Cyborg beetles could revolutionize urban search and rescue

Common beetles equipped with microchip backpacks could one day be used to help search and rescue crews locate survivors within hours instead of days following disasters such as building and mine collapses.

The University of Queensland's Dr. Thang Vo-Doan and Research Assistant Lachlan Fitzgerald have demonstrated they can remotely guide darkling beetles (Zophobas morio) fitted with the packs via video game controllers.

Dr. Vo-Doan said the removable backpacks prompted movement in specific directions through electrodes that stimulated the insect's antenna or hardened forewings known as elytra.

"Beetles possess many natural gifts that make them the masters of climbing and maneuvering in small, complex spaces such as dense rubble, that are difficult for robots to navigate," Dr. Vo-Doan said. "Our work harnesses these gifts and adds programmable controls that allow for precise directional guidance, without affecting the lifespan of the beetle."

Fitzgerald said the latest research showing the beetles could be guided to move side-to-side and up vertical walls was a collaborative effort with UQ's School of the Environment, the University of NSW and Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

Image source: Fitzgerald et al. (2025), Advanced Science.