Cockroaches are some of the most resilient creatures on the planet, making them an excellent tool for operations where humans simply wouldn't fit. However, the biggest challenge has been taming these tiny beasts. While researchers have achieved limited success in the past, a new method now not only promises to turn cockroaches into cyborgs but also does it at scale. Researchers have unveiled a novel manufacturing process that can mass-produce cyborg insects by automatically implanting electronic backpacks onto live bugs. The team uses Madagascar hissing cockroaches, which can reach 2-3 inches in length at maturity. Factories could some day mass-produce armies of insect cyborgs to serve a variety of applications, including search and rescue in collapsed buildings, specialized inspections, environmental monitoring, and a host of other situations where human intervention is not feasible.
