near as high.”
Fukuda and his team chose Madagascar hissing cockroaches for the experiments because they are large enough to carry the equipment and don’t have wings that get in the way. Even with a backpack and film attached to their back, the bugs can jump over small obstacles or right themselves when flipped over.
Research still has a long way to go. In a recent demonstration, Riken researcher Yujiro Kakei used a special computer and a wireless Bluetooth signal to tell a cyborg roach to turn left, causing it to turn in that general direction. But when given the “right” signal, the bug turned in a circle.
The next challenge is to miniaturize the components so that the insects can move more easily and mount sensors and even cameras. Kakei said he built the cyborg backpack with JPY 5,000 (roughly Rs. 2,700) worth of parts purchased in Tokyo’s famous Akihabara electronics district.
The backpack and film can be removed, allowing the roaches to return to life in a lab terrarium. Insects mature in four months and live up to five years in captivity.
Beyond disaster rescue bugs, Fukuda sees a wide range of applications for solar cell film, which consists of microscopic layers of plastic, silver and gold. The film can be made into clothing or skin patches for use in monitoring vital signs.
On a sunny day, a parasol covered with the material can generate enough electricity to charge a mobile phone, he said.
© Thomson Reuters 2022
