Scientists of the interdisciplinary research company Draper use drone insects that move with mind control, thanks to a new microscopic technology they developed.
The DragonflEye project is trying to create cyborg aircraft that can be guided by man. It uses live dragonflies like a drone with "backpacks" containing a sensor array and a source of solar energy. They then use a neural network to control their flight paths.
Watch the world's first cyborg-drone flight:
In the 36 seconds of the clip, Draper shows a live dragonfly that "wears" the new technology. In the video, a substance, possibly a binder, is used to apply a tiny sensor package to a dragonfly by a technician.
Once the insect is oriented, the technician releases it and we see it flying. The clip shows the insect moving in a straight line for a while, and then the video ends.
They do not report whether the insect on the video had the command to fly straight or whether it was his choice to fly in that way.
In a Press release in January, the company detailed the process: they lightly feed the optic nerve of the dragonfly by simulating the natural insect navigation points.
Draper engineers had to overcome a number of obstacles to make technology a reality, such as the creation of a pluck that is small enough for the dragon's nerve.
According to the company, the process shown in the video seems to be harmless to the insect. Engineers claim that the same technology can be applied to other insects. Bees, for example, could be directed to pollinate certain flowers.
This technology, although still at an early stage, is a very nice look at what we will see in the near future.
