Ethics, Robotics and Rehabilitation Technologies

Ethics, Robotics and Rehabilitation Technologies with Heather Draper and Tom Sorell (University of Warwick)

Thursday 18th May, 2.15-4.15pm, Seminar Room 1, Leeds Humanities Research Institute, 29-31 Clarendon Place, Leeds, LS2 9JT (number 25 on campus map)

 

Rehabilitation covers a wide range of activities and circumstances. This presentation will explore the ethical limitations of using robots to encourage the persistence and perseverance necessary to meet the goals of physical rehabilitation. How forcefully can a patient be persuaded to comply with routines necessary achieve the goals of rehabilitation? Answers to this question may depend on whether these goals have been set by the patient or someone else, and whether the professionals involved regard them as over or under ambitious. Robots and other technologies could be used remove latent paternalism in rehabilitation. On the other hand, human-to-human activities may be more permissive when it comes to overcoming resistance to physical rehabilitation therapies than robot-to-human activities.