Cyborg Cockroach – Solar Charged & Remote-Controlled by Japan’s RIKEN CPR

Japan’s RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR) has published its new experimental study sharing that its researchers have engineered a system that has created remote controlled ‘cyborg cockroaches’ that are equipped with a tiny wireless control module powered by a rechargeable battery attached to a solar cell.

RIKEN said that despite the mechanic devices, ultrathin electronics and flexible materials allow the cyborg cockroaches to move freely. These achievements are expected to make the use of cyborg insects a practical reality. They could be employed to multiple noble uses like inspecting hazardous areas or monitoring the environment.

RIKEN holds that for the use of cyborg insects to be practical, handlers must be able to control them remotely for long periods of time. This requires wireless control of their leg segments, powered by a tiny rechargeable battery.

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The organisation also opined that it is possible to build docking stations for recharging the battery but the need to return and recharge could disrupt time-sensitive missions. Therefore, the best solution is to include an on-board solar cell that can continuously ensure that the battery stays charged.

The problem is that there is limited surface area on the cyborg cockroaches hence the research team developed a special backpack, ultrathin organic solar cell modules, and an adhesion system that keeps the machinery attached for long periods of time while also allowing natural movements.

The Madagascar Cockroaches Experiment

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RIKEN CPR said that the research team led by Kenjiro Fukuda experimented with Madagascar cockroaches that are approximately 6 cm long. They attached a wireless leg-control module and lithium polymer battery to the top of the insect on the thorax using a specially designed backpack. The backpack was 3D printed with an elastic polymer and conformed perfectly to the curved surface of the cockroach, allowing the rigid electronic device to be stably mounted on the thorax for more than a month.

The ultrathin thick organic solar cell module was mounted on the dorsal side of the abdomen. Kenjiro Fukuda said, “The body-mounted ultrathin organic solar cell module achieves a power output of 17.2 mW, which is more than 50 times larger than the power output of current state-of-the art energy harvesting devices on living insects.”

RIKIN informed that the ultrathin and flexible organic solar cell proved necessary to ensure freedom of movement.

Later certain components were integrated into the cyborg cockroaches along with wires that stimulate the leg segments. The battery was charged with pseudo-sunlight for 30 minutes, and animals were made to turn left and right using the wireless remote control.  The research team said that this research can be adapted to other insects like beetles, or perhaps even flying insects like cicadas in the future.