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Updated: May 25, 2026
10:17
Insect-machine Hybrid System: Remote Radio Control of a Freely Flying Beetle (Mercynorrhina torquata)
Published on: September 2, 2016
Generation of complex motor patterns in american grasshopper via current-controlled thoracic electrical interfacing
Susan L Giampalmo1, Benjamin F Absher, W Tucker Bourne
1Washington and Lee University, 204 W Washington Street, Lexington, VA 24450, USA.
Summary
Researchers developed a novel method to control insect movement, creating the first insect cyborg with a synchronous neuromuscular system. This advance in bio-hybrid systems could lead to new micro-air vehicles (MAVs) for various applications.
Area of Science:
- Bio-hybrid systems engineering
- Neuroscience
- Robotics
Background:
- Micro-air vehicles (MAVs) offer potential for military, environmental sensing, and search/rescue.
- Cyborg insects leverage innate insect abilities for locomotion and navigation.
- Previous research demonstrated radio-controlled flight in moths and beetles using neural interfaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for eliciting a specific motor response in insects.
- To establish a controllable insect-based bio-hybrid system.
- To report the first instance of an insect cyborg with a synchronous neuromuscular system.
Main Methods:
- Electrical stimulation of the metathoracic T3 ganglion in American grasshoppers (S. Americana).
- Utilized constant-current square wave pulses.
- Tested stimulation parameters including amplitude (186 ± 40 μA) and frequency (190 ± 13 Hz).
Main Results:
- Reproducible elicitation of the 'jump' response with a ≥95% success rate.
- Successful control achieved in N=3 test subjects.
- Demonstrated a synchronous neuromuscular system in an insect cyborg.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully demonstrated a method for controlling grasshopper motor activity via neural stimulation.
- This research represents a significant step towards developing functional insect cyborgs.
- The findings pave the way for advanced bio-hybrid micro-air vehicles.
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