Here’s another curious “helper”—the Rhinoceros beetle.
It’s interesting how what one person sees as a nuisance can be viewed as a lifesaver by another; think of bomb-detecting rats or medical maggots. Now, there’s a new contender in this quirky group of heroes: a remote-controlled beetle designed to assist in locating victims after natural disasters.
Dr. Tang Vodogan, a researcher from the University of Queensland in Australia, explained that this beetle can be used in search and rescue missions by squeezing into tight spaces in collapsed buildings to locate survivors.
The project involves outfitting the Dark Ring Beetle with a detachable backpack that controls its antennae and movement via electrodes.
These enhanced insects are maneuvered using video game controllers, which makes them ideal for exploring areas like collapsed structures, especially after a mine or building collapse.
So, why rely on a centuries-old creature instead of more advanced robots? Vodogan suggests that the beetle possesses natural abilities that make it exceptional at navigating small, complex environments that are tricky for robots to handle.
“We plan to leverage these natural talents while incorporating programmable controls for precision without shorting the beetle’s lifespan,” he remarked.
In a recent video demo, these tiny rescuers are shown zipping around obstacles, navigating walls with surprising agility.
Rescue teams on the ground continue to search for people buried under rubble in places like Bangkok, where buildings have collapsed in disasters.
The beetles are surprisingly strong for their size and can carry batteries comparable to their own weight. The team is still refining the beetle’s design, aiming to equip these tiny scouts with enhanced power systems to improve their navigation abilities.
With a combination of agility, sensory skills, and strength, the beetles could dramatically cut down the time needed to find survivors in disaster situations.
“Finding people trapped under rubble quickly is crucial for planning their rescue,” Vodogan noted. He anticipates that these beetles might navigate chaos well enough to pinpoint an individual’s exact location, gauge potential injuries, and offer rescuers vital visual information for extraction efforts.
The research team hopes to begin testing this technology in real rescue operations within the next five years.
This isn’t the first instance of scientists exploring cyborg insects for emergency responses. Back in 2014, researchers at North Carolina State University transformed cockroaches into biobots controlled remotely to detect survivors under debris using microphones.
As Alper Bozkurt, an assistant professor involved in that project, noted, the aim was to create a biobot equipped with a high-resolution microphone to filter important sounds, like a victim’s voice, from less critical noises, such as plumbing issues.
