The Ethical Dimension of Collaboration Professor Simon Rogerson Centre for Computing and Social...

The Ethical Dimension of Collaboration

Professor Simon Rogerson

Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility

De Montfort University, UK

[email protected]

Simon Rogerson, 2007

ICT potential self-learning and adapting systems human activity recognition tracking technologies and sensors sharing of contextual information between

different services and objects supplementing human faculties virtual community technologies quality of life and inclusion


FP7 context research activities supported by the Framework

Programme should respect fundamental ethical principles Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European

Union opinions of the European Group on Ethics in

Science and New Technologies (EGE) any proposal which contravenes fundamental

ethical principles shall not be selected and may be excluded from the evaluation, selection and award procedures at any time


Due regard explicitly address ethical concerns

the research its conduct its outcomes

ethical issues beyond the obvious must be addressed likely that new, sensitive applications will come to

the fore unique set of ethical issues for eye tracking

technology and application specific tasks or specific work package


Privacy right to privacy and data protection is a fundamental

right Europeans view personal privacy as an important issue compliance with Data Protection legislation research volunteers have the right to remain

anonymous manner in which research outcomes are reported must

not contravene the right to privacy and data protection must carefully evaluate and report the personal privacy

implications of the intended use or potential use of the research outcomes

volunteers (conduct) and beneficiaries (outcome)


Informed consent whenever research involves volunteers in interviews, behavioural

observation, invasive and non-invasive experimentation, and accessing personal data records

empowers the individual to make a voluntary informed decision about whether or not to participate in the research based on knowledge of the purpose, procedures and outcomes of the research

information must be given specifying the alternatives, risks, and benefits for those involved in a way they understand.

right to withdraw consent at any time and, if requested, associated data destroyed

special consideration must be given when volunteers have reduced autonomy or are vulnerable


Attentive Interfaces and Reactingto Intent (COGAIN 2006)

Gaze-based Attentive User Interfaces (AUIs) to support disabled users: towards a research agenda interacting with objects in the real world by

looking at them directly rather making real-world objects gaze aware


The ethics Doing the research

Representative volunteers Informed consent of those with incapacity of making decisions Nature of non-invasive trials Trial results data security

Nature of the application Human helper emulation and machine inferences Constant monitoring: local and distributed Fail safe Attitude / feeling of user Choice


An approach to addressing the ethical dimension Work Package which spans the life of the project. Start of Project Review

Undertake a thorough review of the potential ethical and social impact of the project culminating in a Project Ethics Agenda which will guide both the substance and conduct of the research throughout the life of the project

Intermediate Review(s) Review the project components and identify potential ethical

issues regarding both the project process and the anticipated project outcomes

End of Project Review Review the project outcomes to identify any inherent positive

and negative ethical effects


“The rapid pace of scientific and technological progress can give rise to serious ethical questions of concern to all Europeans. These questions may also have potential implications for future generations.”

Science and Society Action PlanEuropean Commission, 2002

Responsible research

[email protected]


Additional Information on Ethics related to undertaking ICT research in FP7

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ethics-ict_en.html

The Ethical Dimension of Collaboration Professor Simon Rogerson Centre for Computing and Social...

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