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DARPA Creates Remote Controlled Insects

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the bug-with-a-bug dept.

EmagGeek writes "Attempts by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to create cybernetic insects (hybrids of biological and electronic 'bugs') have yielded ultra-low power radios to control the bugs' flight and a method of powering those circuits by harvesting energy, according to research that will be reported this week at the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference. 'Electrodes and a control chip are inserted into a moth during its pupal stage. When the moth emerges the electrodes stimulate its muscles to control its flight. I expect a run on bug zappers any day."

3 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. War of the Bugs by mezzaninex · · Score: 2, Informative

    I saw a demonstration of something just like this at UC Berkeley. Cool stuff. http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/Research/Projects/Data/105682.html

  2. This has been achieved... here are some videos. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    One group of researchers doing this sort of control of moths:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP9ZA8dUU5g&NR=1

    Another group that does metabolic research of moths to see how much they can carry and how long they can fly for:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFKEWDfDO1A

  3. Re:Still can't resist the sex... by Benfea · · Score: 2, Informative

    The whole moths-flying-at-light sources isn't about mating, it's a malfunction of their navigation methods.