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by Debora Pape
Biohybrid spies: German start-up equips cockroaches with electronics
18-12-2025
Translation: machine translated
Cockroaches are considered pests, but here they become a resource. The start-up Swarm Biotactics utilises the natural robustness and mobility of cockroaches and turns them into mobile reconnaissance systems.
A German start-up is working on an idea that initially sounds irritating and almost absurd, but at the same time is fascinating. Swarm Biotactics is developing so-called biohybrid systems in which living insects are equipped with microelectronics. The focus is on living Madagascar hissing cockroaches, which are to become mobile reconnaissance units with the help of tiny electronic «backpacks».
The approach combines biology with modern sensor technology and raises both technical and ethical questions.
Potential areas of application
The potential fields of application for biohybrid systems are wide-ranging. In disaster control, they could help to locate people buried in rubble or explore areas that are difficult to access and where conventional robots reach their limits. Military applications are also a possibility, for example for covert reconnaissance tasks in complex terrain.
Source: Swarm Biotactics
Civilian application scenarios are also conceivable. In industry, the systems could be used to inspect or monitor systems, for example in narrow shafts or shielded areas. In research, on the other hand, they offer new possibilities for investigating ecological or geological environments that were previously only accessible to a limited extent.
Nature as a platform
Classic mini-robots are complex to build, expensive and have a very limited energy supply. Insects, on the other hand, move efficiently, require minimal energy and are extremely robust. The size of the Madagascar hissing cockroach also makes it suitable for carrying additional hardware without being severely restricted in its mobility.
The backpacks developed contain microelectronics, sensors, AI functions and communication units. They are designed to record environmental data and transmit it wirelessly. This includes, for example, temperature values or indications of movements and obstacles.
Source: Swarm Biotactics
Swarms instead of individual devices
A central element of the concept is the swarm idea. Swarm Biotactics does not think in terms of individual units, but rather in groups of many simple carriers. Several equipped insects work together to generate a situation picture. This approach is familiar from swarm robotics, but takes on a new dimension when combined with living organisms.
The coordination is handled by AI-supported software. It analyses the data from individual units, brings it together and uses it to create a consistent picture of the environment. In this way, even complex terrain structures can be captured and relevant information can be bundled and forwarded to emergency services or control stations. At the same time, the swarm approach increases reliability: if one unit fails, the entire system remains operational.
Swarm Biotactics emphasises that the cockroaches are not used as remote-controlled robots in the traditional sense. The technology utilises their natural movement patterns and supplements them with electronic impulses and AI-supported analysis. The aim is to support navigation and data collection without completely controlling the animal.
Ethical and social issues
The use of living organisms as mobile sensors raises a number of ethical questions. Critics fear that the use of insects as biohybrid systems trivialises the treatment of living beings and crosses new boundaries in the interaction between technology and nature. In particular, the question of whether and to what extent the autonomy of the animals is restricted is the subject of debate. Swarm Biotactics emphasises that the methods used are painless and that the cockroaches can continue to live after use.
Regardless of this, practical concerns remain. While many domestic cockroach species are considered potential carriers of bacteria such as E. coli or salmonella, this only applies to a limited extent to the Madagascar hissing cockroach, which is bred under controlled conditions. Nevertheless, the use of living organisms as mobile sensor systems does not fundamentally eliminate biological risks and raises questions about hygiene, control and limits of use.
State of development and outlook
A report on the US programme 60 Minutes, broadcast by CBS News, in which Swarm Biotactics founder Stefan Wilhelm gave an insight into the start-up's work, provided concrete information on the status of development. According to the report, the company is already working with the German Armed Forces to test the biohybrid systems under realistic conditions and check their suitability for reconnaissance tasks.
Technically, the focus is currently on further miniaturisation. The combined biological, electronic and robotic system currently weighs up to 15 grammes. The developers' aim is to reduce this weight to around ten grammes in order to improve the mobility and resilience of the cockroaches. According to Swarm Biotactics, larger-scale applications are realistic within a period of 18 to 24 months.
The report also makes it clear that the project is still in a transitional phase: between experimental research and possible operational use. Whether and in what form the technology will actually be widely used is therefore likely to depend not only on its technical maturity, but also on political, regulatory and social decisions.
Header image: Swarm Biotactics
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