Cyborg insects 'born' in DARPA project

[Mugu]

Insects with modified body structures and embedded micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) have survived to adulthood in a US Defense Advanced Reseach Projects Agency (DARPA) programme.

DARPA wants to develop inexpensive micro air vehicles to find weapons and explosives inside buildings or caves. Mechanical and fluidic microsystems would allow remote control, could extend insect life, and provide for gas, audio and even imaging sensors.

In the latest work a Manduca moth had its thorax truncated to reduce its mass and had a MEMS component added where abdominal segments would have been, during the larval stage.

snip

One of DARPA's goals is to remote-pilot a cyborg insect to within 100m (327ft) of a target. Control could be maintained using pheromones or mechano-sensor activation and direct muscle or neural interfaces using the embedded MEMS.

Complete article at:
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/03/18/222271/cyborg-insects-born-in-darpa-project.html

And you thought that was just a mosquito biting you when in reality it was a robot injecting you with ricin.

[Hugabear]

1. I'm sure there will be quite a few domestic uses for this as well

The phrase "fly on the wall" will take on a whole new meaning. Soon, the gov't will be able to eavesdrop on practically anyone they want.

[EnviroBat]

4. I'd love to swat that multi-million dollar bug.

[seemslikeadream]

2. Oh that's just a conspiracy theory~

[Jeffersons Ghost]

3. this "bugs" me...

It really doesn't but the pun is irresistible.

[seemslikeadream]

6. for me it's smilies!

:hi:

[magellan]

5. Um...ethical concerns?

Where are the RW "don't mess with God's design" protesters on this?

[hedgehog]

7. Anybody else reminded of the artificial cockroach in the 5th Element? nt

[asdjrocky]

8. You can be sure that McLame

is behind anything with the word Cyborg in it.

A CONCERNED AMERICAN.

[Mugu]

9. If they're using real insects then Raid should be an effective counter-measure.

[eShirl]

10. Why The Future Doesn't Need Us

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy.html

it's 11 pages but worth the read

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. DAMN SCI FI WRITERS... (and I will have to come up with new stuff)

I mean all the staples of sci fi are now real. what is a poor sci fi writer to do?

(Fantasy?)

Though the worst distopic nightmares will soon come to a tyranny near you.

[Elspeth]

12. DARPA: The people who brought us the internet

http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtml