The marriage between electronics and cockroaches isn't incredibly new. Cockroaches have inspired new robot designs, acted as your remote controlled insects and allowed for stealth-mode antics. However, a new development at the Osaka University and the Tokyo University Of Agriculture & Technology aka TUAT allows for creation of special network of sensors using cockroaches. "What's New?" you may ask. Well, the sensors mounted on the back of cockroaches are powered by the cockroaches themselves; eliminating the need of relying on an external power source.
The research engineers were able to develop a new kind of fuel cell. The dimensions of this new fuel cell are 20mm x 15mm - allowing for easy mounting on the back of the cockroach. Once installed properly, the fuel cell uses a fluid called 'trehalose' inside cockroach's blood. The overall system comprises of electrodes, a container for the body fluid and a very tiny needle that goes into cockroach's body. The inner wall of the fluid container has a thin membrane for dialysis which allows for the body fluid to flow inside using diffusion.
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