SYDNEY, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have developed an innovative technology that could transform urban search and rescue operations by deploying "cyborg" beetles to locate disaster survivors more quickly.
These "cyborg" beetles are live darkling beetles fitted with microchip backpacks that enable rescuers to remotely guide them through rubble by sending electrical signals to their antennae or forewings, harnessing the insects' natural agility, according to a statement released Tuesday by the University of Queensland (UQ), which led the research.
"Beetles possess many natural gifts that make them the masters of climbing and maneuvering in small, complex spaces such as dense rubble, that are difficult for robots to navigate," said UQ's Thang Vo-Doan, the study's lead author.
The project shows these "cyborg" beetles can be guided both sideways and up walls, something small robots struggle with due to their lack of natural agility and environmental sensing, said research assistant Lachlan Fitzgerald.
While initial tests used a tethered power supply, the beetles can carry batteries of their own weight, and researchers are now working to add cameras and improve power systems for real-world use.
Vo-Doan said the goal is to develop a tool that can swiftly locate and assess trapped individuals, providing vital information to rescuers, with field tests expected within five years.
The research, published in Advanced Science, is a collaboration between the UQ Biorobotics Lab, the UQ School of the Environment, the University of New South Wales, and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. ■
