By Tracy Staedter Wed Nov 18, 2009 09:00 PM ET
By implanting miniature neural and muscle stimulation systems into beetles, scientists for the first time have been able to control the flight of insects. (Electrodes are implanted at the pupal stage and then later connected to remote control electronics.)
They did this by stimulating the brain to work the wings take off, flight and landing.
Funded by the government, this research project could give way to military cyborg beetles that serve as spies.
I sort of feel sorry for the little guy, especially during practice flights. Wonder how many times he hit the wall. Also, it's kind of creepy to think about a swarm of suckers (think locusts) descending on a town and dumping biological weapons. Okay, maybe that's too sci-fi for now. But you have to admit that the creep factor is high.
They did this by stimulating the brain to work the wings take off, flight and landing.
Funded by the government, this research project could give way to military cyborg beetles that serve as spies.
I sort of feel sorry for the little guy, especially during practice flights. Wonder how many times he hit the wall. Also, it's kind of creepy to think about a swarm of suckers (think locusts) descending on a town and dumping biological weapons. Okay, maybe that's too sci-fi for now. But you have to admit that the creep factor is high.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Robot Soldiers in the Field
Sometimes engineering doesn’t work out the way we planned. We’ll take a look at battlefield robots, today on Engineering Works! Top brass in the German army are raving about some new equipment that they say will give their soldiers a ...
.
.