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Robotic dog spots invasive fire ant nests better than humans

Robotic dogs do better than humans at identifying nests of invasive fire ants. The robots could be useful in helping eradicate an invasive species that packs a venomous sting

By Jeremy Hsu

9 June 2023

Robotic dogs can locate fire ant nests.

Robotic dogs can locate fire ant nests

Xin Su | Lanzhou University

Robotic dogs can spot invasive fire ant nests more efficiently than human searchers – and they can safely stir up a swarm of aggressive ants by poking their nests, which can help researchers identify the notorious pests.

The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) packs a venomous sting, and causes billions of dollars in ecological and agricultural damage across the world each year. To combat the threat, researchers have been testing how a robotic dog combined with artificial intelligence can help detect the ants’ …

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