Darpa hatches plan for insect cyborgs to fly reconnaissance

Sun, 10/07/2007 - 18:58 - NLN

Cyborg insects with embedded microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) will run remotely controlled reconnaissance missions for the military, if its '"HI-MEMS" program succeeds.

Hybrid-Insect MEMS -- a program hatched earlier this year at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) -- aims to harness insects the way horses were harnessed by the cavalry.

"We have used horses for locomotion in wars," according to Darpa's description by its program manager, Amit Lal. "The HI-MEMS program is aimed to develop technology that provides more control over insect locomotion, just as saddles on horseshoes are needed for horse-locomotion control."

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