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Cockroaches -- the future of search-and-rescue?

Posted at 4:25 PM, Feb 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-09 21:57:24-05

Scientists are looking into the future of robotic cockroaches.

According to the UC Berkeley report, they are actually talking about them joining search-and-rescue teams.

Roaches can squeeze through just about anything. A cockroach's shell may look stiff, but it is bendable, so scientists say it can flatten itself to one-fourth of its height. They say it is capable of taking about 900 times its weight without being crushed.

The work is supported by the Army Research Laboratory, through the Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) -- a Collaborative Technology Alliance involving industry, universities and the U.S. Army.

Researchers believe cockroaches could crawl into the smallest of spaces to find people and gather info.

For now, robotic roaches are just a prototype.

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