PREVIEW

Cyborg cockroaches given tiny diving suits to hunt for disaster survivors. Scientists have created tiny 3D-printed diving suits for cyborg cockroaches that could help find survivors in flooded disaster zones. The miniature suits supply oxygen, allowing the insects to crawl underwater and through low-oxygen spaces that rescuers and robots can't reach. Each remote-controlled cockroach carries a sensor backpack that can detect signs of life, including movement, body heat and carbon dioxide from breathing. The built-in oxygen system keeps the insects active underwater or in oxygen-poor environments for up to three hours. Researchers successfully tested the technology in simulated disaster environments where the suited cockroaches remained mobile even in flooded, low-oxygen conditions. The team believes these insect robots could one day support search-and-rescue teams by reaching survivors trapped in places too dangerous or inaccessible for humans and conventional robots.