Insect Telepresence: Using robotic tele-embodiment to bring insects face-to-face with humans

Abstract

The Insect Telepresence project combines expertise from the robotics and human-computer interaction communities to create a robot exhibit that enables telepresence in scale. The underlying mission of this work is educational: to promote appreciation for insect life and small-scale complexity through exploration of live insect colonies. In this article we describe the robot hardware and software used to bring students face-to-face with insects. We also summarize the user-centered design process and formal HCI methods used to design and evaluate the Insect Telepresence robot. The complete working exhibit, now installed as a permanent robot-entomology station at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, is presented in this paper in words and pictures.