Post #15
Ethical Discussion
Our project used the Stretch robot developed by Hello Robot to help Parkinson patient retrieve their walker when it is out of reach for them. And there are several positive and negatives ethical impacts related to this project in areas like economy, society and the environment.
Economy
Positive Impacts:
Create new job opportunities in fields such as robotics engineering, programming, and maintenance.
Reduce the burden on caregivers and healthcare providers, freeing up resources and improving the efficiency of care.
Promote growth of the economy by increasing productivity and efficiency in medical and caregiving industries.
Negative Impacts:
Lead to concentration of economic power in the hands of a few large corporations that dominate the market for these technologies. This can have negative impacts on competition and innovation.
May lead to a shift in the types of skills and knowledge that are valued in the workforce. As more jobs become automated, there may be a greater emphasis on skills related to programming, engineering, and maintenance, potentially leaving behind those who do not have these skills.
Contribute to the widening of the economic gap between those who can afford them and those who cannot. And those who can afford saved more time which can then be used to generate income.
Society
Positive Impacts:
Improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities or mobility impairments by providing them with greater independence and autonomy.
Empowers the Pakinson patient, when they can independently retrieve their walker. It allows them to take control of their own care and reduce their reliance on others.
Negative Impacts:
Job displacement in certain caregiving industries, particularly those that rely heavily on manual labor.
Replace human caregivers, potentially leading to a loss of human connection and empathy in care settings.
exacerbate existing social inequalities, as they may be prohibitively expensive for some individuals or communities.
Environment
Positive Impacts:
Robot that uses renewable energy and is built with 0 carbon footprint serves as a improvement to
Negative Impacts:
The production and disposal of robot can have negative environmental impacts, particularly if they are not designed with sustainability in mind.