By Alec Fernandes
Researchers from the Beijing Institute of Technology have discovered how to manipulate the movement of bees, outfitting them with surveillance devices. The electronics, lighter than a pinch of salt, connect to worker bees' brains with small needles, allowing scientists to change the insects' flight direction with a 90-percent success rate. The bugs can carry cameras, sensors, and microphones, enabling them to gather information without attracting attention.
Professor Zhao Jieliang, who led the study published in the Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, explained that "insect-based robots utilize the remarkable mobility and adaptability of their biological hosts." However, challenges remain, primarily in battery life and adapting the technology to different types of bugs.
Other countries, including the US and Japan, are also in the race to develop similar cyborg insects, with Japanese researchers previously unveiling a cockroach they controlled remotely with a solar-powered 'backpack'. Wires linked to the cockroach's abdomen delivered electrical signals that prompted the insect to move in a desired direction.
While the Chinese researchers tout the technology's advantages for combat, counterterrorism, and disaster relief operations, its potential use for government surveillance poses a daunting threat to civilian privacy. Check out the device featured in the video above, and let us know what you think on our Facebook page.
