Underwater Suit-Wearing Cyborg Insect Capable of Hours-Long Diving and Terra-Aqua Travel

The fundamental operational range of cyborg insects, which are hybrid robots that combine a living insect with an electronic controller, is inherently restricted to the host's natural environment. To extend their operational range, we developed a wearable diving suit for terrestrial insects. The suit integrates a miniaturised oxygen generation module with a flexible waterproof shell, enabling continuous oxygen supply and isolation from surrounding water. By fitting a cockroach, which is a terrestrial species, into this diving suit, we allowed it to survive and operate in oxygen-deprived environments such as underwater, transforming it into an amphibious cyborg robot capable of operation across land and water. The suit sustained respiration and locomotion for up to 3 h underwater, establishing amphibious cyborg insects that combine biological adaptability with engineered protection for prolonged exploration in extreme, confined environments.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2026-06-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-74235-1
Primary Topic
Underwater Vehicles and Communication Systems
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Underwater Suit-Wearing Cyborg Insect Capable of Hours-Long Diving and Terra-Aqua Travel

Kewei Song, Shinjiro Umezu, Hirotaka Sato, Zifu Fan et al.
Nature Communications
Underwater Vehicles and Communication Systems
article

Underwater Suit-Wearing Cyborg Insect Capable of Hours-Long Diving and Terra-Aqua Travel

Kewei Song, Shinjiro Umezu, Hirotaka Sato, Zifu Fan, Wei Wan, Kazuki Kai, Duc Long Le, Thu Ha TRAN, Mingyu HAO
article en

Abstract

The fundamental operational range of cyborg insects, which are hybrid robots that combine a living insect with an electronic controller, is inherently restricted to the host's natural environment. To extend their operational range, we developed a wearable diving suit for terrestrial insects. The suit integrates a miniaturised oxygen generation module with a flexible waterproof shell, enabling continuous oxygen supply and isolation from surrounding water. By fitting a cockroach, which is a terrestrial species, into this diving suit, we allowed it to survive and operate in oxygen-deprived environments such as underwater, transforming it into an amphibious cyborg robot capable of operation across land and water. The suit sustained respiration and locomotion for up to 3 h underwater, establishing amphibious cyborg insects that combine biological adaptability with engineered protection for prolonged exploration in extreme, confined environments.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 17(1)
Waseda University (JP), Nanyang Technological University (SG)
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 10%
Underwater Vehicles and Communication Systems
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.