After a disaster, it can be dangerous for humans to enter an unknown and potentially unsafe area. This is why researchers at North Carolina State University developed the technology to use unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, and insect biobots to enter these unknown places and inspect and map the areas. This technology would work well in areas such as a collapsed building, where gps can't be used. It can also help to locate stranded people and animals after disasters, to map out paths to reach them, and to determine how structurally safe certain paths may be compared to other ones.
The biobots these researchers have developed take the form of insects, like cockroaches. The job of the UAV's (the drones) is to contain and guide the biobots to the areas of interest. The drone hovers over the area, sending out a strong radio signal to contain the biobots. These bugbots are created by equipping cockroaches with sensors hooked up to their antennae and cerci, located on the front and back of the bug, respectively. Researchers can remotely stimulate these appendages to steer and drive the cockroaches. In this system, the biobots would be allowed to run freely through an area, with the beacon from the drone keeping the bugs in close proximity so they only map the desired area.
A specially designed algorithm takes the sensor data the biobots collect and translate it into a map of the area. The drone then changes locations, bringing along the bugbots, and the same process is repeated. The software can stitch multiple maps together, creating a comprehensive overview of the area. Co-author of the study Edgar Lobaton says that "We had previously developed proof-of-concept software that allowed us to map small areas with biobots, but this work allows us to map much larger areas and to stitch those maps together" (newatlas).
References:
Content:
http://newatlas.com/drones-cyborg-cockroaches-map-buildings/46510/
http://www.innovationtoronto.com/2016/11/using-uavs-and-insect-cyborgs-to-map-disaster-areas/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161117104402.htm
Images:
https://images.sciencedaily.com/2016/11/161117104402_1_900x600.jpg
http://images.natureworldnews.com/data/images/full/36593/drones-and-insect-biobots-can-now-map-high-risk-disaster-areas.jpg
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