The document discusses regulating human-robot interaction to address risks. As robots collect personal data and can physically or psychologically harm humans, regulations are needed. Approaches discussed include risk assessments, co-regulation, social impact assessments, and liability laws like strict liability or requiring mandatory insurance. The goal is to regulate robots in a way that differs from how quasi-human entities or animals are regulated due to robots' unique attributes.

1. SCL Technology Law Futures Forum
London
26-27 June 2014
Regulating Robots
Alessandro Mantelero
Politecnico di Torino - Nexa Center for Internet and Society
Oxford Internet Institute (Visiting Fellow)
FP7-288021

2. A. Mantelero © 2014
Regulating Robots
Human-robot interaction
The context:
 Humanoid robots (AI, sensors, data, cloud, physical
body)
 Human being (knowledge, awareness, age,
cognitive capacity, health conditions)
Effects of interactions:
 An extensive collection of personal information
 Potential physical and psychological harms
Related risks:
 Physical human-robot interaction: damages caused
by products (traditional approach)
 Data/sensors: data protection, surveillance
(traditional and new)
 Human-robot relationship: influence on user’s
behaviors (new)

3. A. Mantelero © 2014
Regulating robots
 Central role played by risk assessment procedures
 From users to regulatory agencies
 Multi-stakeholder approach
 Co-regulation
 Social/ethical impact assessment
 Solutions by design
 Liability
 Strict liability
 Mandatory insurance
 Liability of the owner or custodian (robots
differs from quasi-human entities or animals)
Regulating Robots

4. A. Mantelero © 2014
Alessandro Mantelero
http://nexa.polito.it/people/amantelero
http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/?id=318
http://staff.polito.it/alessandro.mantelero
alessandro.mantelero@polito.it
@mantelero
Regulating Robots