Roach-Bots influence swarm behavior
Researchers have developed a set of new robots what they call 'Roach-Bots' which enabled them study the mindsets of cockroaches when the insects are in swarm. Roach-bots pretend to be real cockroaches and capable of influencing the social group of cockroaches.
Jose Halloy of the Universite Libre de Bruxelles and his team of researchers from France, Belgium and Switzerland have achieved the feat when they set these roach bots into swarm of cockroaches. They have noticed the way tinny size robots directed cockroach swarm when the cockroaches searched a shelter.
As known widely, cockroaches prefer a dark shelter to light one. However, the Roach-bots controlled by the researchers, motivated the cockroach group to select the darker one. It is indeed a tremendous achievement which could provide new methods to control the pests.
The research team has profoundly said that the experimental results demonstrate the possibility of shared and controlled collective actions between machines and animals.
The Roach-bots research will also be useful in studying the group decision making process of other animals that swarm.
