Cyborg Cockroaches Get Suits Giving Them New Superpowers

Cockroaches might one day serve as unexpected allies in emergency situations, thanks to a new development that transforms them into amphibious cyborgs. A team from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, in collaboration with Waseda University in Tokyo, has devised a system enabling these insects to navigate and breathe underwater.

While the concept of cyborg insects isn't new, with scientists having remotely controlled anesthetized insects for over a decade, the main limitation has always been their inability to breathe underwater. Cockroaches typically respire through spiracles, small openings connected to an internal tube system that ceases to function when submerged. This meant even obedient cyborg insects would eventually suffocate.

To overcome this challenge, researchers designed a flexible, 3D-printed suit that acts similarly to a diver's oxygen tank. The suit contains a small reservoir with a manganese dioxide-coated sponge. When diluted hydrogen peroxide is added, a chemical reaction releases oxygen gradually. This oxygen is then channeled through four silicone tubes connected directly to the cockroach's spiracles, allowing it to breathe while submerged.

The resulting device is remarkably compact, with the backpack measuring approximately 10 by 10 millimeters, about the size of a small piece of chewing gum. It's constructed from a plastic-like material using 3D printing, designed to add minimal weight and preserve the insect's natural mobility. Tests were conducted on Madagascar hissing cockroaches, chosen for their size, resilience, and lack of wings. Equipped with the device, these cyborg cockroaches remained active and could move underwater for up to three hours, at speeds only slightly slower than on land.

This technology has a precedent in practical applications, including past experiments with cyborg cockroaches for search and rescue missions, such as in Myanmar.