Ethics and Liability

Ethical Issues:

• Foreseeable misuses:

  • Product might get disassembled and the components could be reused with malicious intent

  • Children shouldn't be allowed to play with the device

  • System Infiltration

    • Gripper could be used for malicious intent (intentional damage to objects)

    • Use the robot to harm another person by delivering dangerous materials

    • Unintended access to the robot's cameras

Product Liability:

• Changes that may occur during the useful lifetime:

  • Users might become overly dependent on the robot

  • Many hardware components can fail after years of use

    • e.g., Gripper, Sensors, Battery, Motor Brushes/Bearings

  • Software/Firmware updates down the line could lead to bugs/issues over the lifetime of the product.

Social Impact:

• Disposal after the useful life has ended:

  • The robot is composed of many different types of materials and would require a more sophisticated method of disposal

    • Metal

    • Plastic

    • Circuits

    • Rubbers

    • Electronics (e.g., screens, battery, cameras/sensors)

Proposed solutions to these issues can be found in the page linked below: