Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have created a cyborg cockroach, dubbed the "Paraborg," designed to assist in disaster response by searching for survivors and administering first aid. Unlike earlier cyborg insects built mainly for reconnaissance, this project pushes the technology further by equipping the insects to actively deliver medical help, potentially buying rescuers crucial time before human teams can reach victims trapped in debris or unstable structures.

The team used a giant burrowing cockroach native to northern Queensland, which can grow up to 87 millimetres long and weigh 40 grams, fitting it with electrodes on its antennae and cerci to remotely steer its direction and speed. Two versions were built: one carrying a camera to assess victims' conditions, and another fitted with a spring-and-chemical-reaction injection mechanism to deliver medication, using a citric acid and baking soda reaction to push a syringe plunger. In tests, close-range injections succeeded roughly 95% of the time, while the full task sequence had a 72% success rate, and researchers also showed two cockroaches could work as a team, with one locating a target and the other administering the injection. The work, published in Advanced Science, has not yet been tested in realistic disaster conditions, but lead researcher Tan Vo Doan hopes such insect rescue teams could be deployed in the field within five to ten years.