Insbot is a robotic cockroach developed in 2002 by scientists of the European project LEURRE. It is designed to trick real cockroaches into following its lead, with the goal of finding ways of adapting their behavior as a means of natural pest control. At first, Insbot's predecessor, Alice robot, faced some setbacks due to its size and its inability to properly recognize the cockroaches. But after a series of tests, this newer model was developed. It contains more sensors and computational power, which allows it to interact with the cockroaches more efficiently. Development of Insbot The scientists from LEURRE developed the first Insbot in 2002 and it has been undergoing development since. It runs on wheels and contains many computer processors, which are connected to cameras and proximity sensors, to help it avoid bumping into obstacles or other cockroaches. In the early stages of production, the group of scientists from LEURRE used a prior model, Alice robot, to conduct acceptance tests to determine how compatible the robot is within the society of cockroaches. The main challenges they faced were the robot's small size, the high level of integration (many sensors), and the darkness of the cockroach cuticle (Infrared (IR) sensors sensitivity). With the help of these tests, the scientists built a newer model which contained IR emitters with increased power, wireless communication modules for monitoring, additional sensors, more computational power, and a greater memory. How it works The Insbot is composed of two different types of sensors, IR and chemical, and linear cameras. The sensors help the robot maneuver itself and identify other cockroaches. One recent challenge was to find a way to add pheromones to the robot which would allow it to communicate and build trust with the other cockroaches. With the help of chemical sensors, the robot is able to emit the cockroach chemical signal that is present on the surface of cockroaches. With these sensors, the robot attracts the other cockroaches. If it does not have them, it scares them away because the cockroaches think it is a predator. The IR sensors are used to measure proximity, which is important because the robot's behavior is controlled by proximity information. All of its movements and actions depend on where it is and what surrounds it. The IR sensors are also used to distinguish between another cockroach and an obstacle. A sensor is placed on the top of the