Scientists Developing Remote-Control Cyborg Moths

Zothecula writes We've been hearing a lot about the development of tiny flying sensor-equipped robots, that could be sent into areas such as disaster sites to seek out survivors or survey the damage. However, why go to the trouble of designing those robots from scratch, when there are already ready-made insects that are about the right size? That's the thinking behind research being conducted at North Carolina State University, which is aimed at converting moths into "biobots".

moth balls

[Nyder]

ya, but moth balls will always bring them down.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

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[wonkey_monkey]

So use female moths. Duh.

NCSU is mostly talk

[turkeydance]

with little action. biobots resemble NC State's administration. oh, the stories i could tell.

Mothra

[Zordak]

This will obviously ultimately lead to Mothra, which will be aswesome, especially if these guys also figure out how to build Godzilla so they can have an epic battle to the death that wrecks a scale model of Tokyo.

Do the tests stat ...

[CaptainDork]

... moths don't live a long time and stuff.

Re:Do the tests stat ...

[viperidaenz]

They live longer than a charge on a battery powered flying vehicle.

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[CaptainDork]

I'd mod your comment up if I could ... excellent point.

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[wvmarle]

As counterargument, a couple hours of flying time is enough for many missions like seeing what's around the corner or inside a building, and cyborg moths don't come out of their pupa on demand, nor can they be pre-produced and stored waiting for use in an emergency.

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[viperidaenz]

unless you can freeze them like you can with flies

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[wvmarle]

A large stock of cryogenic, cyborg moths; ready to be unfrozen and directed to do whatever their masters tell them to do.

This starts to sound rather creepy to me. Stuff for a scifi thriller.

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[Bugamn]

I'm cool with that.

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[sanjeev1991]

Many equipment which are not generally made up of water resistant, Any water or liquid may damage that euipments!!

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[Anonymous Coward]

They live longer than my S5 without a change..

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[freelunch]

The moth that burns twice as bright burns for half as long.

Finally!

[Alejux]

I was starting to wonder when they would get to it...

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[wonkey_monkey]

They "got to it" five years ago.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/robot... [ieee.org]

Submit to your moth rulers.

[Eravnrekaree]

I for one welcome our new moth overlords.

Wow

[cadeon]

This is straight out of science fiction.

I can see it now, a comic book super villain and his swarm of programmable insects.

What a time to be alive.

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[Chris Mattern]

I can see it now, a comic book super villain and his swarm of programmable insects.

You mean, like this guy? [wikia.com]

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[cadeon]

Perfect.

Godzilla

[slapout]

Didn't Godzilla fight those one time?