The kit is made from parts from a HEXBug robot, a little spidery toy 'bot, plus a few low-power chips that deliver electrical stimulation to a cockroach's antennae nerves. Though the end product basically looks like a cockroach wearing a backpack made of the inside of an alarm clock, it really does work, granting bi-directional control. Apparently the only issues left to solve are the logistical problem of getting the gear to stay on the cockroach, and the reliability rate. BackyardBrains, the creators of the project, says only about 25% of cockroaches can effectively be controlled through this method, but they remain optimistic that that number can be improved.