Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand
Robots are increasingly appearing as a potential answer to the ‘care crisis’ facing a number of countries. Although it is anticipated that many positives will flow from the application of these technologies, they are also likely to generate unexpected consequences and risks. This paper explores the...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Oxford University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Policy & Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2021.1927588 |
| _version_ | 1811319606061563904 |
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| author | Helen Dickinson Catherine Smith Nicole Carey Gemma Carey |
| author_facet | Helen Dickinson Catherine Smith Nicole Carey Gemma Carey |
| author_sort | Helen Dickinson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Robots are increasingly appearing as a potential answer to the ‘care crisis’ facing a number of countries. Although it is anticipated that many positives will flow from the application of these technologies, they are also likely to generate unexpected consequences and risks. This paper explores the use of robots within disability and aged care settings in the Australian and New Zealand contexts. Informed by thirty-five semi-structured interviews with a range of stakeholders, the paper explores why this area is so difficult to govern examining areas identified as generating tensions around the use of robots in care settings. In each of these areas some respondents saw the introduction of robots to be relatively straightforward applications that do not require extensive structures of governance. Others, however, viewed these applications as having potentially greater implications and the need to govern for these over the longer term. The three areas of tension that we explore in this paper relate to independence and surveillance, the re-shaping of human interaction and who can care. These tensions illustrate some of the problems involved in governing robots in a care service context and some of the potentially difficult issues that governments will need to resolve if these technologies are to be effective. We conclude the paper arguing what is needed is a responsive regulation approach to help resolve some of the complexities and tensions in overseeing these technologies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:45:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b0fcf0d1a4244c779b7783121466b246 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1449-4035 1839-3373 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T12:45:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Policy & Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-b0fcf0d1a4244c779b7783121466b2462022-12-22T02:46:23ZengOxford University PressPolicy & Society1449-40351839-33732021-04-0140223224910.1080/14494035.2021.19275881927588Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New ZealandHelen Dickinson0Catherine Smith1Nicole Carey2Gemma Carey3University of New South Wales, Canberra, Northcott DriveUniversity of MelbourneAutodesk Robotics Laboratory, Cambridge, USAUniversity of New South WalesRobots are increasingly appearing as a potential answer to the ‘care crisis’ facing a number of countries. Although it is anticipated that many positives will flow from the application of these technologies, they are also likely to generate unexpected consequences and risks. This paper explores the use of robots within disability and aged care settings in the Australian and New Zealand contexts. Informed by thirty-five semi-structured interviews with a range of stakeholders, the paper explores why this area is so difficult to govern examining areas identified as generating tensions around the use of robots in care settings. In each of these areas some respondents saw the introduction of robots to be relatively straightforward applications that do not require extensive structures of governance. Others, however, viewed these applications as having potentially greater implications and the need to govern for these over the longer term. The three areas of tension that we explore in this paper relate to independence and surveillance, the re-shaping of human interaction and who can care. These tensions illustrate some of the problems involved in governing robots in a care service context and some of the potentially difficult issues that governments will need to resolve if these technologies are to be effective. We conclude the paper arguing what is needed is a responsive regulation approach to help resolve some of the complexities and tensions in overseeing these technologies.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2021.1927588robotscare servicesgovernanceaustralianew zealand |
| spellingShingle | Helen Dickinson Catherine Smith Nicole Carey Gemma Carey Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand Policy & Society robots care services governance australia new zealand |
| title | Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand |
| title_full | Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand |
| title_fullStr | Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand |
| title_short | Exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies: the case of care robots in Australia and New Zealand |
| title_sort | exploring governance tensions of disruptive technologies the case of care robots in australia and new zealand |
| topic | robots care services governance australia new zealand |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2021.1927588 |
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