Abstracts 

Prof. Arianna Menciassi

This talk briefly illustrates the grand challenge for the design, fabrication and implantation of biorobotic artificial organs. Starting from some case studies of the state of the art and from the speaker experience (e.g. artificial pancreas and artificial urinary system components), the talk will touch the most relevant challenges for a successful and long-term implantation, such as the overall reliability of the device, the powering, the overall safety of the materials and the cybersecurity of the system. A short paper describing this approach can be found here.

PhD student Stella Mosetti

The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate how the case of artificial organs exemplifies the need to connect the philosophy of biology with bioethics. Indeed, what is crucial about artificial organs is that they replace, modify, or enhance biological functions that are already present in humans. This replacement, which I refer to as a "surrogate”, undoubtedly has moral implications: Which functions do we consider morally significant? What moral value do we attribute to these functions when they are replaced by technology? Can artificial organs be classified based on the functions they perform, in the absence of a clear definition of what they are? By presenting practical cases, it will be shown how the boundaries between the natural and the artificial, when it comes to our survival, are now vanishing. These considerations will lead to a reflection on the normative role of technology and the need to rediscover what we consider “artificial,” highlighting the shift from techne to ethos, explicitly addressing the moral value of the technologies we now coexist with.

Prof. Ellen Roche

Bionic hearts represent a significant advancement in medical technology, offering a potential lifeline for patients suffering from severe heart failure or other cardiac conditions. These artificial devices are designed to replicate the complex physiological functions of the human heart, such as dynamic expansion, contraction, and responsive blood flow regulation, providing a bridge to heart transplantation or even serving as a permanent solution. However, despite their promise, numerous challenges complicate their use in sustaining life over extended periods. Key challenges include biocompatibility issues, where foreign materials can trigger adverse immune responses or cause clot formation, leading to thromboembolism. Mechanical reliability is another concern, as long-term durability is essential to prevent device failure. Moreover, the integration of bionic hearts into the body's complex biological systems presents difficulties in achieving seamless synchronization with natural cardiac rhythm. Additionally, the power supply for these devices, typically requiring external batteries or power sources, restricts patient mobility and quality of life. My talk will explore these challenges, discussing current research efforts to overcome them, such as advancements in biomaterials, real-time monitoring and adaptive control systems, and the development of energy-efficient power solutions. Addressing these hurdles is critical to realizing the full potential of bionic hearts in providing a sustainable and effective solution for patients with advanced heart failure. Finally, I will touch on other philosophical concepts like - can we replicate your heart and make it beat forever? Can we bank a healthy version of your heart (physically or digitally) for the future? Can we predict how your heart will look as a result of lifestyle choices? 

Prof. Piotr Grzegorz Nowak

Brain organoids, which are self-organized 3D cell aggregates, have been shown to recapitulate key features of the developing human brain. In this paper, I will explore whether brain organoids could be seen as a potential remedy for human mortality. To do so, I will examine two bioethical perspectives on the nature of human individuality: the Functional Integration Theory, which posits that the capacity to integrate vital functions is the criterion for human individuality, and the Mental State Theory, which considers some mental capacity as the defining criterion.

Prof. Alberto Pirni

The talk focuses on the overall (and still under-investigated) question of justice that the artificial organs’ domain raises to the present-day debate, by setting up a preliminary ethical, legal and technological framework. It moves from a general consideration, introducing the topic of artificial organs as one of the fundamental domains of the larger robot-companionship horizon. It tries then to establish a preliminary taxonomy among artificial organs, by analysing the point within the human-enhancement debate. It finally proposes a taxonomy of justice, by rehabilitating the Aristotelic theory of justice and fairness and proposing some orientative issues from an ethical and public policy point of view.

Prof. Paolo Dario

Artificial bionic organs are intended to restore lost functions in humans, or even to augment the performance of natural (sensory or limb) organs. Individuals using intracorporeal medical devices, such as pacemakers, sophisticated prostheses, cochlea and retina implants, artificial pancreas, etc., or artificial limbs (hands and legs), could be considered as “cyborgs”. In the broad sense, bionic organs could be regarded as “companions” of a human being, and the companion robot of the future could have different configurations and be an ingestible robot, a prosthesis, a wearable device, or an external assistant.

Each configuration of robot companion poses specific issues on how the human being would interact with it and accept its presence as part of his/her body, in the framework of what we could call “cyborgnetics”. This talk will describe the main features of some representative bionic companions, and will outline the main philosophical issues posed by each of them.