Gage told the BBC that during his TED-Global presentation he plans to attach a small electronic backpack to his pet roach “under anesthetic”, a backpack that apparently “communicates directly with the neurons in the cockroach’s antenna.”
The neurons communicate information to the roach’s brain using electricity, enabling Gage to control the movements of the ‘cockroach cyborg’ with a smartphone or some such device.
“This is not just a gimmick,” he told the BBC. “The technique is the same as that used to treat Parkinson’s disease and in cochlear implants. The point of the project is to create a tool to learn about how our brain works.” On the TED website Gage says he wants to “show how brains receive and deliver electric impulses.”
When asked about the ethics of using a cockroach in this way, Gage said he was “pretty certain” that the insect felt no pain during the procedure, adding, “They still have free will because they adapt very quickly and ignore the stimulation.”
Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/smartphone-controlled-cockroach-cyborg-to-appear-at-ted-conference-this-week/#ixzz2VzalG7N1