Hijacked cicadas play music like a cyborg loudspeaker

The signature call of the cicada, a quintessential sound of many summers, has undergone a technological advancement, transforming these insects into bioengineered loudspeakers capable of reproducing everything from Pachelbel’s Canon to the iconic theme from Top Gun.

The scientists responsible for this innovation suggest that it could be employed to disseminate crucial alerts during emergencies.

The Pioneers Behind the Innovation

Naoto Nishida and his team at the University of Tsukuba in Japan drew motivation from earlier experiments where electrodes were used to remotely control the movements of cockroaches. While at their wooded campus, the researchers, inspired by the surrounding cicada calls, decided to “harness” this natural sound through a similar electrochemical approach. Upon this foundation heaps the latest trend in circada sound amplification.

Decoding the Anatomy of Cicada Communication

• Cicadas generate sound with specialized organs known as timbals, which feature thick ribs connected by thin membranes.
• These membranes, when contracted, create a clicking sound. Repeating this process hundreds of times per second results in a continuous, haunting cacophony.
• The timbre and pitch of the cicada’s song are determined by the frequency of these contractions.

Electrochemical Control of Cicada Sounds

The researchers implanted electrodes into seven specimens of the large brown cicada (Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata) and used computer-generated signals, amplified and transmitted through the electrodes, to manipulate the insects’ timbals. This allowed them to produce sounds at specific pitches.

The team eventually succeeded in inducing the cicadas to replicate musical tunes accurately. The insects demonstrated the ability to produce tones spanning over three octaves, ranging from a low A at 27.5 hertz to a high C at 261.6 hertz. This advancement suggests the possibility for sound amplification and customization to spread messages over large areas.

Innovative Applications and Ethical Considerations

Nishida, now affiliated with the University of Tokyo, noted that the cicadas suffered minimal harm during the experiments. Some were even released back into their natural habitat. He humorously commented, “Some of them seemed eager to escape, while others appeared to acquiesce, as if saying, ‘Go ahead, use my abdomen.’”

The researchers propose that such bioengineered insects could serve as efficient, robust, and agile alternatives to electronic robots in emergency scenarios, such as earthquake response. This cutting-edge application of biotechnology could revolutionize disaster communication and response strategies.