Cyborg beetles to the rescue

AWESOME: Researchers' work on live beetles are taking us closer to remote controlled cyborg beetles that could search for survivors in disaster zones where it's too dangerous for humans to operate.

BERKELEY, California: In the wake of the devastating Nepal earthquake, researchers are hard at work developing the next generation of search and rescue tools in the hopes of saving more lives in the aftermath of deadly natural disasters.  

At a laboratory in Singapore, a researcher uses a joystick to control the movements of a giant beetle in flight. As the researcher moves his controller left and right, radio waves are sent to a wireless receiver fitted onto the beetle's back, which activates nanowires to stimulate a small muscle in the its wing. Depending on the signal the beetle turns accordingly.