The research involved fitting a far north Queensland species, the giant burrowing cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros), with lightweight electronics and cameras. They were also fitted with remotely activated auto-injection systems custom-made for the species. In proof-of-concept testing, the paraborgs achieved 95% success with close-range injection (positioned within 15cm of the target). The complete navigation-and-injection task succeeded in 72% of trials. PhD candidate Hai Nhan Le said accurate positioning of the paraborgs was one of the key engineering challenges. “The cyborg insect has to navigate to the target, position itself accurately and remain stable enough to perform the injection,” Le said. The...