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Cockroach-Controlled Robot

Posted by timothy on from the no-*you*-do-it-yourself dept.

robotsrule writes "The latest issue of Make Magazine volume 2 from O'Reilly publishing has an article on a cockroach controlled robot. Roboticist Garnet Hertz has mounted a Giant Madagascan Hissing Cockroach that drives a small mobile robot around by walking on top of a Kensington trackball. There is a row of proximity sensor triggered LEDs that shine light in the roach's eyes, making him steer the robot since roaches instinctively avoid light. Garnet's web page 'Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine' details the project with several images of the roach in action. Debugging the project is inherently impossible."

3 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. Re:On being a roach by rbarreira · · Score: 3, Informative

    The cockroach doesn't feel the velcro since they don't have nerve endings on their cuticles, according to the site. The ball probably doesn't feel very unnatural, I guess...

    --

    The AACS key is NOT 0xF606EEFD628B1CA427BEA93A9CA9773F
  2. Cruelty to animals by BobPaul · · Score: 2, Informative

    Isn't it cruel to use a cockroach like this?

    [snip] The insects I use lead normal, healthy lives: if you don't believe me, send me your address and I'll slip some eggs under your front door.
    --
    Don't fight Firefox! Let FireFox fight YOU!

  3. What really cracks me up about this article... by jolande · · Score: 2, Informative

    I was going to make a "I, for one, welcome our new Cockroach overlords" joke as is obligatory in every /. thread. I go to -1 to do a search if somebody had done the joke.

    There were 7 posts saying the exact same joke. 7 idential jokes, guys! Seriously, this is not cool. Do a search at -1 before you make the joke. Redundancy is not cool.