Employees from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed an innovative technology for the accelerated assembly of “cyborgs“ based on cockroaches. The system automates the process of attaching electronic components to the bodies of insects, turning them into miniature biorobots.
Previously, to control the movement of cockroaches, scientists attached miniature devices with wireless control to their bodies. Electrical impulses stimulated certain muscles of the insect, allowing it to set the direction of its movement. But manual assembly of such systems requires a lot of attention and takes about half an hour.
The new technology uses a robotic arm that completes the entire installation process in a few seconds - now it takes only 68 seconds to prepare a cyborg cockroach. Automation allows not only to speed up production, but also to scale up the assembly of hybrid robots for their mass use in real situations.
To keep the insects in a stationary state, scientists use carbon dioxide, after which they are placed on a special platform with metal holders. The structures carefully fix the insect in the desired position for installing microcircuits and other components. The computer determines the ideal points for attaching the electronics, and the robotic arm performs the installation quickly and with high accuracy.
Such cyborg insects can become an effective tool in rescue operations, environmental monitoring, and research in hard-to-reach places. Due to their small size, they will be able to penetrate areas where people cannot enter and transmit the collected data. The authors' near-term plans include the creation of technology that will allow coordinating the actions of a large number of such cyborgs.