Papers by Christine Aicardi
Routledge eBooks, Nov 13, 2023
Journal of Responsible Technology
Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, 2021
Computational brain models use machine learning algorithms and statistical models to harness big ... more Computational brain models use machine learning algorithms and statistical models to harness big data for delivering disease-specific diagnosis or prognosis for individuals. They are intended to support clinical decision making and are widely available. However, their translation into clinical practice remains weak despite efforts to improve implementation such as through training clinicians and clinical staff in their use and benefits. In this paper, we argue that it is necessary to go beyond existing implementation efforts to understand and meaningfully integrate the clinician's perspective and tacit knowledge for This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Interdisciplinary Science Reviews 2 translating computational brain models in neurological practice. The empirical research draws on our collective seven-year engagement with the Human Brain Project as researchers of its 'Ethics and Society' subproject and includes analysis of published and grey literature, participant observation at workshops and conferences, and interviews with data scientists, neuroscientists, and neurologists in the UK and Europe developing computational tools for neurology. Our findings show that building trust in the relationships between clinicians and researchers (modelers, data scientists) through meaningful upstream collaboration, greater model transparency and integration of tacit knowledge play a salient role in translation processes with meaningful benefit for patients.
The Health Data Reading Group (HDRG) welcomes the WMA's recognition that while the original Decla... more The Health Data Reading Group (HDRG) welcomes the WMA's recognition that while the original Declaration of Helsinki was drafted in a context wherein physically-interventional research was the norm, much research conducted today is data-driven. The Group found, however, that in its present iteration the scope of the "WMA draft Declaration on Ethical Considerations Regarding Health Databases and Biobanks" is still unduly narrow and does not offer a significant advancement of the principles stated in the Declaration of Helsinki.
Health apps, wearables, and other digital technologies that collect personal health data are prof... more Health apps, wearables, and other digital technologies that collect personal health data are profoundly changing the ways that biomedical research is conducted and the role of research participants. These technologies are challenging well-established norms, rules, and principles of medical ethics for the management of personal data in health databases and biobanks.
Artificial Life is a research field which has developed around the use of synthetic artificial sy... more Artificial Life is a research field which has developed around the use of synthetic artificial systems, mostly robotic and virtual, to investigate the supposed characteristic features of life. The thesis presents a case study of Artificial Life, with the overall objective of understanding some of the cultural, disciplinary and epistemological developments that may be distinctive of research communities who ground their work on a collaborative involvement with non-human simulation models. The study examines the cultural identity of the Artificial Life research community and its knowledgemaking practices, as well as its sustainability strategies into existing institutional contexts. The study aims at being neither an over-localized laboratory micro-study nor an over general macro-study, but tries to situate itself in the mid-range by combining both approaches. It has been conducted through a combination of ethnographical fieldwork and of bibliographical analysis, and places a special ...
The Ethics and Society Subproject has developed this Opinion in order to clarify lessons the Huma... more The Ethics and Society Subproject has developed this Opinion in order to clarify lessons the Human Brain Project (HBP) can draw from the current discussion of artificial intelligence, in particular the social and ethical aspects of AI, and outline areas where it could usefully contribute. The EU and numerous other bodies are promoting and implementing a wide range of policies aimed to ensure that AI is beneficial - that it serves society. The HBP as a leading project bringing together neuroscience and ICT is in an excellent position to contribute to and to benefit from these discussions. This Opinion therefore highlights some key aspects of the discussion, shows its relevance to the HBP and develops a list of six recommendations.
In this article, we report on a pilot study examining perceptions of dual use among neurotechnolo... more In this article, we report on a pilot study examining perceptions of dual use among neurotechnologists and neuroethicists. We carried out 10 semistructured interviews with participants from established universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia about the risks they saw with the new technology and about who has responsibility for safely developing it. We used a grounded theory approach to code and develop themes from the data and establish a foundation for analysis. Our findings showed that dual use was not considered binary, but rather multifaceted and fluid, with the commercialization and globalization of the emerging science shifting participants' understandings of what neurotechnologies are considered beneficial and harmful, rendering future uses unknowable.
Debates and regulations over the military application of scientific discoveries and technologies ... more Debates and regulations over the military application of scientific discoveries and technologies developed for civilian benefits have conventionally been framed in terms of 'dual use'. In this article, we argue that the term 'dual use' is both limiting and misleading-it assumes a simple distinction between civilian and military domains, while today these boundaries are blurred. We suggest instead that policy makers and regulators need to identify and focus on specific harmful or undesirable uses in four domains: political, security, intelligence and military (PSIM). We consider the ways that neuroscience research provides knowledge, information, products, or technologies that could be utilised in these PSIM domains, and which therefore needs to be considered by those funding, undertaking, developing or regulating research and development in neuroscience, neurotechnology and neurorobotics.
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2018
Dual-use (DU) technologies are both a threat to human security and an opportunity to generate eco... more Dual-use (DU) technologies are both a threat to human security and an opportunity to generate economic value. This article reflects on tensions between state preferences for greater competitiveness in DU technologies and its implications for human security. These tensions are analysed through the lens of the Ethics Issues Checklists (EIC) used by the European Commission (EC) to implement upstream controls on European DU research. We show that the shift towards an economistic framing of DU in the EICs privileges competitiveness at the expense of security imperatives and thereby undermines Europe's commitments to human security as agreed in multilateral treaties. Furthermore, findings show a nuanced understanding of the EC's preference for economic considerations as it combines economic growth expectations from a more competitive DU industry with a strengthening of Europe's hard power capacities via a strengthened domestic security industry. .
Futures
If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination... more If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination, volume/issue, and date of publication details. And where the final published version is provided on the Research Portal, if citing you are again advised to check the publisher's website for any subsequent corrections.
Journal of Responsible Innovation
If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination... more If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination, volume/issue, and date of publication details. And where the final published version is provided on the Research Portal, if citing you are again advised to check the publisher's website for any subsequent corrections.
Studies in history and philosophy of biological and biomedical sciences, 2016
If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination... more If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version for pagination, volume/issue, and date of publication details. And where the final published version is provided on the Research Portal, if citing you are again advised to check the publisher's website for any subsequent corrections.
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Papers by Christine Aicardi