DARPA’s Insect-Machine Hybrids
See what happens when I spend the weekend AFK? I miss exciting news in the world of insect-machine hybrids.:
University researchers have succeeded in implanting electronic circuit probes into tobacco hornworms as early pupae. The hornworms pass through the chrysalis stage to mature into moths whose muscles can be controlled with the implanted electronics.
Custom grown, remote-controlled moths? Sweet! And who’s after these Franken’moths? One guess, DARPA:
Dr. Easton, a professor of science at Thomas College, sees a number of applications for HI-MEMS insects.
“Moths are extraordinarily sensitive to sex attractants, so instead of giving bank robbers money treated with dye, they could use sex attractants instead. Then, a moth-based HI-MEMS could find the robber by following the scent.”
“[Also,] with genetic engineering Darpa could replace the sex attractant receptor on the moth antennae with receptors for other things, like explosives, drugs or toxins,” said Easton.
So, robbers of the future, beware the cyborg detect-o-moth!
See Also: Prototype cyborg moth
