RobotMe summary
Researchers are investigating remotely guided insects as platforms for carrying small rescue and medical payloads. IEEE Spectrum describes a prototype built around giant burrowing cockroaches, with electronics used to direct their movement.
The concept takes advantage of an insect’s ability to navigate confined, uneven terrain that is difficult for tiny artificial robots. The proposed application is reaching people in disaster rubble. It remains a research prototype and should not be mistaken for a clinically validated rescue or treatment system already deployed to victims.