Forget robots: Scientists turn cockroaches into cyborg first responders that could save lives

Small robots and drones have come far from their original aims of creation. From hospitality service to spiritual guidance and even disaster response, they are being deployed in numerous fields. Recently, numerous locations across the world have suffered through major disasters, including earthquakes, and victims are still being searched for in rescue operations that have lasted for weeks.Now, new research shows how bugs, with their ability to crawl through even narrower gaps in rubble, could be used as the next generation of first responders. A research team from the University of Queensland (UQ) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have developed the 'Paraborg ' to not only help with searching for victims but also administering first aid. “Cyborg insects have been designed for ‘search and explore’ missions for the past couple of decades,” Tan Vo Doan, a bio-robotics researcher at UQ, said in a press release. “We wanted to take the next step.”A cockroach inspired by oneThe team relied on a giant burrowing cockroach that inhabits northern Queensland to develop the Paraborg, which they documented in a recent paper published in Advanced Science. The armoured cockroach is up t...