ETHICBOTS – Emerging Technoethics of Human Interaction with Communication, Bionic and Robotic Systems

ETHICBOTS promoted and coordinated a multidisciplinary group of researchers into artificial intelligence, robotics, anthropology, moral philosophy, philosophy of science, psychology, and cognitive science, with the common purpose of identifying and analyzing techno-ethical issues concerning the integration of human beings and artificial (software/hardware) entities. Three kinds of integration were analyized: (a) Human-softbot integration, as achieved by AI research on information and communication tec hnologies; (b) Human-robot, non-invasive integration, as achieved by robotic research on autonomous systems inhabiting human environments; (c) Physical, invasive integration, as achieved by bionic research. Crucial ethical issues in these areas included the preservation of human identity, and integrity; applications of precautionary principles; economic and social discrimination; artificial system autonomy and accountability; responsibilities for (possibly unintended) warfare applications; nature and impact of human-machine cognitive and affective bonds on individuals and society. The proposed coordinated work enabled one to establish a techno-ethically aware community of researchers, at a European level, by promoting workshops, training and dissemination activities. Moreover, the proposed CA aimed at developing the capability of researchers to communicate in understandable ways with journalists, policy makers, concerned citizens, and wider audiences of non-specialists. A knowledge-base on techno-ethical issues were be set up to serve both internal and external dissemination purposes. Finally, ETHICBOTS provided inputs to EU and national institutions for techno-ethical monitoring, warning, and opinion generation. In each of these activities, ETHICBOTS aimed at shifting attention from limitation to encouragement, guidance, and promotion of responsible scientific and technological research.