In the USA cyborgs grasshoppers begin to be used for explosive search

In February, 2020 the American authorities reported about uses of cyborgs grasshoppers for explosive search. They are developed by researchers from the University of Washington who used olfactory feelings of the American grasshopper, Schistocerca americana, for creation of analyzers of biological bombs.

Olfactory receptors of insects are capable to distinguish the most different chemicals sprayed in air. Neurons of these receptors send electric signals to the part of a brain of an insect known as an antennalny share, containing about 50,000 neurons. Having implanted electrodes in antennalny shares of grasshoppers, researchers found out that at influence of different substances different groups of neurons were activated. In particular, antennas of a grasshopper distinguished vapors of explosive materials, including trinitrotoluene and its predecessor 2.4 dinitrotoluene, from unexplosive substances, such as hot air and benzaldehyde. At the same time grasshoppers not only distinguished explosives from the others, but also distinguished them among themselves.

The American authorities reported about uses of cyborgs grasshoppers for explosive search

The command equipped grasshoppers with tiny, easy touch backpacks which are capable to write and transfer data of electric activity of antenna shares of a grasshopper on a wireless network. Insects successfully found explosive within seven hours after implantation of electrodes, also defining sections with the highest concentration of explosives. The team of researchers used these several grasshoppers, considering that in the real world chemicals can dissipate under the influence of the environment, for example, wind. The neural activity of seven grasshoppers provided explosive detection accuracy about 80%, one grasshopper - 60%.

It is noted that the project was financed by Management of naval researches of the USA. US Navy began to use grasshoppers for the purpose of ensuring internal security.^[1]

Notes