Our lab has some of this stuff - a much of devices to stimulate and measure nerve impulses, and one earlier version of the roboroach. We haven't used any of it yet, but the idea is for hands on student activities. I'm actually a little frustrated with my advisor for getting all the equipment since it doesn't look like we are even going to assemble it anytime soon.
See the website here: https://backyardbrains.com/products/
It would be interesting to do some basic learning experiments with these types of tools, but my to do list for research is already way too big.
At an American university IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) would have to approve anything you do with roaches. But at most universities they don't care about invertebrates. As in you don't even have to ask them or fill out any paper work, just do whatever you want.
Though I didn't read any claim that this is the first time such a project has been done, I've seen it something very similar twelve years ago from a Parallax customer named Raphael Holzer. Raphael is a Swiss researcher who had done a project where he used BS1 interpreter chips on cockroaches. A couple of links:
Comments
They address criticisms about cruelty to cockroaches in the FAQ.
Aren't you supposed to call PETA about animal cruelty?
Or is that American Cockroach Civil Liberties Union? I almost missed the extra C.
This is one robotic Kickstarter I wasn't tempted to back.
See the website here: https://backyardbrains.com/products/
It would be interesting to do some basic learning experiments with these types of tools, but my to do list for research is already way too big.
At an American university IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) would have to approve anything you do with roaches. But at most universities they don't care about invertebrates. As in you don't even have to ask them or fill out any paper work, just do whatever you want.
http://www.wireheading.com/roboroach/
http://www.conceptlab.com/roachbot/