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Mon 7 Jul 2025
The University of Queensland
Beetles equipped with microchip backpacks could one day help locate survivors after a disaster, according to researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia.
Insect-scale robots are small enough to navigate through rubble and collapsed structures to find survivors. However, they find it challenging to transition from navigating horizontal surfaces to scuttling up walls and climbing over obstacles.
To overcome this challenge, researchers in Queensland fitted small robot platforms onto the backs of darkling beetles (Zophobas morio).
The natural movements of these cyborg insects, or insect-machine hybrid robots, are prompted in specific directions through electrodes that stimulate their antennae or hardened forewings known as elytrons.
Dr Thang Vo-Doan, lecturer at the school of mechanical and mining engineering at the university, said: “Beetles possess many natural gifts that make them the masters of climbing and manoeuvring in small, complex spaces such as dense rubble that are difficult for robots to navigate.
“Our work harnesses these gifts and adds programmable controls that allow for precise directional guidance without affecting the lifespan of the beetle.”
The University of Queensland
In a collaborative effort between the University of Queenland, the University of New South Wales and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, the study showed that these beetles could be guided to move side-to-side and up vertical walls when equipped with microchip backpacks.
Vo-Doan said while a tethered power supply had been used for the climbing test, the beetles had also demonstrated the ability to climb with a battery equivalent to its own body weight.
The next step is to refine the designs further to allow for cameras and a compact and efficient power system to enhance the beetles’ mobility and versatility.
The ultimate aim is that these cyborgs could assist search and rescue crews locate survivors within hours following disasters such as building and mine collapses.
Vo-Doan said: “If people have been trapped under an extensive amount of rubble, you want to be able to find them as quickly as possible and start planning how to get them out.
“We hope to produce a tool that can easily move through chaotic environments to pinpoint a person’s exact location, provide clues to any injuries, and give rescuers a picture of what needs to be done to free them.”
The researchers said they hoped to test the technology in a live situation within five years.
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