Ratbot

A ratbot is a rat controlled through implants in its brain. The rodents in the first experiment wore a small electronics backpack that linked to electrodes in their brains. They recieved radio commands from a laptop that would stimulate sensations in their whiskers and reward/pleasure receptors to manipulate them into following pre-programmed routes. Some researchers propose using them to search for landmines or buried victims of earthquakes, as they can much more efficiently scout such areas than human rescuers or existing robots.

Links

See the following news feature from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1961000/1961798.stm