Cyborg Cockroach Sparks Ethics Debate

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.

Comments

Come All Ye Lame and Dumb

[b4upoo]

For those of us who are absolutely worthless and without talent this type of article provides one heck of an opportunity. You to can me a morality wizard. America has tens of thousands of such folk who make it their goal in life to judge whether actions fall within some supposed universally agreed upon mold. It is almost like having 11 items at the check out in the 10 item line at the grocery store. Some old hag will inevitably bitch that I have violated a proper rule. At that point I usually shout with glee "Praise Jesus Christ. The Lord has delivered unto me a judge of proper conduct.". No longer do i need to make up my mind about the right or wrong of an action as these self appointed moral wizards will always do it for me. I am free at last to not be bothered with having an internal debate about the morality of harming a filthy cockroach.