Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Cyborg Cockroach Sparks Ethics Debate

Posted by Unknown on from the lightly-sand-the-carapace dept.

sciencehabit writes "A do-it-yourself neuroscience experiment that allows students to create their own 'cyborg' insects is sparking controversy amongst scienitsts and ethicists. RoboRoach #12 is a real cockroach that a company called BackyardBrains ships to school students. The students fit the insect with a tiny backpack, which contains electrodes that feed into its antennae and receive signals by remote control — via the Bluetooth signals emitted by smartphones. A simple swipe of an iPhone can turn the insect left or right. Though some scientists say the small cyborg is a good educational tool, others say it's turning kids into psychopaths." Fitting the backpack requires poking a hole in the roach's thorax and clipping its antennae to insert electrodes.

13 of 512 comments (clear)

  1. Cruel by Nerdfest · · Score: 5, Funny

    I completely agree. It's completely unacceptable to force innocent students to used something as restricted and crippled as iOS. For once could someone actually think of the children.

    1. Re:Cruel by Richy_T · · Score: 5, Funny

      Forget psychopaths. It might turn them into... hipsters.

  2. Makes sense by WGFCrafty · · Score: 5, Funny

    IPhones have been turning humans into mindless drones for years, now its the insects turn.

  3. Re:Cockroach rights? by Ralph+Wiggam · · Score: 2, Funny

    So roaches live everywhere on Earth except suburban London? Interesting.

  4. Too buggy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I tried the app, but it was too buggy.

  5. No way, totally wrong by russotto · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's not ethical to force an animal to move left and right by attaching electrodes to its head. Not at all. The ethical way is to put a metal bar in its mouth and pull on THAT to force it to move left and right.
     

  6. Re:Cockroach rights? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Funny

    What about mosquitos? those fuckers deserve it. You suck my blood, I amputate your piercing mouthparts and humanely release you to go find other food sources, or starve, whichever comes first.

  7. 5th Element by Nidi62 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Please tell me they have a version that uses a rotating dish instead of a backpack.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  8. Re:Missing the reality of what kids do to insects by Any+Web+Loco · · Score: 5, Funny

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruelty_to_animals#Psychological_disorders

    Just saying...

  9. I agree. by sconeu · · Score: 3, Funny

    They should stop experiment on cockroaches, and start experimenting on lower life forms instead....

    Members of Congress come to mind as a possibility...

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    1. Re:I agree. by mjwx · · Score: 3, Funny

      They should stop experiment on cockroaches, and start experimenting on lower life forms instead....

      Members of Congress come to mind as a possibility...

      They tried.

      They opened up the politician and found they lacked both a spine and a brain. Unable to find anywhere to attach the electrodes they gave up and moved onto roaches.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  10. Re:Missing the reality of what kids do to insects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Because while dumb motherfuckers like you are a member of PETI (People for the Ethical Treatment of Insects), the rest of us aren't.

  11. Re:Cockroach rights? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

    So roaches live everywhere on Earth except suburban London? Interesting.

    Even cockroaches have standards.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20