Revolutionary Remotely Controlled Swarm of Cockroaches Can Now Breathe Underwater

Innovative research on cyborg insects shows that swarms of remotely controlled cockroaches can survive underwater with the help of specially designed diving suits, potentially paving the way for exploration on Mars.

Hirotaka Sato and his team at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have successfully demonstrated that hissing cockroaches (Glomphadrina Portentosa) can be remotely controlled through electrical implants in their sensory organs. Their research in 2021 showcased the feasibility, while 2024 saw a breakthrough with a swarm of 20 cooperating insects.

The primary goal was to create biological robots with infrared sensors to assist in search and rescue operations following natural disasters. Cockroaches offer effective locomotion, built-in reflexes, and the potential for energy efficiency, making them ideal candidates for such tasks.

Despite their versatility, the researchers faced challenges with the insects’ ability to explore flooded environments, common during disasters. To overcome this, they developed an aquatic suit enabling underwater operations.

Cockroaches breathe through spiracles located in their abdomen and thorax. The team created a waterproof suit using 3D printed resin, safeguarding the abdominal spiracles from water. A small hose connects the suit to the thoracic spiracle, allowing oxygen absorption.

Instead of traditional scuba gear, the suit uses a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and manganese dioxide, producing oxygen through a chemical reaction that the cockroaches can utilize.

While wearing the suit, the cockroaches were capable of submerging up to 50 centimeters for three hours, demonstrating resilience and health after the experiment.

The suit enabled the cyborg insects to swim naturally, achieving a forward speed of 87.5 millimeters per second on land, and just slightly slower at 78.4 millimeters underwater.

Sato envisions that this technology could aid search and rescue missions and possibly one day be adapted for extraterrestrial environments where oxygen is scarce, such as Mars.

The research team plans to further test the cockroach suits under severe conditions found in space, including extreme temperatures, vacuum, and radiation. However, concerns regarding contamination with Earth-based microorganisms remain a hurdle for potential space missions.

According to Alan Winfield, a professor at the University of the West of England, the applications for underwater-cyborg bio-robots extend to environmental monitoring and other crucial tasks.

While small robots struggle with battery life, cockroaches can operate efficiently for extended periods without the need for refueling, highlighting the advantages of biological systems over mechanical ones.