AssetID: 55950086
Headline: It's a Doc roach! Scientists create 'cyborg cockroaches' to get treatment to those trapped in rubble
Caption: BY MARK WORGAN Your new doctor could be a cockroach, that’s if Australian scientists get their way. That’s because biorobotics researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ), and University of New South Wales (UNSW) have developed Cyborg cockroaches fitted with cameras and miniature medical injectors that can inject a human with life-saving drugs from a short distance away. They hope the cyberbugs could one day help deliver life-saving treatment to those trapped under rubble or in caves. The insects, which they have dubbed "Paraborgs", have been developed by the team to actively help emergency services personnel get to those in need. UQ biorobotics engineer Dr Thang Vo-Doan said the research transformed cyborg insects from mobile sensors into tiny rescue platforms, while keeping critical medical decisions under human control. “Cyborg insects have been designed for ‘search and explore’ missions for the past couple of decades,” Dr Vo-Doan said. “We wanted to take the next step. Once they find someone, can they actually help?” The team equipped North Queensland giant burrowing cockroaches (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) with lightweight electronics, including cameras providing visual feedback or remotely activated auto-injection systems custom-made for the species. “Augmenting their natural biomechanics could allow these cyborg insects to deliver timely emergency assistance when direct access to people trapped in narrow, debris-filled spaces isn’t possible,” Dr Vo-Doan said. In proof-of-concept tests at UQ's School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, the Paraborgs achieved a 95% success rate in close-range injections when positioned within 15cm of the target. The complete navigation-and-injection task was successful in 72% of trials. PhD candidate Hai Nhan Le said accurately positioning the insects was among the main engineering challenges. “The cyborg insect has to navigate to the target, position itself accurately and remain stable enough to perform the injection,” Mr Le said. “A lot of people might not like the sight of a giant cockroach scurrying towards them, but if you’re trapped in rubble or stuck in a cave and need help, it could make a real difference between life and death.” The director of the UNSW Medical Robotics Lab, Associate Professor Thanh Nho Do, said the technology could extend the reach of emergency medicine. “From a biomedical perspective, the opportunity is to bring treatment to a patient when the patient cannot yet be brought to treatment,” Associate Professor Do said. “The long-term goal is targeted, human-supervised intervention in places conventional medical technologies cannot access.” Dr Vo-Doan said the work demonstrated how cyborg technology could be adapted to different insect species. The team has previously developed cyborg beetles capable of controlled climbing, while the larger cockroaches can carry more specialised rescue and medical equipment. “Rather than building one robot to do everything, we can harness the natural strengths of different insects and equip them for different missions,” Dr Vo-Doan said. The cockroaches are anaesthetised while electrodes and microchips are fitted. Researchers said the insects can live as long as other cockroaches after their harnesses are removed. Superintendent Tim Hassiotis, Manager Natural Disaster and Humanitarian at Fire and Rescue NSW, said the technology could eventually extend the reach of rescue teams. “If cyborg insects can safely enter spaces we can’t, locate casualties and ultimately help deliver emergency care, they could become another valuable tool in the future of urban search and rescue,” Superintendent Hassiotis said. Dr Vo-Doan said the longer-term aim was to deploy swarms of specialised cyborg insects, with individual insects carrying out complementary tasks. “Some could carry cameras and environmental sensors, while others could carry specialised emergency or medical equipment,” he said. “The vision is not to replace first responders, but to give them another way to see, reach and potentially help people when direct access is impossible. “Hopefully, within the next 5 to 10 years, we could see cyborg insect rescue teams deployed to help people in real emergencies, provided we have the resources to accelerate the research and field testing.” The research has been published in the journal Advanced Science.
Keywords: feature,video,photo,cockroach,science,research,technology,weird
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