Cyborg moths could soon be sent into dangerous buildings, researchers have revealed.

Scientists have found a way to implant a controller into the moth, allowing them to remotely control its muscles.

They say the breakthrough could lead to a new generation of 'biobots'.

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The cybermoth in action: Researchers created this special harness and light ring to allow them to learn how to control the moth's flight. The moth is attached the the holder via an implant

HOW IT WORKS The technique attaches electrodes to a moth during its pupal stage, when the caterpillar is in a cocoon undergoing metamorphosis into its winged adult stage. By attaching electrodes to the muscle groups responsible for a moth's flight, Bozkurt's team is able to monitor electromyographic signals – the electric signals the moth uses during flight to tell those muscles what to do. The moth is connected to a wireless platform that collects the electromyographic data as the moth moves its wings. To give the moth freedom to turn left and right, the entire platform levitates, suspended in mid-air by electromagnets. Advertisement

The North Carolina State University researchers developed a way to electronically manipulate the flight muscles of moths.

They can also monitor the electrical signals moths use to control those muscles.

'In the big picture, we want to know whether we can control the movement of moths for use in applications such as search and rescue operations,' said Dr. Alper Bozkurt, who led the study.

'The idea would be to attach sensors to moths in order to create a flexible, aerial sensor network that can identify survivors or public health hazards in the wake of a disaster.'

The technique attaches electrodes to a moth during its pupal stage, when the caterpillar is in a cocoon undergoing metamorphosis into its winged adult stage.

This aspect of the work was done in conjunction with Dr. Amit Lal of Cornell University.

But the new findings in the paper involve methods developed by Bozkurt's research team for improving our understanding of precisely how a moth coordinates its muscles during flight.

By attaching electrodes to the muscle groups responsible for a moth's flight, Bozkurt's team is able to monitor electromyographic signals – the electric signals the moth uses during flight to tell those muscles what to do.

The moth is connected to a wireless platform. To give the moth freedom to turn left and right, the entire platform levitates, suspended in mid-air by electromagnets

The moth is connected to a wireless platform that collects the electromyographic data as the moth moves its wings.

To give the moth freedom to turn left and right, the entire platform levitates, suspended in mid-air by electromagnets.

'By watching how the moth uses its wings to steer while in flight, and matching those movements with their corresponding electromyographic signals, we're getting a much better understanding of how moths maneuver through the air,' Bozkurt said.

'We're optimistic that this information will help us develop technologies to remotely control the movements of moths in flight,' Bozkurt says.

'That's essential to the overarching goal of creating biobots that can be part of a cyberphysical sensor network.'

'We now have a platform for collecting data about flight coordination,' Bozkurt says. 'Next steps include developing an automated system to explore and fine-tune parameters for controlling moth flight, further miniaturizing the technology, and testing the technology in free-flying moths.'

The paper, 'Early Metamorphic Insertion Technology for Insect Flight Behavior Monitoring,' is published online in theJournal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE). JoVE publications have two parts, a written component and a video describing the work.