June 6, 2006 — Scientists have created miniature, insect-like robots that can change the behavior of cockroaches.
The devices work by at first fooling the bugs into believing the devices are fellow roaches and then leading the insects away from darkness into light, according to a recent announcement made by the European Union Information Society Technologies Program.
The thumbnail-sized devices, called "insbots," are among the first to manipulate insect and animal behavior.
"Robots have already been used to interact with some animals (and insects) such as bees, but they cannot react to the animals’ response," said the study’s coordinator, Jean-Louis Deneubourg.
Deneubourg, a scientist at the Free University of Brussels, Belgium, added, "In our project, the autonomous insbots call on specially developed algorithms to react to signals and responses from individual insects.
This results in a chain action or reaction between the artificial and natural agents — a two-way interaction that is unique and very promising for sciences such as biology and robotics."
He explained that the interaction was made possible by not only the deceptive size and shape of the robots, but also by information-conveying smelly chemicals called pheromones, which were slathered on the insbots. The selected pheromones are involved in cockroach recognition and attraction.
The insbots are also outfitted with two motors, wheels, a rechargeable battery, several computer processors, a light-sensing camera and an array of infrared proximity sensors. All allow the miniature devices to navigate safely and freely while adapting their own behavior to match that of the roaches.
Through behavioral mimicry and interactions, the insbots managed to lead several roaches out of darkness and towards bright beams of light, according to the researchers. The process took a few hours, but it holds promise for future pesticide-free methods of pest control.
The scientists suggest that with some additional tinkering, the robots could also manipulate ants and other common insect pests in a similar way. Additional studies are needed, however, to identify pheromones linked to specific behaviors in these insects.
Steve Heydon, curator and collections manager of the Bohart Museum of Entomology at the University of California at Davis, told Discovery News, "Cockroaches have more generalized behavior than many other insects, so they likely are more susceptible to robot manipulation."
Heydon said the insbots could assist researchers in analyzing mating behaviors, since the devices might help scientists to better match movements, such as dances and wing beating, to their precise meanings in mating rituals.
Like secret agents in disguise, the robots might also infiltrate animal groups to obtain information, Heydon indicated.
He said, "In the future, similar robots may be accepted as members of fish schools or as birds in a migrating flock. With proper computer programming, they might then be able to relay data back to scientists."
Deneubourg and his team particularly hope robotic devices will be utilized to control European farm animals.
"We believe farming in Europe can only survive if it is associated with high technology," Deneubourg said, while highlighting the cost-effectiveness.
"A robot interacting with animals, even if it is not mobile, could be used for numerous tasks, such as herding or milking. Our project demonstrates that the fields of biology and IT can work together more closely in future."
