Russia unveils world’s first cockroach spy bot

Russian scientists from the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University based in Kaliningrad have presented a functioning prototype of a machine cockroach robot.  When starting the project their goals were clear: They wanted the robot to look, act and function like an existing cockroach even in size. This begs the question, why make a robot look like an insect that everyone instinctively wants to smash and kill?

According to RT, the robot is imaged after the South American cockroach. RT reports that the robot cockroach is about 10cm long, moves with a speed of up to 30cm per second, can carry a weight up to 10 grams and is equipped with light sensors. It also has contact and non-contact probes that allow it to move without bumping into things, which adds to the roach’s believableness.

Researchers plan to produce a camouflage version for the Russian military, which has expressed interest in the robot because it could potentially carry portable cameras into enclosed spaces (but likely won’t carry diseases).

Sometimes the best stories are the weirdest stories. Read more about robotic insects at AlternativeNews.com

Source:

RT.com