Key points from article :
The cyborg insects could one day be used in a breath test to screen for disease—or inspire a new type of device.
They surgically exposed the brain of a living locust and inserted electrodes into lobes of the brain that receive signals from the insects’ antennae, which they use to sense odors.
Three different types of human oral cancer cells, as well as human mouth cells that were cancer-free, were grown.
A device was used to capture gas emitted by each of the cell types, and delivered these to the locusts’ antennae.
The locusts’ brains responded to each of the cell types differently.
It is the first time a living insect brain has been tested as a tool to detect cancer, says Debajit Saha, co-scientist, a neural engineer at Michigan State University.
