Scientists who developed a way to remotely control cockroaches to find survivors in disaster areas have improved the technology to enable the insects to move underwater. The research team led by Prof. Hirotaka Sato from NTU Singapore’s School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering devised 3D-printed scuba suits fitted on Madagascar hissing cockroaches, allowing them to breathe underwater for up to three hours, the New York Post reported, citing a study published in the journal Nature Communications.

The watertight resin diving suit generates oxygen using hydrogen peroxide and manganese dioxide, which react to form absorbable oxygen, according to the study.

“By expanding the operating parameters of our cyborg insects to include underwater travel, we believe that they can enhance search and rescue efforts,” Sato said.

Meanwhile, a Japanese company’s innovation addresses the shortage of cleaning staff in commercial buildings.

Iwith Robotics Co., headquartered in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward, demonstrated its toilet-cleaning robot in April, with CEO Wang Chi personally observing it complete the job in nine minutes.

The scrub brush head at the tip of the robot’s arm rotated as it glided across the inside of the toilet bowl, the Asahi Shimbun (AS) reported.

“The brush head was subsequently replaced with a doughnut-shaped one, which was used to clean the back side of the toilet seat and other sections,” AS reported.

The robot then replaced its brushes and washed them as it carefully cleaned the sides of the toilet bowl and the outside of the toilet seat, AS reported.

Toshio Hirano, 65, executive officer and head of strategic planning at Iwith Robotics, said the toilet-cleaning robot would not replace human cleaners. Instead, it works alongside a human worker, who positions it in front of a Western-style toilet bowl while performing other cleaning tasks, according to AS.

Iwith Robotics plans to mass-produce the toilet-cleaning robot at Kuramoto Co., its parent company based in Miyagi Prefecture, and market it by the end of the year.