“BioBot” Roaches Could Save Lives With Tiny Backpacks | National Geographic

Researchers at North Carolina State University are training a swarm of unlikely heroes. By placing an array of microphones and electrode sensors onto a small circuit board, they've created what they call a "backpack" to be worn by Madagascar hissing cockroaches. The backpacks pick up sounds and help control the insect's movement. A researcher uses a joystick to steer the roach toward the sound source. This technology could help first responders find survivors in the aftermath of a disaster.

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SENIOR PRODUCER: Jeff Hertrick
VIDEOGRAPHERS/PRODUCERS: Jennifer Bird and Luke McMahon
EDITOR: Julia Wall

“BioBot” Roaches Could Save Lives With Tiny Backpacks | National Geographic

National Geographic

[wilsongarnett]

The little roaches with backpacks are cute

[ObiWanCannoli]

I can imagine them looking back at this footage and laughing at how huge their prototype was...because with time it will get very very small to more adapt the cockroach. This could go far.

[ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ-ΠΑΥΛΟΣΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΑΚΑΤΟΣ]

you ask for help trapped under a building and you get a swarm of Roaches while you can't move !

[RavenMoonz]

Is it weird that I feel bad for the roaches? Really though I feel bad for them because they don't have a choice.

[otphlex]

Its gonna tire it out imagine carrying a car on your back

[SoaRMystic]

They can't control humans
Now they're trying to control insects
Nice but not in some aspects

[teacherdavid--eatplaylearn]

Blessings from Taiwan 🇹🇼😇🥰

Hope these biobots will go into action and save lives soon 💪😎👍

[LXW-Arts]

Well it's over for humans. Imagine an army of insects fighting your nation. An army of wasps, mosquitoes, Hornets, grasshoppers, roaches and ants. Acres of land would be destroy. And oh my God how about them vicious butterflies

[bearuu]

I really like how realistic robot roaches move, it’s so real that I can’t tell the difference

[diamondsos]

I'd rather die in debris than be rescued by a cockroach

[mohammadao]

Good idea, but I don't understand how you will control where the cockroach will be going under all the ruble as there may be obstacles in their path, so the direction that you want them to go, they would not be able to go, unless you attach some type of video camera on them so that you know which direction to send them in

[abdalrhmansaad]

في البداية تم تجربة هذا المشروع على صرصور لان جهازه العصبي اقل تطوراً من الانسان لكن ماذا اذا تم تطوير المشروع مثلا سوف يبدأون بأستعماله على حمام ثم الى أحصنة او ماعز ثم الى قردة ثم يتم أستخدامه على البشر !! الصرصور كائن حي ونحن ايضاً كائنات حية المشروع واضح وضوح الشمس 

[Naedyn]

SO CUTE. And what an interesting idea!

[sugarhieroglyph]

This is cruel. Poor little guys. Do unto others...

[pitstop_club]

how weird does it feel when someone is remote controlling your movement and brain ??

[kenzicrowder]

I hate cockroaches! I would not want this bug crawling on me. I don’t like them but they also don’t deserve to have this device mess with their nervous system or whatever it’s called in a roach. It would be more humane (for both the bugs and the humans lol) to just build mechanical bugs. This is not only mean it’s also flat out odd.

[mssuicidal]

so why not just send a device? why the cockroach? i can't see why it can't be done without it...?

[ozguryildirimm]

Oo Alper abi turkler heryerde selamlar

[donnieking]

fuck that! build an insect robot better than a roach instead!

[kriamau]

why do you need to attach a robot to a raoch, couldnt you just make a robot to do this?