On the Popularization of Artificial Insects: An Interactive Exhibition for a Wide Audience to Explain and Demonstrate Computer Science and Robotic Problem Solving Taking Inspiration of Insects

From October 2005 to August 2006, the museum of natural history of the city of Tours is displaying a temporary exhibition designed by the members of the “handicap and new technologies” research team from the computer science lab of the University of Tours. This paper describes this exhibition, the goals and means that have been involved to popularize recent researches in the field of artificial insects. Different robots and computer simulations have been used to explain how our community builds new paradigms inspired by insect models and swarm intelligence concepts.