In a laboratory in Berlin, a German start-up company called SWARM Biotactics is trying to turn insects into "living robots" to provide new intelligence and reconnaissance methods for future battlefields and disaster scenes. The company has developed a tiny electronic "backpack" that can be worn on Madagascar's hissing cockroaches. It can be equipped with cameras, microphones, Doppler radar and other sensors, allowing these insects to perform mobile reconnaissance missions in narrow and dangerous environments.
Stefan Wilhelm, CEO of the company, said in an interview with CBS that the Madagascar hissing cockroach was chosen because it is large enough to carry small loads, has strong environmental adaptability, and is very mature in biological research. He emphasized that millions of years of evolution have produced an insect that is extremely tough, highly maneuverable and capable, "an almost perfect animal for what we are trying to do."
The current version of the electronic system (comprising biological interfaces, electronic components and micromechanical structures) weighs up to about 15 grams, and the engineering team is working to further compress it to 10 grams to reduce the burden on insects. The backpack platform can be configured with different types of sensor modules, such as optical cameras or radar components, depending on the mission, turning the cockroach into a low-visibility mobile reconnaissance platform.
William said that cockroaches can survive extreme conditions such as chemicals, heat and radiation, which allows them to enter areas that are difficult for humans or traditional robots to safely enter. In his view, this bionic system has low signal characteristics, extremely high energy efficiency, is extremely difficult to detect, and can be expanded almost infinitely in quantity. SWARM is also currently evaluating the feasibility of other species, including locusts and grasshoppers, in order to expand to more "bionic platforms" in the future.
In terms of control method, SWARM's insect neuroscience team designed a neurophysiological interface to stimulate the cockroach's natural navigation response by implanting electrodes on its antennae. Human operators can use controllers to control the movement of individual insects, and companies are also developing autonomous swarm control software, hoping to use algorithms to coordinate the coordinated actions of dozens or even hundreds of bionic insects. William said that the algorithm can guide the entire "insect swarm" to a specific target area, which can be 10 or 100.
He emphasized that the control process will not cause pain to the insects, and the company attaches great importance to the welfare of insects, because insects can only perform tasks reliably when they are in good condition. In corporate external narratives, this is also seen as a key assertion in balancing military applications with ethical concerns.
SWARM Biotactics emerges at a time of increasing security tensions in Europe. As Germany and its NATO allies continue to expand defense investment in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, this type of new intelligence technology has received special attention. William believes that cockroach-based systems can provide unique intelligence-gathering capabilities by entering spaces that are difficult to reach with traditional technologies.
The startup has partnered with Germany's Bundeswehr to test the cockroach swarms in field exercises, with the focus currently being on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions rather than any offensive use. In the envisioned application scenario, each cockroach can carry different types of sensors to work together, for example, some are responsible for image collection, and some are responsible for communication and positioning functions. The research team used "triangulation" of signals between multiple individuals to determine the precise location of the entire group, even if it is underground or in a confined space.
In addition to the defense field, William is also optimistic about the potential of this technology in rescue operations, such as using cockroach swarms to detect the location of survivors after a building collapse. He said the company expects to achieve the first large-scale deployment in the next 18 to 24 months, taking these "bionic cockroach task forces" from the laboratory to real-life mission scenarios.