Scientists at the interdisciplinary research firm Draper are using mind-controlled drone insects, thanks to a new microscopic technology they developed.
The DragonflEye project is trying to create cyborg aircraft that can be piloted by humans. It uses live dragonflies as drones with “backpacks” containing an array of sensors and a solar power source. They then use a neural network to control their flight paths.
Watch the world's first cyborg-drone flight:
At the 36-second mark in the clip, Draper shows a live dragonfly “wearing” the new technology. In the video, a substance, possibly a bonding agent, is used to apply a tiny sensor package to the dragonfly by a technician.
Once the insect is oriented, the technician releases it and we see it fly. The clip shows the insect moving in a straight line for a while and then the video ends.
They do not state whether the insect in the video was instructed to fly straight or if it was its choice to fly that way.
In a press release in January, the company detailed the process: they feed light into the dragonfly's optic nerve, simulating the insect's natural navigational cues.
Draper engineers had to overcome several hurdles to make the technology a reality, such as creating an optodesis that is small enough for the dragonfly's optic nerve.
According to the company, the process shown in the video appears to be harmless to the insect. The engineers claim that the same technology could be applied to other insects. Bees, for example, could be directed to pollinate specific flowers.
This particular technology, although still in its very early stages, is a very nice glimpse into what we will see in the near future.
