Overview

• NTU scientists have built the world’s first automated cyborg insect factory line that outfits Madagascar hissing cockroaches with electronic backpacks in just 1 minute 8 seconds per insect, achieving a 60-fold speed increase over manual preparation.
• A new-generation backpack cuts voltage requirements by 25 percent while maintaining precise neural stimulation to extend operational time and reduce the risk of overstimulation.
• Laboratory trials showed cyborg roaches executing sharp turns of more than 70 degrees on command, reducing speed by up to 68 percent, and a four-roach swarm covering over 80 percent of an obstacle-filled area in 10.5 minutes.
• In March 2025, ten cyborg roaches were deployed alongside the Singapore Civil Defence Force in Myanmar earthquake relief operations, marking the first field use of insect-hybrid robots in a humanitarian mission.
• NTU is now partnering to scale up production, validate industrial readiness and explore applications beyond search and rescue, including infrastructure inspection.