A Remote-controlled Cyborg Cockroach 蟑螂机器人

While it may sound like something that has crawled out of your nightmares， cyborg cockroaches have arrived as friends rather than foes. Scientists in Japan have designed a new remote-controlled insect， equipped with a battery “backpack” that is powered by solar panels.

虽然蟑螂机器人听起来很恐怖，但是它其实是人类的朋友而非敌人。日本科学家设计了一款新型遥控蟑螂机器人，它配备了由太阳能电池板供电的电池“背包”。

The cockroach， which is part insect and part machine， is intended to enter hazardous areas， monitor the environment or undertake search and rescue missions without needing to be recharged. The researchers from the RIKEN Cluster for pioneering research had to install some components into a tiny pack to allow for all the roachs natural movements. Lead author Kenjiro Fukuda said， “The body-mounted ultrathin organic solar cell module achieves a power output of 17.2 mW， which is more than 50 times larger than the power output of current state of the art energy harvesting devices on living insects.”

这种蟑螂机器人是蟑螂和机器人的混合体，无需充电，用于进入危险区域、监测环境或执行搜寻救援任务。来自RIKEN Cluster的研究人员进行了开创性的研究，他们必须将一些组件安装到一个小背包中，以便让蟑螂自由行动。研究报告的主要作者福田健次郎称：“安装在蟑螂机器人身体上的超薄有机太阳能电池模块的输出功率为17.2兆瓦，比目前最先进的昆虫能量收集装置的输出功率高出50多倍。”

Famously able to survive a nuclear war， cockroaches have been the inspiration for a number of technologies in recent years. Different teams of scientists have designed remote-controlled robo-bugs that can scale walls， carry objects and find humans during search-and-rescue missions.

眾所周知，蟑螂能够在核战争中幸存下来。近年来，它一直是许多技术的灵感来源。一些科学家团队设计了可遥控的昆虫机器人，它们可以在搜寻救援任务中穿墙、携带物体和寻找人类。

The cockroaches are still alive， but wires attached to their two “cerci”-sensory organs on the end of their abdomens—send electrical impulses that cause the insect to move right or left. A battery is necessary for the sending and receiving of these electrical signals， which needs to be charged up. While its possible to build docking stations for recharging the battery， the need to return and recharge could disrupt time-sensitive missions.

蟑螂机器人是有生命的，但连接在蟑螂腹部末端的两个感觉器官“尾蚴”上的电线发出电脉冲，控制它左右移动。发送和接收这些电流信号需要电池，而电池需要充电。虽然可以建造充电站为电池充电，但返回充电可能会使时间紧迫的任务中断。

The RIKEN team wanted to create a more practical version that did not need to return to a docking station when it ran out of power. Therefore， they designed an on-board solar cell that could continuously ensure that the cockroach stays charged while it works. However， cockroaches have a limited surface area available for all the components necessary to move its legs and keep it powered.

RIKEN团队希望打造一个更实用的蟑螂机器人，在电源耗尽时它不需要返回充电站。因此，他们设计了一种太阳能电池，可以持续确保蟑螂在工作时保持充电。然而，蟑螂只有有限的表面积，可以用于安装移动腿和保持动力所需的所有部件。

The solution， published in npj Flexible Electronics， was to design a special “backpack” that could neatly carry both the wireless leg-control module and rechargeable lithium polymer battery. This was attached to the top of the insect on its thorax， and was 3D printed to fit perfectly to the curved surface of the Madagascar cockroach or Gromphadorhina portentosa. It allowed for this electronic device to be stably mounted on the insect for over a month， while leaving space elsewhere on the body to implant the solar panel. The 0.004 mm thick organic solar cell module was mounted on the dorsal side of the roachs abdomen.

于是研究人員设计了一种特殊的背包，便于蟑螂携带遥控模块和可充电锂聚合物电池。这一研究成果发表在《npj柔性电子》上。研究人员将背包固定在蟑螂的胸腹上部，并运用3D打印技术使其完美贴合马达加斯加蟑螂的身体。这种电子设备可以固定在蟑螂身上一个多月，还留出空间给蟑螂植入太阳能电池板。0.004毫米厚的有机太阳能电池模块被安装在蟑螂腹部的背侧。

Word Bank

hazardous /'h?z?d?s/ adj. 冒险的; 有危险的

These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.

ultrathin /'?ltr?θ?n/ adj. 超薄的，极细的

It can also emit electrons so they can be used in ultrathin display screens.

abdomen /'?bd?m?n/ n. （虫）腹部

The body is usually divided into cephalothorax and abdomen.

thorax /'θ??r?ks/ n. （昆虫的）胸部