Radio-controlled Rhino beetles are cool

Credit: www.insectaculture.com , R. Cora

Sometimes I wonder if DARPA actually does have a couple of gamers locked away in a bunker somewhere, coming up with the next whacked-out military project to invest in.

I imagine the telephone conversation some unfortunate, tin-pot, half-star general has to field every month probably goes something like this:

“How are the, er, researchers – happy with their dedicated T3 line? Good, we don’t want another one going on hunger strike over lag kills do we now. Is the Pop tart and Jolt supply chain holding up? Good, Good. What! They need MORE toilet roll?? So what have you got for me this month? Beetles with little cameras? Intriguing. Remote controlled? Ah, I see. Okay, send that one off to those boffins in California with the usual cheque and see what they come up with.”

Fast forward to the present and the University of California, Berkeley has just taken their first beetle for a spin. The researchers: “Controlled the movement of beetle wings and some other parts using radio signals sent to six electrodes on its brain and muscles.”

I’m fascinated to know what “other parts” they managed to control. I imagine a squadron of flying beetles diving bombing an Al-Qaeda outpost – or something along those lines. Apparently, the beetle is equipped with a circuit for sending signals to the electrodes, a wireless circuit, microcontroller and battery, but – oddly - no laser beams or stun grenades.

Credit: University of California, Berkeley

Apparently, the Rhino beetle was chosen because they can carry the weight of the equipment – and because they look cool (no, I didn’t make that bit up, it’s in the press release).

A camera attachment is planned for future tests. If successful DARPA hopes to use its “BeetleCam”™ to create a spin-off reality TV IP, which, it believes, will recoup the cost of the whole project. Hugh Hefner, is believed to be interested in the potential of the concept...