Robots and robotic devices. Guide to the ethical design and application of robots and robotic systems

Scope

What is BS 8611 – Ethical design of robotics systems about?

BS 8611 gives guidance on the identification of potential ethical harm and provides guidelines on safe design, protective measures, and information for the design and application of robots. BS 8611 builds on existing safety requirements for different types of robots; industrial, personal care, and medical. BS 8611 describes ethical hazards associated with the use of robots and provides guidance to eliminate or reduce the risks associated with them. Significant ethical hazards are presented, and guidance is given on how they are to be dealt with for various robot applications.

Ethical hazards are broader than physical hazards. Most physical hazards have associated psychological hazards due to fear and stress. Thus, physical hazards imply ethical hazards, and safety design features are part of ethical design. Safety elements are covered by safety standards. BS 8611 is concerned with ethical elements.

Who is BS 8611 – Ethical design of robotics systems for?

BS 8611 on Ethical design of robotics systems is useful for:

• Robot and robotics device designers and managers
• Robotics engineers
• The automotive industry
• The automobile industry
• Robotics process automation (RPA) industry

Why should you use BS 8611 – Ethical design of robotics systems?

BS 8611 was written by scientists, academics, ethicists, philosophers, and users to provide guidance on specific ethical hazards associated with robots and robotic systems and how to put protective measures in place. BS 8611 recognizes that these potential ethical hazards have a broader implication than physical hazards, so it is important that different ethical harms and remedial considerations are considered.

BS 8611 builds on existing safety requirements for different types of robots, covering industrial, personal care and medical. Ethical design is important as the creation of robots presents three major areas of ethical concern for society: privacy and surveillance, bias and discrimination, and ultimately question the role of human judgment. © British Standards Institution 2022

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