Backyard Brains

Where have all the mad scientists gone? It looks like they’ve been working on Roboroach, a device that allows you to control the movements of a cockroach via your phone.

The people behind Roboroach, Backyard Brains, write on their kickstarter that the roach is not harmed, although he undergoes surgery under anesthesia to place wires inside the antennae. Then the roach is fitted with a backpack that communicates with your mobile app. On your command, pulses are sent to the animal’s brain, which stimulates him into thinking that there is a wall on one side. To avoid the wall, the roach turns. 

The Roboroach is designed to intrigue novices as well as help experienced neurologists understand stimuli and learning. Though Backyard Brains writes that it is not a toy, but a learning device, for labs and classrooms, for learning and experimentation.