Cyborg Cockroach Sparks Ethics Debate 512
sciencehabit writes "A do-it-yourself neuroscience experiment that allows students to create their own 'cyborg' insects is sparking controversy amongst scienitsts and ethicists. RoboRoach #12 is a real cockroach that a company called BackyardBrains ships to school students. The students fit the insect with a tiny backpack, which contains electrodes that feed into its antennae and receive signals by remote control — via the Bluetooth signals emitted by smartphones. A simple swipe of an iPhone can turn the insect left or right. Though some scientists say the small cyborg is a good educational tool, others say it's turning kids into psychopaths."
Fitting the backpack requires poking a hole in the roach's thorax and clipping its antennae to insert electrodes.
Cruel (Score:5, Funny)
I completely agree. It's completely unacceptable to force innocent students to used something as restricted and crippled as iOS. For once could someone actually think of the children.
Makes sense (Score:5, Funny)
IPhones have been turning humans into mindless drones for years, now its the insects turn.
Re:Cockroach rights? (Score:3, Funny)
So roaches live everywhere on Earth except suburban London? Interesting.
Re:Cruel (Score:5, Funny)
Forget psychopaths. It might turn them into... hipsters.
Too buggy (Score:5, Funny)
I tried the app, but it was too buggy.
No way, totally wrong (Score:5, Funny)
It's not ethical to force an animal to move left and right by attaching electrodes to its head. Not at all. The ethical way is to put a metal bar in its mouth and pull on THAT to force it to move left and right.
Re:Cockroach rights? (Score:4, Funny)
5th Element (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Missing the reality of what kids do to insects (Score:5, Funny)
Just saying...
I agree. (Score:4, Funny)
They should stop experiment on cockroaches, and start experimenting on lower life forms instead....
Members of Congress come to mind as a possibility...
Re:Missing the reality of what kids do to insects (Score:2, Funny)
Because while dumb motherfuckers like you are a member of PETI (People for the Ethical Treatment of Insects), the rest of us aren't.
Re:I agree. (Score:4, Funny)
They should stop experiment on cockroaches, and start experimenting on lower life forms instead....
Members of Congress come to mind as a possibility...
They tried.
They opened up the politician and found they lacked both a spine and a brain. Unable to find anywhere to attach the electrodes they gave up and moved onto roaches.
Re:Cockroach rights? (Score:5, Funny)
So roaches live everywhere on Earth except suburban London? Interesting.
Even cockroaches have standards.