Robot Cockroaches

If you caught our previous post, you know I'm sensitive to the fact the evil genius scientists are right now building the prototypes for the robots that will one day conquer us all. So you can imagine my reaction to this horrifying news story.

Tiny robots programmed to act like roaches were able to blend into cockroach society, according to researchers studying the collective behavior of insects.

Some sci-fi screenwriter with too much time on his hands is right now constructing a terrifying plot sure to bloom into a frightening reality. It's only a matter of time. First, these mad "scientists" train the robots to blend with roach society undetected. Next come the mouse robots, then the metal monkeys, then the humanoids indistinguishable to us from the other police officers, Starbucks employees, and circus clowns. Then, of course, it will be too late.

Think I'm crazy? Did you know these robot roaches are already capable of influencing the choices of their roach "brothers" and -- more alarmingly -- countermanding their own robot programming(!)? Read carefully.

To see if the robots had really become part of society and could influence group decisions, Halloy and colleagues programmed them to prefer shelters with more light. The result, the lighter shelter was preferred by the mixed group 61 percent of the time, while the cockroaches alone picked it just 27 percent of the time. On the other hand, in 39 percent of cases the robots, despite being programmed to prefer a lighter shelter, joined the cockroaches under the darker one.

The clock it ticking, my friends. The clock is ticking.