A US company that has developed an "electronic backpack" that fits onto a cockroach allowing its movements to be controlled by a mobile phone app has defended itself against cruelty claims.The Backyard Brains company says that the device is intended to get children to be interested in neuroscience.A spokeswoman told the BBC that the device - being formally launched on Saturday - was not a gimmick. But critics say that the company's stance is "disingenuous".For the "electronic backpack" to work the cockroaches have to be placed in icy water to subdue them before sandpaper is used to remove the waxy coating on the shell of the insect's head. An electrode connector and electrodes are then glued on to the insect's body and a needle is used to poke a hole in their thorax in order to insert a wire. Their antennae are then cut and electrodes are inserted. A circuit is attached to their backs, and signals are received through a mobile phone app allowing users to control the cockroaches' movements to the left and to the right.

Animal behaviour scientist Jonathan Balcombe has been quoted on US scientific websites as saying that the insects are harmed in the process."If it was discovered that a teacher was having students use magnifying glasses to burn ants and then look at their tissue, how would people react?" he is quoted as saying.Likewise Queen's University philosophy Professor Michael Allen warned that the device will "encourage amateurs to operate invasively on living organisms" and "encourage thinking of complex living organisms as mere machines or tools".The Michigan-based company has even received emails saying the the backpack - known as Roboroach - "teaches kids to be psychopaths". But Backyard Brains says the backpacks "allow students to do graduate level research early in life".A company spokeswoman told the BBC that the backpack had been developed solely to encourage children to take an interest in neuroscience which, she said, needed to be better taught in American schools."At the moment this crucially important subject is woefully under-taught," she said, "with many schools teaching neuroscience within the biology syllabus when it should be a subject in its own right."

That is especially the case when diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's take a heavier toll within society."The spokeswoman insisted that the insects are treated humanely and that the backpack - first developed in 2011 - does not harm them. The backpack will be widely available in November in the US priced at $99 (£61).skyrim immersive backpack newsletter and get the latest features, Q&As and competitions straight to your inbox.s130 backpack By clicking 'Submit', you are agreeing to Science Focus' terms & conditions. alienware orion laptop backpack 17You can opt-out at any time.keen pdx backpackA project aimed at creating cyborg cockroaches is being launched at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh.The insects, intended as a neuroscience learning tool, are controlled via a mobile phone.gir backpack hot topic

The Technology, Entertainment and Design conference specialises in showcasing new technologies.The theme of this year's conference is "think again", and the line-up of speakers is diverse, including a monk and a self-styled gentleman thief.Among the technology on offer this year will be RoboRoach, the brainchild of neuroscientist Greg Gage.shrine rack backpack for sale The cyborg insect is created by attaching a backpack that communicates directly with neurons in the cockroach's antennae.bape backpack aliexpressThe neurons convey information back to the insect's brain using electricity. The cockroach needs to undergo what Mr Gage calls "short surgery under anaesthetic" in order to have wires placed inside the antennae. Then the backpack can be placed on the insect and its movements controlled via a mobile phone or other device.

The backpack communicates directly with neurons in the cockroach's antennae, allowing users to set the direction in which the insect moves.Mr Gage will take to the TED stage on Wednesday to demonstrate what the insect can do."This is not just a gimmick, the technique is the same as that used to treat Parkinson's disease and in cochlear implants," he told BBC News."The point of the project is to create a tool to learn about how our brain works."He said that the team had thought a lot about the ethics of using insects in this way."We are pretty certain that this doesn't impose pain on the insect and they still have free will because they adapt very quickly and ignore the stimulation," he said.However the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has now told the BBC it has concerns."The RSPCA believes it is inappropriate to encourage children to dismantle and deconstruct insects," said a spokesperson."The fact that the neuroscientist is 'pretty certain' that this doesn't impose pain is, frankly, not certain enough.""

There are already plenty of fascinating studies involving insects which can help children to learn - and ones that do not deliberately harm insects."Mr Gage heads up Backyard Brains, a start-up of scientists and engineers aiming to change the way neuroscience is taught. The kits are primarily aimed at schools."The audience for this is teachers. We would like to see this in more high schools," he said.Already budding neuroscientists have made some interesting discoveries, with high school children in New York working out that the pace at which the insects adapt to the stimulation can be slowed by randomising the signal."This is a hands-on way of understanding the properties of neurons and doing critical thinking about how they work," said Mr Gage. "One in five people will have a neurological disorder in their lives and there are often no cures for them. Getting kids interested in neuroscience is important."The team is launching a Kickstarter campaign aiming to raise $10,000 (£6,400) to develop the hardware, which will be made in Michigan.The kits come with backpacks, batteries and electrodes as well as optional insects, The insects could not be shipped outside of the US but could be sourced locally, said Mr Gage.