Related: Scientists Turned Cockroaches Into Cyborgs, Giving Them Navigation Superpowers<\/a><\/p>\n Darkling beetles are also known as ‘superworms’ for the worm-like form of their larvae. These creatures may help the world in multiple ways. Culinarily, they’re a rich source of fatty acids and protein, commonly consumed<\/a> in countries like Mexico and Thailand.<\/p>\n The larvae also love dining<\/a> on one of the world’s most prevalent plastics, polystyrene, which is used to make common conveniences like packing materials and disposable cutlery. This is not good for the beetles, but copying how they digest the substance could help us tackle the plastic waste<\/a> problem.<\/p>\n At up to 32 millimeters (1.26 inches) in body length and about 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) in height, darkling beetles are small and nimble, possessing natural gifts that allow them to maneuver where robots cannot: within the tight confines of dense, jumbled rubble.<\/p>\n Featured in Advanced Science, the new study harnesses the beetles’ natural gifts and “adds programmable controls that allow for precise directional guidance, without affecting the lifespan of the beetle,” says<\/a> engineer Thang Vo-Doan of the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at The University of Queensland.<\/p>\n These programmable controls are transmitted via a beetle-backpack with electrodes that act like electrical reins. Stimulating the antennae causes the beetle to turn, decelerate, or walk backwards. Stimulating both elytra causes acceleration or forward walking, while stimulating a single elytron causes sideways movement.<\/p>\n As a result, the ZoBorgs can cross obstacles equal to their body height with a success rate of 92 percent. They can also move from horizontal to vertical surfaces with a 71.2 percent success rate \u2013 a rate unmatched by previous cyborg insects<\/a> or robots.<\/p>\n Lachlan Fitzgerald, an engineer at The University of Queensland, explains<\/a> that while “robots at this scale have made strides in locomotion, the transition from horizontal surfaces to walls remains a formidable challenge for them.” But not so for the ZoBorgs.<\/p>\n Plus, using beetles means that researchers do not have to design actuators, sensors, or control systems \u2013 the beetles are already naturally equipped<\/a> by many millions of years of evolutionary adaptations<\/a>. These climbing adaptations include flexible, adhesive footpads, gripping claws, and rigid but agile body structures.<\/p>\n In combination with their antennae, insects use sensors in their legs and mechanoreceptors<\/a> in their exoskeletons to sense physical stimuli, such as surface textures and vibrations.<\/p>\n Future advances may focus on improving the beetles’ climbing ability and autonomy by incorporating an inertial measurement unit (IMU<\/a>) that provides real-time, non-visual data like acceleration and other forces.<\/p>\n The addition of a compact, lightweight visual camera can further boost control mechanisms, and will be necessary for identifying trapped individuals in search and rescue situations. Finally, cyborg advances described here could inspire innovations in robotics, such as the incorporation of beetle-like feelers to improve robots’ navigational abilities.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/advs70112-fig-0008-m-642x361.jpg\")
The ZoBorg is able to navigate a complex environment by crossing obstacles, going up inclines, and climbing walls. (Fitzgerald et al., Adv. Sci., 2025)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/advs70112-fig-0001-m-642x577.jpg\")
The ZoBorg’s major components. (Fitzgerald et al., Adv. Sci., 2025)<\/p>\n![\"Graphic](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/advs70112-fig-0004-m-642x728.jpg\")
The ZoBorg’s on-demand climbing protocol. (Fitzgerald et al., Adv. Sci., 2025)<\/p>\n