Cyborg Cockroach "Diving Suit" Enhances Underwater Search Capabilities

Scientists from NTU Singapore and Waseda University have created a novel "diving suit" for cyborg cockroaches, enabling these bio-hybrid machines to function underwater and in environments with limited oxygen for up to three hours. This development, detailed in Nature Communications, aims to broaden the application of cyborg insects in search-and-rescue missions, particularly in disaster zones where conventional robots face access challenges due to flooding or debris.

Cyborg insects integrate electronic controllers with living insects, utilizing the insect's natural musculature for movement, which significantly reduces power requirements compared to fully artificial robots. However, their reliance on natural respiration, through spiracles that intake air, poses a limitation in submerged or oxygen-depleted conditions. The new suit addresses this by functioning similarly to a diver's oxygen tank, generating and delivering oxygen directly to the insect's breathing apparatus.

The suit comprises a 3D-printed oxygen-generation tank made of PMMA-type resin, a flexible shell, and four silicone oxygen-supply tubes. Inside the tank, a sponge coated with manganese dioxide acts as a catalyst. When diluted hydrogen peroxide is injected, the manganese dioxide triggers an oxygen release. This oxygen is then channeled to the cockroach's spiracles, allowing it to breathe and remain mobile in environments it would otherwise not survive.

Tested on Madagascar hissing cockroaches, chosen for their size and robustness, the suit transforms these land-based cyborgs into amphibious explorers. The researchers successfully demonstrated their functionality in simulated low-oxygen and underwater conditions, marking a significant step towards deploying these bio-hybrid systems in challenging, real-world scenarios. Future work includes testing in simulated disaster environments and integrating navigation and sensor systems.