Cyborg cockroaches carry electronics into disaster zones

‘Swarms’ of cyborg cockroaches with cameras and miniature medical injectors could deliver supervised emergency care to people trapped in collapsed buildings, caves or other places too dangerous for rescuers to reach.

The ‘Paraborgs’ developed by University of Queensland biorobotics researchers, working with biomedical engineers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), move cyborg insects of the future beyond searching for survivors to actively assisting them.

UQ biorobotics engineer Dr Thang Vo-Doan said their research transforms the cyborg insect from a mobile sensor into a tiny rescue platform, while critical medical decisions remain under human control.

“Cyborg insects have been designed for ‘search and explore’ missions for the past couple of decades,” Dr Vo-Doan said.

The researchers equipped North Queensland giant burrowing cockroaches (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) with lightweight electronics and either cameras for 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,” Vo-Doan said.

In proof-of-concept testing at UQ’s School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, the paraborgs achieved 95% success with close-range injection — positioned within 15 centimetres of the target.

The complete navigation-and-injection task succeeded in 72% of trials.

Image caption: PhD candidate Hai Nhan Le said accurate positioning of the paraborgs was one of the key engineering challenges. Image credit: The University of Queensland.

“The cyborg insect has to navigate to the target, position itself accurately and remain stable enough to perform the injection. 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,” said PhD candidate Hai Nhan Le.

Unlocking new tools with insect biomechanics

Director of the UNSW Medical Robotics Lab Associate Professor Thanh Nho Do said the paraborg 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. The long-term goal is targeted, human-supervised intervention in places conventional medical technologies cannot access,” Do said.

Image caption: The giant burrowing cockroach provides greater capacity to carry specialised rescue and medical equipment. Image credit: The University of Queensland.

Vo-Doan added that the research demonstrates the UQ Biorobotics Lab’s ability to adapt cyborg technology across different insect platforms.

The team has previously demonstrated cyborg beetles capable of controlled climbing, while the larger cockroaches provide greater capacity to carry specialised rescue and medical equipment.

The cockroaches, like the team’s previous cyborg insect models, are anaesthetised during electrode and microchip fitting and live for as long as other cockroaches once the harnesses are removed.

Superintendent Tim Hassiotis, Manager Natural Disaster and Humanitarian at Fire and Rescue NSW, said the technology could 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,” Hassiotis said.

A swarm with specialised roles

Vo-Doan said the longer-term vision was to deploy swarms of specialised cyborg insects, with individuals performing complementary roles.

“Some could carry cameras and environmental sensors, while others could carry specialised emergency or medical equipment,” he said.

Image caption: Hai Nhan Le guiding a paraborg cockroach remotely using a gaming controller. Image credit: The University of Queensland.

“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,” Vo-Doan said.

The research findings have been published in Advanced Science.

Top image caption: Biorobotics researchers from UQ have transformed North Queensland giant burrowing cockroaches (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) into miniature cyborg paramedics. Image credit: The University of Queensland.