Shh...Cyborg Spy Beetles Released by DARPA
Written By
rmansur
Views 13,899
Last edited 3 months ago
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UC Berkeley (funded by DARPA) has created cyborg beetles guided wirelessly via laptop. These spy beetles were created with the intent of bugging actual conversations, literally acting as the "fly on the wall". The beetles range anywhere from 2 to 20 centimeters.

From Daily Mail:

"Using implants, they worked out how to control a beetle's take-off, flight and landing by stimulating the brain to work the wings.

They controlled turns through stimulating the basilar muscles on one side or the other to make the wings on that side flap harder.

The embedded system uses nerve and muscle stimulators, a microbattery and a microcontroller with transceiver.

DARPA's ultimate aim is to create cyborg insects that can fly more than 300ft to their target and then stay put until commanded to buzz off again."

Yikes. Big brother. Videos:

Via co

Comments

-1
lifemare (-2) 10/19/09 6:40 PM
absolutely retarded and i'm trying very hard to phrase it politely!!!
-1
lifemare (-2) 10/19/09 6:54 PM
Someone at DARPA must've completely missed the distopian tone of Moreau's Island! Either that, or the job application entails having someone whack you in the head with a huge hammer so there isn't a shard left of your moral compass! Or a brain to speak of.
+1
WonderDude Mike (78) 10/20/09 8:38 AM
Starship troopers here we come!
+2
awshot (4) 10/20/09 12:57 PM
although the idea behind this is quite interesting (the beetle could be used for spying, scouting, etc etc) its a bit cruel, dont you think?
+1
erik1810 10/20/09 10:45 PM
poor animal... stupid human!
+1
prowly77 (1) 10/21/09 1:00 PM
now i really now the end is upon us...
+1
hippy1970 10/21/09 2:04 PM
Today insects, tomorrow soldiers...
+1
Fellowman 10/22/09 11:50 AM
Movies are like mankinds foretold future, when we imagine we build, right or wrong thats our nature, and weve imaginated some wierd stuff,...definately alot ov brain power but no heart :(
+1
toidiot 10/27/09 11:16 AM
Thats #$%@ing unethical
+1
jigc23 (-2) 10/27/09 5:16 PM
big brother is becoming smaller every time
+1
nehfcol 10/27/09 11:57 PM
For god's sake, we've got all this equipment that can already do what they're trying to do with this poor animal. laser mics., drones, satelites. how many more lines need to be crossed before they're satisfied? :(
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