Sep-13-12
By convincing a cockroach that it’s being followed, researchers have developed a way to steer the insect along precise paths.
To control the cockroach, the team from North Carolina State University attached a tiny micro-controller to its antenna and cerci. The roach uses the cerci organ to sense movement in the air, which triggers it to move forward when something approaches from behind, while the antenna sense obstacle in front and signal the roach to steer to avoid them. By stimulate the two organs with small electrical currents, the team was able to prompt the roach and steer it along a curved path.
The remote-controlled roaches could be used for surveillance or search-and-rescue missions.
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