DARPA Builds Cyborg Beetles

[Logan Westbrook]

DARPA Builds Cyborg Beetles

If you're paranoid, now might be a good time to head to the bunker, as the US Government reveals it can build remote-controlled, cyborg beetles.


Those brain-boxes at UC Berkley have figured out a way to make nature conform to their every whim; well a very small part of nature at least. By wiring up a beetle with tiny electrodes that stimulate the muscles in its wings, the researchers are able to effectively steer the beetle via remote control.

"We demonstrated the remote control of insects in free flight via an implantable radioequipped miniature neural stimulating system," the team reported in a paper titled Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. "The pronotum mounted system consisted of neural stimulators, muscular stimulators, a radio transceiver-equipped microcontroller and a microbattery."

What's a little scary about this story however is that DARPA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DARPA], also known as Defense Advanced Research Prohects Agency, has funded this research. Next thing you know, it'll be building giant bipedal robots that can stealth launch nuclear weapons or something!

Source: Dvice [http://dvice.com/archives/2009/09/darpa-shows-of.php]

Permalink

 

[Adam]

Holy shit!!! That's pretty incredible if you ask me, remote controlling a live beatle...Fuck! Our technology is advancing rather nicely, id gove it 50 years before Cyborg technology is introduced. I mean proper cyborg stuff

 

[Amnestic]

What's a little scary about this story however is that DARPA, also known as Defense Advanced Research Prohects Agency, has funded this research. Next thing you know, it'll be building giant bipedal robots that can stealth launch nuclear weapons or something!

Wow, you mean one of DARPAs projects actually got somewhere? *actually impressed*

That is both cool and really fucking scary. First beetles, then mice, then dogs and then fucking bears and then we're screwed.

 

[hansari]

I remember reading about this yesterday on LiveLeak [http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b96_1253940978]...hell of a thing, but it was only a matter of time...

What's a little scary about this story however is that DARPA [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DARPA], also known as Defense Advanced Research Prohects Agency, has funded this research. Next thing you know, it'll be building giant bipedal robots that can stealth launch nuclear weapons or something!

Yeah, they'll moo too...

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

This is why the US army is something to be feared.

"We can control beetles! You are doomed!"

 

[TheGreenManalishi]

A cover up for DARPA's other project...

Spoiler

 

[Scypemonk]

Not suprised, chinese scientists already know how to mindcontrol pigeons, they learned it years ago.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/chinese-scientists-control-live-pigeon-flights-via-brain-electro/

 

[JaredXE]

Big.

Bad.

BeetleBorgs!

 

[funksobeefy]

whos side are they on? US? Looks like I was born in the right country!

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

You may laugh now, but just wait until those things are equipped with spy cameras, gentlemen.

 

[Fritzvalt]

What's a little scary about this story however is that DARPA, also known as Defense Advanced Research Prohects Agency, has funded this research. Next thing you know, it'll be building giant bipedal robots that can stealth launch nuclear weapons or something!

Wow, you mean one of DARPAs projects actually got somewhere? *actually impressed*

That is both cool and really fucking scary. First beetles, then mice, then dogs and then fucking bears and then we're screwed.

Just like to point out, DARPA invented the internet.

Truth be told, they do have a lot of projects that go nowhere. Between this and the cyborg arm they built for a kid who got his blown off in iraq, sci fi is getting very real.

 

[Amnestic]

What's a little scary about this story however is that DARPA, also known as Defense Advanced Research Prohects Agency, has funded this research. Next thing you know, it'll be building giant bipedal robots that can stealth launch nuclear weapons or something!

Wow, you mean one of DARPAs projects actually got somewhere? *actually impressed*

That is both cool and really fucking scary. First beetles, then mice, then dogs and then fucking bears and then we're screwed.

Just like to point out, DARPA invented the internet.

Truth be told, they do have a lot of projects that go nowhere. Between this and the cyborg arm they built for a kid who got his blown off in iraq, sci fi is getting very real.

I'm well aware that a number of super dandy inventions that we take for granted these days were initially developed by DARPA. I've also heard that they have a super high failure rate (above 90% as I recall) for their projects, so it's always surprising when something they come up with actually works.

Honest question: How long until they adapt this technology to work on humans?

 

[SnowCold]

I though they were making robot versions of the band.

What a shame...

 

[hansari]

Honest question: How long until they adapt this technology to work on humans?

Why would you want to be remotely controlled?

 

[Fritzvalt]

What's a little scary about this story however is that DARPA, also known as Defense Advanced Research Prohects Agency, has funded this research. Next thing you know, it'll be building giant bipedal robots that can stealth launch nuclear weapons or something!

Wow, you mean one of DARPAs projects actually got somewhere? *actually impressed*

That is both cool and really fucking scary. First beetles, then mice, then dogs and then fucking bears and then we're screwed.

Just like to point out, DARPA invented the internet.

Truth be told, they do have a lot of projects that go nowhere. Between this and the cyborg arm they built for a kid who got his blown off in iraq, sci fi is getting very real.

I'm well aware that a number of super dandy inventions that we take for granted these days were initially developed by DARPA. I've also heard that they have a super high failure rate (above 90% as I recall) for their projects, so it's always surprising when something they come up with actually works.
Honest question: How long until they adapt this technology to work on humans?

That's very true. Probably won't hear anything else about this for a few years, but, you never know. I've seen their quadriped robot (I think it's named Dog) on a lot of things recently.

 

[Amnestic]

Honest question: How long until they adapt this technology to work on humans?

Why would you want to be remotely controlled?

Yes, it's me I want to be remote controlled *eyeroll*

 

[QuirkyTambourine]

Heh, as soon as I saw this I came running to make the obvious DARPA/Metal Gear jokes. I'm glad to see so many people did the same thing, good job guys!

But seriously, this looks awesome even though I hate most bugs with every fiber of my being. Maybe they'll be able to send this down someone's throat, and have it work its way to the heart so it can plug one of the major valves and cause that person to appear to die of a heart attack.

[sub]Sorry, I had to[/sub]

 

[theownerer]

The gamer's place in war is approaching.

 

[Notsomuch]

Oh, beetles, not "The Beetles". That is quite the shame. A few more years I suppose.

 

[hansari]

Yes, it's me I want to be remote controlled *eyeroll*

I know what you meant. But realistically, if there was any way to get in on some sort of "bionic-enhancements" program, you would probably have to give up your free will...

(scientists have read up on their x-men lore...they know better...)