Thursday Technology Current Event

Topic: Cyborg Cockroaches
  
Article Title: Cyborg Cockroaches May Be Future Emergency Responders

Article Source: Innovation News Daily



Summary: Most people hate cockroaches and think they're gross, but is it possible that they may be future emergency responders? A video footage at North Carolina State University shows the part - robot roaches being led along a curving path with a remote control. There is a lightweight chip with a wireless receiver and transmitter attached onto Madagascar hissing cockroaches. On the insect's antennae and cerci, there is a wired microcontroller. Using electrical signals, researchers can direct the roaches to various locations. 



Researchers hope that they could use biobotic roaches in place of robots since cockroaches are experts at performing in hostile environments. By creating a mobile web of smart sensors, researchers also wish to use the roaches to collect and transmit information. An example of a way the roaches could respond to emergencies is, finding survivors in a building that's been destroyed by an earthquake. Other researchers are are now also considering the possibility of technology enhanced roaches. 



Reaction: My first reaction to this article was, " Ew! Roaches"?! I was surprised that researchers were even thinking of doing anything with roaches. After I read through the article, I thought of how helpful this could actually be. An example used in the article was the roaches finding survivors in a building that was destroyed by an earthquake. 



If I was in a collapsed building and saw a roach, I'll try to shoo it away from me cause I'm scared of roaches and hate them. I wonder if researches actually thought of it that way. Overall, I think its a creative idea that could really be useful someday.



World Impact: These biobotic roaches can really help in times of crisis. In cases like earthquakes, the roaches can transmit information like where a survivor is located. This can help rescuers find survivors faster and easier. This could really impact the world because, well, it can save lives! There are situations in the past where many emergency responders have lost their lives, or they couldn't get to survivors in time. With the roaches may be rescuers would be less likely to lose their lives and survivors can be found faster.