DARPA’s HI-MEMS (Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) created cyborg insects for military micro air vehicles missions

In 2006 the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) asked America’s scientists to submit “innovative proposals to develop technology to create insect-cyborgs.” The Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (HI-MEMS) program, also known as the cybug program, was a proposal from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to encourage the development of cyborg insects that can be controlled by humans. These insects, called cybugs, could be used for advanced reconnaissance. DARPA’s goal was to create a cybug that could be maneuvered to within five feet of a target and transmit back information about its environment.

The goal of HI-MEMS (Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical System), was raising real insects filled with electronic circuitry, which could be guided using GPS technology to specific targets via electrical impulses sent to their muscles.

The pamphlet outlined one specific application for the robo-bugs –outfitted with chemical sensors, they could be used to detect traces of explosives in remote buildings or caves – and it’s easy to imagine other possible tasks for such cyborgs. Insect drones kitted out with video cameras could reveal whether a building is occupied and whether those inside are civilians or enemy combatants, while those with microphones could record sensitive conversations, becoming bugs that literally bugged you.

The vision of HI-MEMS – insect swarms with various sorts of different embedded MEMS sensors (like video cameras, audio microphones and chemical sniffers) could penetrate enemy territory in swarms. The HI-MEMS swarms could then perform reconnaissance missions beyond the capabilities of bulky human soldiers.

HI-MEMS is a DARPA program initiated by Program Manager Dr. Amit Lal. The HI-MEMS program is aimed at developing tightly coupled machine-insect interfaces by placing micro-mechanical systems inside the insects during the early stages of metamorphosis. These early stages include the caterpillar and the pupae stages. Since a majority of the tissue development in insects occurs in the later stages of metamorphosis, the renewed tissue growth around the MEMS will tend to heal, and form a reliable and stable tissue-machine interface. At least in theory, when the larva goes through metamorphosis and reorganizes its nervous system, it will integrate itself with the circuit in such a way that humans can transmit signals to the chip and control the insect’s behavior. The goal of the MEMS, inside the insects, will be to control the locomotion by obtaining motion trajectories either from GPS coordinates, or using RF, optical, ultrasonic signals based remote control.

HI-MEMS isn’t DARPA’s first foray into cyborg development. The Agency announced their cyborg shark project at the 2006 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. An earlier cybug project involving wasps failed when the insects flew off to feed and mate.