Remote-controlled roach units created by a Hessian firm.
Cutting-edge technology is in development, with a German startup named Swarm Biotactics aiming to control and manipulate cockroaches for various applications such as military reconnaissance and industrial inspections. A video created by the company's AI demonstrates the technology, with the insects resembling small cyborgs, equipped with sensors and controlled by electrical impulses sent from a backpack.
Unlike mammals, the use of insects for such research is legally unproblematic, as they do not fall under Germany's Animal Welfare Act. Potential investors can observe tests with the cockroaches in Swarm Biotactics' lab located in Kassel. According to the startup's founder, Jörg Lamprecht, these sessions demonstrate the development of remotely controlled cockroaches for tasks such as detecting gas leaks, locating spills, or gathering real-time information on enemy positions or hostage locations.
Lamprecht's innovative technology is causing high investor interest, with Capnamic, Susanne Wiegand, former CEO of Renk, and Philipp Kreibohm, founder of Home24, among the financial backers reported by "Wirtschaftswoche." Another application area for the technology could be the inspection of industrial facilities.
The use of manipulated cockroaches for military purposes is not entirely new; the Pentagon has been researching remotely controlled insects for surveillance purposes for over two decades. Last year, researchers in Singapore made headlines with the successful control of a swarm of 20 cockroaches using backpack computers.
While Swarm Biotactics focuses on electrical stimulation, researchers at the University of Osaka are exploring an alternative approach using ultraviolet (UV) light helmets. This method guides the cockroaches using their natural aversion to UV light, maintaining consistent control over long periods without the need for surgery or electrical shocks.
Lamprecht has plans to further equip other animals, such as pigeons and sharks, with sensors for potential future projects. These cyborg animals can navigate unnoticed by radar systems, move faster than military robots, and have virtually unlimited energy reserves. According to Lamprecht, these novel living machines could mark the beginning of a new era in technology.
In related news, the German Armed Forces' Cyber Innovation Hub reportedly plans to conduct tests with Swarm Biotactics' remotely controlled cockroaches this year [4]. With a decade as a market leader in drone defense, Lamprecht brings valuable expertise to this groundbreaking technology [5].
[4] "German Military Plans Tests of Remotely Controlled Cockroaches this Year," (Accessed: March 12, 2023)[5] "Swarm Biotactics: A New Era of Living Machines," LinkedIn, (Accessed: March 12, 2023)
Swarm Biotactics' innovation in using electrical stimulation to control cockroaches for various purposes, such as gas leak detection or military reconnaissance, has garnered significant interest from investors like Capnamic, Susanne Wiegand, and Philipp Kreibohm. Additionally, the emergence of technology in cybersecurity, such as the usage of manipulated cockroaches for tasks, could potentially mark a new era in the field.
