Idosos e a robótica socialmente assistiva: os desafios éticos de uma tecnologia emergente

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the use of socially assistive robotics in elderly patients, considering their presumed vulnerability. Despite the wide applicability and benefits already reported in the literature about this type of intervention, it is analyzed the existence of ethical issues that, if not addressed, may compromise not only the goal of the therapy, but also the rights of those who are sixty years old or older. Furthermore, the problems involving the regulation of this branch of technology are discussed, with a brief case study of the creation of electronic legal personality for robots endowed with artificial intelligence, as proposed by the European Parliament.