David B. Kaber

The ethics of human-robot interaction (HRI) have been discussed extensively based on three traditional frameworks: deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. We conducted a mixed within/between experiment to investigate Sparrow's proposed ethical asymmetry hypothesis in human treatment of robots. The moral permissibility of action (MPA) was manipulated as a subject grouping variable, and virtue type (prudence, justice, courage, and temperance) was controlled as a within-subjects factor. We tested moral stimuli using an online questionnaire with Perceived Moral Permissibility of Action (PMPA) and Perceived Virtue Scores (PVS) as response measures. The PVS measure was based on an adaptation of the established Questionnaire on Cardinal Virtues (QCV), while the PMPA was based on Malle et al. [43] work. We found that the MPA significantly influenced the PMPA and perceived virtue scores. The best-fitting model to describe the relationship between PMPA and PVS was cubic, which is symmetrical in nature. Our study did not confirm Sparrow's asymmetry hypothesis. The adaptation of the QCV is expected to have utility for future studies, pending additional psychometric property assessments.

The ethics of human-robot interaction (HRI) have been discussed extensively based on three traditional frameworks: deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. We conducted a mixed within/between experiment to investigate Sparrow's proposed ethical asymmetry hypothesis in human treatment of robots. The moral permissibility of action (MPA) was manipulated as a subject grouping variable, and virtue type (prudence, justice, courage, and temperance) was controlled as a within-subjects factor. We tested moral stimuli using an online questionnaire with Perceived Moral Permissibility of Action (PMPA) and Perceived Virtue Scores (PVS) as response measures. The PVS measure was based on an adaptation of the established Questionnaire on Cardinal Virtues (QCV), while the PMPA was based on Malle et al. [39] work. We found that the MPA significantly influenced the PMPA and perceived virtue scores. The best-fitting model to describe the relationship between PMPA and PVS was cubic, which is symmetrical in nature. Our study did not confirm Sparrow's asymmetry hypothesis. The adaptation of the QCV is expected to have utility for future studies, pending additional psychometric property assessments.

This study investigated the potential of using virtual reality (VR) as a platform for early-stage design of upper-limb prostheses as well as evaluation with a focus on performance, cognitive workload and usability. Three prosthetic device control modes (Direct Control, DC; Pattern Recognition, PR; and Continuous Control, CC) were compared across physical device (PD) and VR settings. Results indicated that task performance was generally lower in VR than in PD for DC and CC modes, likely due to the reduction of haptic cues and stricter spatial-alignment requirements in the VR interaction setting. PR mode, however, showed consistent performance across settings, highlighting its resilience to sensory limitations in VR. Cognitive workload differed by mode, with DC showing reduced workload in VR due to visual task performance aids (e.g., automatic counting of successful clothespin relocations or doorknob turns), while the PR and CC modes produced higher perceived workload, likely due to the VR simulation control demands. Usability scores were consistent across settings and control modes, highlighting the reliability of VR as a platform for early-stage prosthetic evaluation. These findings highlight the potential of VR as a cost-effective, accessible platform to refine prosthetic control algorithms and facilitate user adaptation, while also emphasizing the need for enhancements, such as haptic feedback to improve VR applicability for advanced design and development.

The aim of this study was to experimentally test the effects of different electromyographic-based prosthetic control modes on user task performance, cognitive workload, and perceived usability to inform further human-centered design and application of these prosthetic control interfaces. We recruited 30 able-bodied participants for a between-subjects comparison of three control modes: direct control (DC), pattern recognition (PR), and continuous control (CC). Multiple human-centered evaluations were used, including task performance, cognitive workload, and usability assessments. To ensure that the results were not task-dependent, this study used two different test tasks, including the clothespin relocation task and Southampton hand assessment procedure-door handle task. Results revealed performance with each control mode to vary among tasks. When the task had high-angle adjustment accuracy requirements, the PR control outperformed DC. For cognitive workload, the CC mode was superior to DC in reducing user load across tasks. Both CC and PR control appear to be effective alternatives to DC in terms of task performance and cognitive load. Furthermore, we observed that, when comparing control modes, multitask testing and multifaceted evaluations are critical to avoid task-induced or method-induced evaluation bias. Hence, future studies with larger samples and different designs will be needed to expand the understanding of prosthetic device features and workload relationships.

With the advent of digitalisation and big data sources, new advanced tools are needed to precisely project safety-critical system outcomes. Existing systems safety analysis methods, such as fault tree analysis (FTA), lack systematic and structured approaches to specifically account for system event consequences. Consequently, we proposed an algorithmic extension of FTA for the purposes of: (a) analysis of the severity of consequences of both top and intermediate events as part of a fault tree (FT) and (b) risk assessment at both the event and cut set level. The ultimate objective of the algorithm is to provide a fine-grained analysis of FT event and cut set risks as a basis for precise and cost-effective safety control measure prescription by practitioners.