Robot ethics is a growing interdisciplinary research effort roughlysituated in the intersection of applied ethics and robotics with the aimof understanding the ethical implications and consequences of robotictechnology, in particular, autonomous robots. Researchers, theorists,and scholars from areas as diverse as robotics, computer science,psychology, law, philosophy, and others are approaching the pressingethical questions about developing and deploying robotic technology insocieties. Many areas of robotics are impacted, especially those whererobots interact with humans, ranging from elder care and medicalrobotics, to robots for various search and rescue missions includingmilitary robots, to all kinds of service and entertainment robots. Whilemilitary robots were initially a main focus of the discussion (e.g.,whether and when autonomous robots should be allowed to use lethalforce, whether they should be allowed to make those decisionsautonomously, etc.), in recent years the impact of other types ofrobots, in particular, social robots has become an increasinglyimportant topic as well.
Objectives
The Technical Committee on Robot Ethics aims to provide the IEEE-RASwith a framework for raising and addressing the urgent ethical questionsprompted by and associated with robotics research and technology. Eversince its inception almost a decade ago in 2004, the TC (in its thirdgeneration now) has been involved in organizing various types ofmeetings (from satellite workshops at main conference, to standalonevenues) to call attention to the increasingly urgent ethical issuesraised by the rapidly advancing robotics technology. For example, anincreasing number of workshops and special sessions was organizedrecently at main conferences (such as ICRA, IACAP, AISB and others). Andmore workshops, special sessions, and standalone venues are in theplanning. Moreover, an increasing number of publications as well aspublic lectures and interviews by former and current TC co-chairs andother researchers invested in this topic focus on increasing theawareness of researchers and non-researchers alike about the urgent needto understand the social impact and ethical implications of robottechnology. In addition to organizing special sessions and workshops atmajor international venues on robot ethics, the TC continues to raisepublic awareness and aims to organize a standalone international eventin the near future.
