Australian researchers are turning beetles and giant burrowing cockroaches into biohybrid “cyborg” scouts for future search and rescue. Tiny backpack circuit boards send pulses to the insects’ antennae to nudge their path while leveraging natural agility. “Only when it leaves the desired path that we want it to be on do we intervene,” says University of Queensland student Lachlan Fitzgerald.
The vision is swarms that can navigate rubble, locate survivors, and deliver lifesaving drugs before human crews arrive. “We see a future where after an urban disaster like an earthquake or a bombing… being able to send in a bunch of cyborg beetles to navigate the disaster zone quickly and efficiently,” Fitzgerald says.
Insects offer advantages over traditional robots in unpredictable terrain. “Insects are so adaptable compared to an artificial robotic system,” Fitzgerald explains. The lab is testing giant burrowing cockroaches native to Australia and darkling beetles found in many climates.
Researchers still need to master precise steering, which could take time. Fitzgerald believes the approach looks futuristic now but could save lives within decades.
Parallel biohybrid projects are emerging. Caltech has implanted electronic pacemakers into jellyfish to control swimming speed for deep-ocean data collection. Cornell built robots influenced by electrical signals from a king oyster mushroom to sense environments like farm soils.
Ethics remain a live debate. Caltech academics told CNN they worked with bioethicists to avoid stress responses in their jellyfish. Fitzgerald says backpacked beetles live normal lifespans and adds, “I think the potential for this technology to save lives in an urban disaster, it really outweighs any kind of hesitancy you might have towards the field.”
