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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
China creates remote-controlled cyborg BEES that could be used for secret spy missions
Chinese scientists have successfully turned bees into cyborgs by inserting controllers into their brains. The device, which weighs less than a pinch of salt, is strapped to the back of a worker bee and connected to the insect's brain through small needles. In tests the device worked nine times out of 10 and the bees obeyed the instructions to turn left or right, the researchers said. The cyborg bees could be used in rescue missions – or in covert operations as military scouts. The tiny device can be equipped with cameras, listening devices and sensors that allow the insects to collect and record information. Given their small size they could also be used for discreet military or security operations, such as accessing small spaces without arousing suspicion. Zhao Jieliang, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, led the development of the technology. It works by delivering electrical pulses to the insect's optical lobe – the visual processing centre in the brain – which then allows researchers to direct its flight. The study was recently published in the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, and was first reported by the South China Morning Post. 'Insect-based robots inherit the superior mobility, camouflage capabilities and environmental adaptability of their biological hosts,' Professor Zhao and his colleagues wrote. 'Compared to synthetic alternatives, they demonstrate enhanced stealth and extended operational endurance, making them invaluable for covert reconnaissance in scenarios such as urban combat, counterterrorism and narcotics interdiction, as well as critical disaster relief operations.' Several other countries, including the US and Japan, are also racing to create cyborg insects. While Professor Zhao's team has made great strides in advancing the technology, several hurdles still remain. For one, the current batteries aren't able to last very long, but any larger would mean the packs are too heavy for the bees to carry. The same device cannot easily be used on different insects as each responds to signals on different parts of their bodies. Before this, the lightest cyborg controller came from Singapore and was triple the weight. It also follows the creation of cyborg dragonflies and cockroaches, with researchers across the world racing to develop the most advanced technology. Scientists in Japan have previously reported a remote-controlled cockroach that wears a solar-powered 'backpack'. The cockroach is intended to enter hazardous areas, monitor the environment or undertake search and rescue missions without needing to be recharged. The cockroaches are still alive, but wires attached to their two 'cerci' - sensory organs on the end of their abdomens - send electrical impulses that cause the insect to move right or left. In November 2014, researchers at North Carolina State University fitted cockroaches with electrical backpacks complete with tiny microphones capable of detecting faint sounds. The idea is that cyborg cockroaches, or 'biobots', could enter crumpled buildings hit by earthquakes, for example, and help emergency workers find survivors. 'In a collapsed building, sound is the best way to find survivors,' said Alper Bozkurt, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at North Carolina State University. 'The goal is to use the biobots with high-resolution microphones to differentiate between sounds that matter - like people calling for help - from sounds that don't matter - like a leaking pipe. 'Once we've identified sounds that matter, we can use the biobots equipped with microphone arrays to zero-in on where those sounds are coming from.' The 'backpacks' control the robo-roach's movements because they are wired to the insect's cerci - sensory organs that cockroaches usually use to feel if their abdomens brush against something. By electrically stimulating the cerci, cockroaches can be prompted to move in a certain direction. In fact, they have been programmed to seek out sound. One type of 'backpack' is equipped with an array of three directional microphones to detect the direction of the sound and steer the biobot in the right direction towards it. Another type is fitted with a single microphone to capture sound from any direction, which can be wirelessly transmitted, perhaps in the future to emergency workers. They 'worked well' in lab tests and the experts have developed technology that can be used as an 'invisible fence' to keep the biobots in a certain area such as a disaster area, the researchers announced at the IEEE Sensors 2014 conference in Valencia, Spain.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Science
- The Sun
China creates cyborg BEES controlling their minds and every movement for secret spy missions
A TEAM of scientists claim to have created the world's lightest mind control device - for bees. The tiny brain controller weighs just 74milligrams, which researchers say is lighter than a sack of nectar typically carried by a bee. 1 The team from the Beijing Institute of Technology, led by Professor Zhao Jieliang, said the system wires straight into the insects' brains. While the device is strapped to a bee's back, three needles are pierced into the bee's brain. Operators can then send electronic pulses into the bee's brain and command it to fly in whichever direction they want. During tests, published in the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, the bees obeyed their operator's commands with 90 per cent accuracy. It's similar to the so-called "zombie" fungus, cordyceps, which can infect insects and take control of their bodies. It's this fungus that was famously used as the premise for the zombie virus in the popular 'The Last of Us' franchise. The sci-fi-like system, first reported by the South China Morning Post, printed the circuits onto polymer film - ultra-thin and flexible films that are used inside electronics. The team behind the new technology believe swarms of mind-controlled insects could scout areas and help disaster relief operations. However, they may also usher in a new type of surveillance state where every insect is potentially a spy. 'Insect-based robots inherit the superior mobility, camouflage capabilities, and environmental adaptability of their biological hosts,' Zhao and his colleagues wrote. They added: 'Compared to synthetic alternatives, they demonstrate enhanced stealth and extended operational endurance, making them invaluable for covert reconnaissance in scenarios such as urban combat, counterterrorism and narcotics interdiction, as well as critical disaster relief operations." Previously, the lightest bug cyborg controller developed in Singapore was triple the weight. The device could command beetles and roaches - but the extra weight meant they became tired quickly. With a more lightweight device, Zhao and his team believe they can better serve as military scouts.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Science
- Telegraph
Cyborg bees to be Chinese military scouts
Scientists in China are turning bees into cyborgs by inserting controllers into their brains and deciding where they should fly. The bees – part insect, part machine – could serve as military scouts or be used to search for survivors following a natural disaster. Zhao Jieliang, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, and his team recently developed the world's lightest brain controller – weighing only 74 milligrams, or less than a pinch of salt. The device is strapped to the back of a worker bee and pierces its brain with three needles to instruct it to fly in specific directions. Based on the tests conducted by Prof Zhao and his team, nine times out of 10 the device worked and the bees obeyed. With this type of technology, the scientists believe that 'cyborg bees' be used in covert operations, or missions in locations inaccessible to humans. The micro devices can be equipped with cameras, listening devices and sensors that allow the insects to collect and record information, which can then be relayed back to their operator. Given their small size, they could also be used for discrete military or security operations as they would be able to crawl through small spaces that humans and larger robots wouldn't be able to reach and do so without arousing suspicion. 'Insect-based robots inherit the superior mobility, camouflage capabilities and environmental adaptability of their biological hosts,' Prof Zhao and his colleagues wrote in their paper, which was published in the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering on June 11. 'Compared to synthetic alternatives, they demonstrate enhanced stealth and extended operational endurance, making them invaluable for covert reconnaissance in scenarios such as urban combat, counterterrorism and narcotics interdiction, as well as critical disaster relief operations,' they wrote. Earlier reports on this research showed scientists outfitting other insects, such as beetles, with microchips and wiring, which they would use to control the bug's movement with infrared rays and bluetooth signals. One of the 'backpacks' that the scientists had developed, weighed only 23mg, nearly a third of what the cyborg bees carry. Scientists in Singapore have also developed miniature cyborg controllers, but these were bigger and heavier. These devices however were strapped to cockroaches, which were used to help the search and rescue efforts following Myanmar's 7.7 magnitude earthquake in March. Several other countries, including the US and Japan are also taking part in the race to create cyborg insects. While Prof Zhao's team has made great strides in advancing the technology, challenges remain. For one, the current batteries aren't able to last very long, but any larger and the packs would be too heavy for the bees to carry. The same device cannot easily be used on different insects, as each responds to signals on different parts of their bodies. China has been working to miniaturise its technology in other fields, with the country unveiling mosquito-sized drones back in June as well.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Chinese scientists create first cyborg bee with world's lightest brain controller
Worker bees carry nectar sacks weighing 80 per cent of their body mass. When airborne, they tuck their hind legs like landing gear to cut wind drag. And they can fly 5km (3 miles) with no need for rest, an example of how nature's genius shames human machinery Until now. At Beijing Institute of Technology, Professor Zhao Jieliang's team has built the world's lightest insect brain controller. At 74 milligrams, it is lighter than a sack of nectar. Strapped to the bee's back, the device pierces its brain with three needles. It creates illusions with electronic pulses to command flight: turn left, turn right, advance, retreat. Nine out of 10 times, the bee obeyed.
