Just in case the world needs em, researchers are hard aty work perfecting the remotely controlled cockroach. Which will no doubt inherit the earth when Skynet blows everything up:
Link– Cockroaches are incredible creations of nature. They are able to squeeze through tiny spaces, survive rough conditions, and travel relatively long distances without needing to rest. All you need to do is find a roach infestation in your apartment to know that they are very durable creatures.
It would certainly be great if there were some kind of robotic creatures that shared those same characteristics. Short of that, though, it would be cool if you could attach robotic contraptions on top of real-life cockroaches to achieve the same result.
That is exactly what North Carolina State University researchers are working on. Led by electrical engineering assistant professor Alper Bozkurt, the team is molding a commercially-available chip that could be mounted on a cockroach, along with a wireless receiver, transmitter, and controller.
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Dave, ex-Kwisatz Haderach
September 8, 2012 at 10:10 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
This is perfect! Mounted a little gun and a camera on there, connect it up to an Xbox/PS, and you can use your own remote-controlled roach-tank to deal with a pesky roach infection. You’d make millions!
pipenta
September 8, 2012 at 11:20 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Those look to be the gigantic Madagascar hissing cockroaches. When I see the little guys, the American and German cockroaches in the pantry kitted out with lasers, then I’ll worry.
see_the_galaxy
September 8, 2012 at 12:13 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Quick…! Alert Korben Dallas!
DonDueed
September 8, 2012 at 1:51 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Mooltipass!
carpenterman
September 9, 2012 at 3:20 pm (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I think “comercially-available” are the two scariest words in this story.
richardelguru
September 10, 2012 at 5:34 am (UTC -6) Link to this comment
See and Don
but the poor thing got smooched!
Awwww!