“Now you can have your very own cyborg cockroach, the Robo-roach. Using your mobile device as a controller you can navigate an insect around your home,” says the kickstart.com promotional video. It’s called Neuro-Technology and here’s how it works.
Cockroaches use their antennae to feel and avoid obstacles. During surgery, the feelers are removed and replaced with ‘antennae stimulated wires’ which interact with their nerves. The artificial antennae run off a battery-equipped, printed circuit board backpack. The video goes on to inform the viewer, “Attach the backpack then connect to it from your mobile phone. We’ve installed running lights to indicate the connection is made.”
Once connected, the backpack sends electronic signals down the roaches’ antennae that simulate obstructions so the roach changes course.
“Controlling the Robo-roach is easy. Simply slide your finger across the screen and the roach will move in that direction” instructs the promotional video.
The mad scientists that created this say it doesn’t shock or harm the cockroach, and you can even remove the backpack.
Some call this, ‘An ethics-free lesson in mind-control.’ We’ll leave the morals and ethics for you to decide.
