Government eyes turning bugs into spies

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Government eyes turning bugs into spies New micro 'drones' could carry cameras, microphones By Steve Elwart December 03, 2011 The U.S. government is eyeing the idea of turning bugs – genuine live creepycrawlies – into spies, thanks to the work of micro researchers at the University of Michigan. According to results published in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Professor Khalil Najafi, chairman of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan, and doctoral student Erkan Aktakka are finding ways to harvest energy from insects. The stated intention is to use insects as first responders for disasters, but the technology also is likely to usher in a new era for intelligence gathering. Researchers have found insects get their energy from the food they eat and then use that energy to fly. In the process, some of the energy is wasted. The Michigan research team has exploited the wasted energy by attaching tiny electrical generators to the wings of the insect. The energy harvested could be further increased by using tiny solar cells on the tops of the wings. Find out the startling evil taking place in secret that's looking to change what it means to be a human being. Watch the eye-opening DVD, "Trans-Humanism: Destroying the Barriers" "Through energy scavenging, we could potentially power cameras, microphones and other sensors and communications equipment that an insect could carry aboard a tiny backpack," Najafi said. "We could then send these 'bugged' bugs into dangerous or enclosed environments where we would not want humans to go." While the university's goal is for insects to be used in hazardous situations where it would not be safe for humans, the military is interested in the technology to further the dream of designing and fabricating micro-air-vehicles, or MAVs. Creating tiny, lightweight flying vehicles capable of carrying a payload and being powered by a long-life onboard power source has proven to be extremely difficult, and Department of Defense researchers had almost abandoned work on real-life micro-scouts. This latest breakthrough, however, has breathed new life into the program.


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