Call for Papers: Special Issue on Socio-ethical Approaches to Robotics Development

Converging approaches adopted by engineers, computer scientists and software developers have brought together niche skillsets in robotics for the purposes of a complete product, prototype or application. Some robotics developments have been met with criticism, especially those of an anthropomorphic nature or in a collaborative task with humans. Due to the emerging role of robotics in our society and economy, there is an increasing need to engage social scientists and more broadly humanities scholars in the field. In this manner, we can furthermore ensure that robots are developed and implemented considering the socio-ethical implications that they raise.

This call for papers supposes that more recently, projects have brought on board personnel with a multidisciplinary background to ask those all-important questions about “what if” or “what might be” at a time that the initial idea generation is occurring to achieve a human-centered design. The ability to draw these approaches into the “design” process, means that areas of concern to the general public are addressed. These might include issues surrounding consumer privacy, citizen security, individual trust, acceptance, control, safety, fear of job loss and more.

In introducing participatory practices into the design process, preliminary results can be reached to inform the developers of the way in which they should consider a particular course of action. This is not to halt the freedom of the designer, but rather to consider the value-laden responsibility that designers have in creating things for the good of humankind, independent of their application.

This call seeks to include novel research results demonstrated on working systems that incorporate in a multidisciplinary approach technological solutions which respond to socio-ethical issues. Ideally this IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine (RAM) paper is complemented by a paper submitted in parallel to IEEE Technology and Society Magazine (T&SM ) that investigates the application from a socio-ethical viewpoint. 

Important Deadlines

01 May 2017- Paper Submission Deadline: 
10 July 2017- First Decision
15 September 2017- Revised Paper Submission
20 November 2017- Final Decision
March 2017- Publication

Guest Editors

Noel Sharkey (University of Sheffield)
Aimee van Wynsberghe (University of Twente)
John C. Havens (The Global Initiative for Ethical Considerations in the Design of Autonomous Systems)
Katina Michael (University of Wollongong)

For more information, go to CFP: Socio-ethical Approaches to Robotics Development