Towards Ethical Deception (TED) in HRI
Workshop at IEEE RO-MAN 2026 • Kitakyushu, Japan • Aug 24–28, 2026
Workshop at IEEE RO-MAN 2026 • Kitakyushu, Japan • Aug 24–28, 2026
Robot deception is a complex yet potentially beneficial strategy. Intentional behaviours such as white lies or deliberate errors can foster trust, reduce distress, and improve therapeutic or educational outcomes. Robots may strategically omit information to maintain psychological stability or simulate imperfections to appear more relatable. While deception in human–robot interaction remains ethically controversial, its applications can enhance empathy, engagement, and learning. Ultimately, the capacity for controlled, prosocial deception highlights the need to reconsider moral frameworks governing social robotics, emphasizing the potential for nuanced, emotionally adaptive interactions. In this Workshop, we aim at exploring a design-centred and ethical-centred development of robotic deceptive behaviours for a successful human-robot interaction that, at the same time, is ethically acceptable and respect the autonomy and well-being of population, specially vulnerable individuals such as older people, patients and children.
News
04-05-2026 - A special issue has been confirmed at the International Journal of Social Robotics
20-03-2026 - Submission open at EasyChair.
19-03-2026 - Invited Speaker confirmed: Kaoru Sumi - check her bio and invited talk info in the Program section
16-03-2026 - TED_HRI Workshop has been accepted as workshop at RO-MAN 2026
Acknowledgements
Alessandra and Silvia Rossi's work is supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under award number FA8655-23-1-7060. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Air Force.