Cyborg Bugs

Usually, we think of gigantic humanoid creatures when we think of robots. However, robots can also be that of the size of a fly. Although most times, we envision robots to be human-like with arms and legs standing at least 4-5 feet tall, robots are also useful in their minute form. Small robots allow for better movement and maneuvering around the tiny spaces, for example, examining pipes or cracks in a wall. However, for scientists, minute robots can serve the purposes of alleviating some complex tasks such as adding small changes to a very tiny object.

Recently, scientists have decided to use insects. After studying their movements, scientists have now created a system to control the movement of insect legs by way of electrodes. Scientists implant electrodes in the insects brains in order to hijack and make them into cyborgs. The hope is that scientists can use the beetle's perception to avoid roadblocks and the electrodes to steer the insect to the location they want the insect to be in. This is really useful as apparently this gives way for easier exploration of small areas. Since these "hijacked bugs" consume less energy and do not need a complete set of code to avoid obstacles as it relies on the eyes of the insect, it will be more easily deployable in the science and tech fields. However, the drawback to this technology is that the lifespan of the bug or hijacked insect is equal to that of an insect. Once the insect dies, the hijacked insect will stay frozen and dead in whatever location it is in. This may cause an issue with retrieving data and the carcass and remains of the hijacked insect. If the carcass is not removes, it could potentially harm the hardware or area of space it is in due the electrodes in the insect's brain.


http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.html#pbid=59b4de92e6b44145b5b692f41dd00d0a&ec=tuazNnMjE6pxegvSKVEHsKlhvkRwBGPy


Read more about this at this link: Cyborg Bugs