Cockroaches could rescue people in big disaster

The sight of cockroaches scurrying across the floor may give some people a scare, but the creepy crawlers may one day help save people in a disaster.

Researchers at North Carolina State University have turned common cockroaches into cyborg bio-bots. That translates into bionic rescuers that can find people trapped in rubble by using microphones.

The tiny creatures can be remote controlled through small circuit boards attached to their nervous systems. Software analyzes data and steers them toward sounds that can be differentiated between calls for help versus a leaky pipe. Solar cells on their backpacks recharge the microelectronics.

The bio-bots also can be kept from leaving the disaster sites through the use of an invisible fence.