Roboethics at Stanford University

The field of Robotics is expanding into areas that for a long time have been the exclusive domain of science fiction, in terms of software advances, sensor hardware, nano- and bio-technologies, and user interface innovations.  For example, Rehabilitation Robotics is merging with Neural Implant Technologies to chart new solutions to return function to people with severe physical disabilities.  Along with this promise of functional restoration, the same technologies can also be used for the enhancement of function for able-bodied people in military, space, consumer and industrial realms. This intersection of bioethics and robotics is termed "Roboethics".

The Ethical Issues:

These opportunities, however, bring with them new ethical challenges involving the deployment of robots, ubiquitous sensing systems, direct neural interfaces, invasive nano-devices and other technologies that, alone or in combination, allow for completely new models of human-machine interface and technology control than have been available to-date.  Human issues of self, control, privacy and access are at the fore, along with technical issues of implant integrity, robot robustness, network connectedness and software autonomy.

The Genesis of Roboethics:

The term "roboethics" was coined in 2004 by Gianmarco Veruggio, who hosted the First International Symposium on Roboethics (Sanremo, 2004) and, with Paolo Dario, set up the first website for the dissemination of nascent efforts world-wide: http://roboethics.org. Roboethics has also been the subject of several conference workshops such as at IEEE's ICRA 2005. 

The Status of Roboethics Today:

Roboethics builds upon bioethics and the more specific topic of neuroethics, the engineering disciplines of robotics, nanotechnology and user interface design, and the bioengineering domain of direct brain interfaces, also called, depending on the specific project focus, neural prostheses, neural implants, brain-computer interfaces, or brain computer communication interfaces. 

Roboethics at Stanford:

At Stanford, the BioX Program and the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics funded a pilot study in this domain called Cross-Cultural Considerations in Establishing Roboethics for Neuro-Robot Applications, which was presented at the recent rehabilitation robotics conference ICORR 2005 in Chicago. A follow-on review by JAMA made note of rising "Ethical Robotics" concerns.

This study explored the several issues relating to the general beneficence of robots in literature and film as portrayed in different cultures, and how people differ in their perception of authority's role and personal control. These issues, as seen through the lens of the most popular creations (albeit fictional) of our culture, are indicators of the values we place on technology and of the concerns we innately have – and these responses are therefore important to consider as today's sci-fi turns into tomorrow's scientific reality.

Upcoming Roboethics Activities at Stanford:

We are actively pursuing funding mechanisms to investigate the span of ethical issues currently confronting direct brain interface investigators, how different kinds of interfaces may indicate different approaches to bioethics, and how other stakeholders in the deployment and use of this technology (for example, from law, government, and healthcare provider professions) perceive the relative importance of the various bioethics issues for the variety of interfaces that currently exist and those on the horizon.

Stay tuned for further developments on this site.

- Mike Van der Loos: vdl at stanford dot edu (main contact point)

- Joe Wagner

- Dave M. Cannon