http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/ Engadget Comments for Stealthy Insect Sensor Project unleashes bees to sniff out bombs http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/
(nicholas)
http://www.tingog.com]]>Nov 30th 2006 1:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/Nov 30th 2006 1:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/
Steve Wiseman]]>Nov 30th 2006 2:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/Nov 30th 2006 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/
At the beginning of World War II, pigeons were trained in order to guide bombs. They were quickly replaced by electronics. I actually knew one of the people who worked on the project -- she passed away the week of September 11th, entirely unrelated.

She also worked on a project where cats were trained to become recorders. A recording device and transmitter were actually placed in the cat. These day they could include a camera.

They actually did some tests where cats were dropped off in American airports, travelled to their destination and listened to conversations.

In the area of detection, desert rats have been trained to detect land mines -- they are used as they are not heavy enough to set off the land mine and the average handler isn't as attached to the rate even if it did.]]>Nov 30th 2006 2:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/
Funny you should mention the cat project. I believe it was damninteresting.com that had an article about that (or at least mentioned it in another article). Anyway, if I remember what I read correctly, the only real working prototype was actually hit by a car while crossing the street. I think it was trying to get close to the Russian embassy or something like that.]]>Nov 30th 2006 2:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/
Unless, of course, they are using "dead man's" switches which they undoubtedly are... And then there's that problem with "collateral damage". But still, it makes a remarkable image.]]>Nov 30th 2006 4:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/
I think it could work great. Bees are cheap and easy to care for, and contrary to popular opinion, honey bees are rather docile unless you deliver a Chuck Norris round-house kick to their hive. Away from their hive, you really have to be trying to get stung to provoke any aggresive. They're too busy to care.

My question is how quickly they can be trained, after all in the summer the female worker bees only live a few weeks.

]]>Nov 30th 2006 4:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/Dec 1st 2006 10:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/stealthy-insect-sensor-project-unleashes-bees-to-sniff-out-bombs/Dec 2nd 2006 4:43PM