title: Electrical Stimulation of Coleopteran Muscle for Initiating Flight.
abstract: Some researchers have long been interested in reconstructing natural insects into steerable robots or vehicles. However, until recently, these so-called cyborg insects, biobots, or living machines existed only in science fiction. Owing to recent advances in nano/micro manufacturing, data processing, and anatomical and physiological biology, we can now stimulate living insects to induce user-desired motor actions and behaviors. To improve the practicality and applicability of airborne cyborg insects, a reliable and controllable flight initiation protocol is required. This study demonstrates an electrical stimulation protocol that initiates flight in a beetle (Mecynorrhina torquata, Coleoptera). A reliable stimulation protocol was determined by analyzing a pair of dorsal longitudinal muscles (DLMs), flight muscles that oscillate the wings. DLM stimulation has achieved with a high success rate (> 90%), rapid response time (< 1.0 s), and small variation (< 0.33 s; indicating little habituation). Notably, the stimulation of DLMs caused no crucial damage to the free flight ability. In contrast, stimulation of optic lobes, which was earlier demonstrated as a successful flight initiation protocol, destabilized the beetle in flight. Thus, DLM stimulation is a promising secure protocol for inducing flight in cyborg insects or biobots.
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hao Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005426:Flight, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000502:physiology