The goal of researchers at Osaka University and Diponegoro University in Indonesia is to use cyborg insects' benefits to help with safety inspections and disaster assistance in harsh areas.

Even people find it challenging to consistently visit some places, such as disaster sites and harsh environments. This presents an issue for surveillance, research, search and rescue, and other areas. One such remedy, the cyborg cockroach, is now being developed by a research team from Osaka University and Diponegoro University in Indonesia.

Compared to conventional robots, cyborg insects offer several benefits. They are easier to miniaturize since power consumption is lower, and they are somewhat "pre-built." However, cyborg insect research has only been conducted in basic settings, such as flat surfaces enhanced by external navigational aids. The goal of the study was to see whether a cyborg insect might survive in a more challenging, real-world setting.

The cockroaches were equipped with motion and obstacle-detecting sensors that were programmed to complement their natural climbing and wall-following skills. The tiny electronic circuits remained out of the way, allowing the cyborg insects to avoid obstacles or bounce back from crashes naturally. They only sent the cockroaches navigation orders when necessary.

The cyborgs could even be granted access to some of our most sensitive and fragile cultural heritage places, a luxury that is not available to the majority of humanity, so it's not all hard work. Rescue crews and archaeologists should be ready to accept their new six-legged employees as future research is expected to increase cyborg speed and navigation even more.