Imagining Posthuman Care

According to the Office for National Statistics, the U.K. has an ageing population. Statisticians predict that "more than a quarter of UK residents will be aged 65 years or over within the next 50 years." Demographers have devised the "dependency ratio" to quantify the difference between (potential) dependents aged 65 and older and working-age members of the population. Demographic predictions suggesting the ratio will rise significantly between 2014 and 2039 alert us to the potential for a care deficit, a significant gap between demand and availability of dependency workers.

Caregiving robots, are poised to fill this gap and there is significant public apprehension about the prospect of nonhumans, particularly robots, taking over traditionally human caregiving roles. Titles of recent U.K. newspaper articles -- "A robot carer? No thanks - we still need the human touch" (The Guardian), "Love them or leave them, robot carers are still inhuman" (The Times), and "'Care-bots' for the elderly are dangerous, warns artificial intelligence professor" (The Telegraph) -- provide evidence of this apprehension. Nonhuman caregivers challenge existing models of care that view companionship as distinctly, or even exclusively human. The impending proliferation of a wide variety of caregiving robots complicates the association between "humane" care and the human.

This Fellowship examines how representations of human/robot relationships can help us imagine and interpret the ethical, political, and philosophical implications of nonhuman care. How humans regard, use, and relate to care robots is highly dependent on the look, feel and sound of these machines, and how these sensual elements invoke cultural traditions, concepts, and sentiments regarding technology, care, and the nonhuman. Similarly, preexisting cultural and social ideas and feelings can play a significant role in the creation of care robots. This Fellowship considers imaginary robot companions depicted in literature, film and television in order to understand how such representations of nonhuman care reflect, and are reflected by the definitions, ethics, politics, and economics of care. The project stems from a belief that exploring the nuances of robot representation can assist in the development of a posthuman vision of care, that is, an ethic of care that accounts for the complexity of how humans and machines relate.

The emergence of social and caregiving robots designed to provide physical and emotional support has sparked great interest across a wide range of non-academic audiences wishing to offer, utilize, and understand these new technologies. As a result, the project has the potential to impact a wide range audiences, including:
1. Public Audiences: A series of activities and events will facilitate two-way exchange between the project and the general public, including,
a. Museum goers curious and concerned about the future of care: The experience of care is essential, ubiquitous and involves all members of the public. The Fellowship's interactive "Future of Care" exhibition at the Thackray Medical Museum will engage public audiences in dialogue and debate around possible futures of care. It will include opportunities to encounter and engage with robots, such as, Paro and Pepper, as well as a range of cultural artefacts and interactive art installations related to the possible futures of care facilitated by new and emerging technologies. The exhibition will include a forum for public response in order to gauge viewers' reactions to the robots and art on display.
b. Leeds International Film Festival audiences: We will collaborate with LIFF to run a film series exploring the Fellowship ideas. Screenings will be introduced by the PI, PDRA or a guest speaker and will be followed by a discussion facilitated by the PI or PDRA.
c. General Audiences: A Consultation Report on robots and the future of care, co-produced with the Foundation for Responsible Robotics (FRR), will be available to the general public via the FRR website. Previous FRR reports have been widely reported in mainstream media, including BBC News, CBC Radio, CNET, Euronews, Forbes and Nature, suggesting our report would reach a similarly international audience.
2. Museums and cultural organizations: The Future of Care Exhibition will be jointly curated by the PI, PDRA and project partner, The Thackray Medical Museum. It will include a number of social robots currently in use and development, which will be provided by Sheffield Robotics, as well as robot care artefacts and artworks. This innovative exhibition of new and emerging technologies at the forefront of public debate will provide the Thackray museum with a valuable opportunity to confirm its role as a pivotal institution for engaging public curiosity around innovative therapeutic technologies. In addition, the Leeds International Film Festival (LIFF) will benefit from project expertise contributed via screening introductions and discussions, as well as festival programme text.
3. Non-profit/Third Sector organizations: The Foundation for Responsible Robotics will benefit from project expertise in the creation of its third Consultation Report, continuing its mission to educate and inform the general public as well as policymakers in a clear, objective fashion. In addition, this report could benefit robotics companies seeking to create inclusive non-discriminatory social robots. In September 2019 FRR partnered with Deloitte to create the "FRR Quality Mark for Robotics and AI," which signals products produced with attention to "sustainability, integrity, safety and security, and ethical design together with a consideration of societal impact." As a result, FRR is likely to become increasingly visible as a valuable resource for robot designers looking to develop responsible products. Partnership with the Fellowship will help the FRR assist robot care developers, designers and users.