Needle-toting cockroaches could be deployed by search-and-rescue teams for lifesaving injections

Researchers from the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales have developed "paraborgs," which are cyborg cockroaches equipped with miniature injection devices and cameras. These insects could be deployed by search-and-rescue teams to deliver lifesaving drugs to people trapped after disasters. The North Queensland giant burrowing cockroaches are fitted with backpacks containing syringe cylinders and cameras, and implanted electrodes allow operators to stimulate their nervous systems for steering. According to PhD candidate Hai Nhan Le, "if you're trapped in rubble or stuck in a cave and need help, it could make a real difference between life and death." The study achieved a 100% success rate in reaching designated checkpoints and a 72% overall drug-delivery success rate, rising to 95% when within 15 centimeters of a target. Future plans include using swarms of these cockroaches to locate victims more efficiently.