When and why did James McLurkin event his Robotic ants?

James McLurkin invented his robotic ants in the early 2000s, with notable developments around 2005. He aimed to explore swarm robotics and decentralized systems, inspired by the behavior of social insects. By creating these robotic ants, McLurkin sought to demonstrate how simple individual behaviors could lead to complex group dynamics, which has implications for various fields, including robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and understanding natural systems.