Which way forward?

 

With the advent of technology that can learn and change itself, and the integration of vast data sources tracking every detail of human lives, engineering now entails decision-making with complex moral implications and global impact.  As part of daily practice, technologists face values-laden tensions concerning privacy, justice, transparency, wellbeing, human rights, and questions that strike at the very nature of what it is to be human.

We recently edited a Special Issue of IEEE Transaction on Technology and Society about “After Covid-19: Crises, Ethics, and Socio-Technical Change”

"Our research works to understand the paths toward a future in which technology benefits all of humankind and the planet. We collaborate with social scientists to develop practical methods and socio-technical solutions to equip engineers and designers with the tools necessary for practicing responsibly through every step of the development process. "

Partners

Centre for the Future of Intelligence

We are core members of the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, an AI Ethics research centre bringing together world leading AI researchers in technology and the social sciences and based at Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and University of California, Berkeley.

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Digital Catapult

Rafael Calvo is a member of Digital Catapult's 'Machine intelligence Garage' Ethics Committee, which was created to convene experts in AI and data ethics to 1. oversee the development of principles and tools to facilitate responsible AI in practice, and 2. work closely with startups developing through Digital Catapult’s Machine Intelligence Garage programme.

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Projects

UNESCO - The Future of Work

Professor Rafael Calvo is working with an international team of researchers in industrial relations, psychology, history, education and sociology on advising UNESCO in relation to the future of education and work in a world of AI and uncertainty.

Report

AI, Bias & Disability

New technologies can advance the lives of people with disabilities, but evidence is emerging that some AI may be entrenching bias or even generating new forms of injustice. For the research project "Designing AI to stop disability bias" we have partnered with colleagues at NTU in Singapore to ensure responsible AI in relation to people with disabilities.

Project Website

Responsible AI in the workplace

We work on designing technologies in ways that support precisely these factors that fuel motivation, engagement and wellbeing and we have methods for conducting design and research together with the people impacted. Our experience in doing so has made it clear that without addressing this human psychological layer, even the cleverest technology can fail.

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Culturally Appropriate Language Models and Systems (CALMS)

The Imperial team is working together with rural communities across four distinct regions of Peru to co-design responsible technologies that can help improve dementia care. This includes creating a dementia screening tool and an intervention program to support informal carers. The aim is to develop effective, accessible, and culturally sensitive solutions that can address the unique challenges posed by dementia in low- and middle-income countries.

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Responsible Tech Design Library

Find out more about tools and methods for more ethical practice in technology design

Staff

Prof. Rafael Calvo

Prof. Rafael Calvo

Dr Celine Mougenot

Dr Celine Mougenot

Prof. Sebastian Deterding

Prof. Sebastian Deterding

Dr Fangzhou You

Dr Fangzhou You

Laura Moradbakhti

Laura Moradbakhti

Dr Juan Pablo Bermudez

Dr Juan Pablo Bermudez

Marco Da Re

Marco Da Re

Citation

BibTex format

@inproceedings{Espinoza:2023:ewic/BCSHCI2023.11,
author = {Espinoza, Lau-Choleon F and Cook, D and Butler, C and Calvo, R},
doi = {ewic/BCSHCI2023.11},
pages = {89--98},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)},
title = {Supporting dementia caregivers in Peru through chatbots: generative AI vs structured conversations},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.14236/ewic/BCSHCI2023.11},
year = {2023}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - In Peru, dementia caregivers face burnout, depression, stress, and financial strain. Addressing their needs involves tackling the intricacies of caregiving and managing emotional burdens. Chatbots can serve as a viable support mechanism in regions with limited resources. This study delves into the perceptions of dementia caregivers in Peru regarding a chatbot tailored to offer care navigation andemotional support. We divided the study into three phases: the initial stage encompassed engaging stakeholders to define design requirements for the chatbot; the second stage focused on the creation of ‘Ana’, a chatbot for dementia caregivers; and the final stage assessed the chatbot through interviews and a caregiver satisfaction survey. ‘Ana’ was tested in two configurations - oneemployed pre-defined conversation patterns, while the other harnessed generative AI for more dynamic responses. The findings reveal that caregivers seek immediate access to information on handling behavioural symptoms and a platform for emotional release. Moreover, participantspreferred the generative AI alternative of Ana, as it was perceived to be more empathic and human-like. The participants valued the generative approach despite knowing the potential risk of receiving inaccurate information.
AU  - Espinoza,Lau-Choleon F
AU  - Cook,D
AU  - Butler,C
AU  - Calvo,R
DO  - ewic/BCSHCI2023.11
EP  - 98
PB  - Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
PY  - 2023///
SN  - 1477-9358
SP  - 89
TI  - Supporting dementia caregivers in Peru through chatbots: generative AI vs structured conversations
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.14236/ewic/BCSHCI2023.11
UR  - https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.14236/ewic/BCSHCI2023.11
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/106843
ER  -
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Contact us

Dyson School of Design Engineering
Imperial College London
25 Exhibition Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2DB

design.engineering@imperial.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7594 8888

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