Scientists at the Beijing Institute of Technology used a 74-milligram insect brain controller to create the world’s first cyborg bee.

Worker bees can carry nectar sacks weighing about 80 per cent of their body mass for 5 km (3 miles) without resting, so they have no problem carrying a 74-milligram brain controller developed by Chinese researchers. The ultra-light device can be strapped to the bee’s back and connected to its brain via three tiny needles, allowing humans to control the movements of the insect. The controller uses low-intensity electric impulses to input the insect’s movements, making it turn left, turn right, advance, or turn back, depending on the situation. According to Professor Zhao Jieliang, in the tests performed by his team so far, the bees obeyed their commands 9 times out of 10.

Photo: Michael Milverton

“Insect-based robots inherit the superior mobility, camouflage capabilities, and environmental adaptability of their biological hosts,” Zhao wrote in a peer-reviewed paper published last month. “Compared to synthetic alternatives, they demonstrate enhanced stealth and extended operational endurance, making them invaluable for covert reconnaissance in scenarios such as urban combat, counterterrorism, and narcotics interdiction, as well as critical disaster relief operations.”

To create the world’s lightest insect controller, Zhao and his team printed circuits on polymer film as light and flexible as an insect’s wings that still allowed a large number of chips to be mounted on. However, despite their recent success, scientists still have a lot of hurdles to overcome. For now, the bees still have to be wired to the connector, because a big enough battery weighs in at a hefty 600 milligrams, way more than the insects can carry, and in some cases, their legs and bellies refuse commands.

Photo: Beijing Institute of Technology

“In future research, precision and repeatability of insect behaviour control will be enhanced by optimising stimulation signals and control techniques,” Chinese researchers wrote. “Concurrently expanding functional modules of the control backpack will improve environmental perception capabilities of insect-based robots, advancing their deployment in complex operational settings such as reconnaissance and detection missions.”