Gabriel T. Velloso

ABSTRACT Technology Assessment (TA) is an approach, a collective of systematic methods to investigate technological developments and evaluate its potential impacts within society. Anticipating impacts of emerging technologies is a challenging undertaking, once a great deal of uncertainties and emerging development paths not always lead to a significant future. The dynamics of technological trajectories arise from actions and interactions amongst various actors and stakeholders involved; when understanding these dynamics they can act more reflexively and better shape future development directions. The participatory approach of Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA) offers a comprehensive and active process in evaluating potential social impacts and perspectives for emerging technologies. Through the engaging of different actors and a mutual sharing of information, a broadening of perspectives is achieved, widening their view of the innovation process and the possible consequences of new and existing applications. Adjustments and corrections of paths could then take place, offering feedback into ongoing choices and strategies. A Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a system which measures central nervous system (CNS) activity and converts it into artificial output without using the normal pathways of peripheral nerves and muscles, thereby changing the ongoing interactions between the CNS and its external or internal environment. Although BCI is still in its early stages of development, current research and applications show increasing possibilities for even further improvements. BCIs are present in many areas, but specifically its medical applications allow for the replacement, restoration, enhancement, improvement and supplementation of human functions. This clearly raises many questions about ethics, morals and responsibility. This article aims to reflect upon how the BCI community has been assessing the ethical, moral and philosophical issues as well as to investigate if a CTA approach is being put in place, even if not in a conscious way. Moreover, an explicit integration of the ethical dimension into the TA approach and in Science, Technology and Society (STS) studies is expected from the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) perspective. Thus this article also seeks to highlight the importance of assessing and prioritizing possible ethical, moral and philosophical impacts as well as related risks and opportunities for the present and future.

Technology assessment is essentially a systematic method used to investigate technology developments and assess their potential impacts on society. The assessment of emerging technologies, however, requires special attention. To address technologies at early stages of development, Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA) is considered to be one of the best options to bypass the Collingridge dilemma - which fundamentally states that controlling the direction of a technology’s development is very hard. Technologies at early stages of development might appear to be unorganized, chaotic and with high level of uncertainty on future paths to take. Future Oriented Technology Analysis (FTA) represents any systematic process to produce judgments about the characteristics of emerging technologies, its development pathways, and potential future impacts. Technology Assessment is considered to be one of three subjects which form the umbrella concept of FTA. The technology assessed on this projec...

Technology Assessment (TA) is an approach, a collective of systematic methods to investigate technological developments and evaluate its potential impacts within society. Anticipating impacts of emerging technologies is a challenging undertaking, once a great deal of uncertainties and emerging development paths not always lead to a significant future. The dynamics of technological trajectories arise from actions and interactions amongst various actors and stakeholders involved; when understanding these dynamics they can act more reflexively and better shape future development directions. The participatory approach of Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA) offers a comprehensive and active process in evaluating potential social impacts and perspectives for emerging technologies. Through the engaging of different actors and a mutual sharing of information, a broadening of perspectives is achieved, widening their view of the innovation process and the possible consequences of new and existing applications. Adjustments and corrections of paths could then take place, offering feedback into ongoing choices and strategies. A Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a system which measures central nervous system (CNS) activity and converts it into artificial output without using the normal pathways of peripheral nerves and muscles, thereby changing the ongoing interactions between the CNS and its external or internal environment. Although BCI is still in its early stages of development, current research and applications show increasing possibilities for even further improvements. BCIs are present in many areas, but specifically its medical applications allow for the replacement, restoration, enhancement, improvement and supplementation of human functions. This clearly raises many questions about ethics, morals and responsibility. This article aims to reflect upon how the BCI community has been assessing the ethical, moral and philosophical issues as well as to investigate if a CTA approach is being put in place, even if not in a conscious way. Moreover, an explicit integration of the ethical dimension into the TA approach and in Science, Technology and Society (STS) studies is expected from the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) perspective. Thus this article also seeks to highlight the importance of assessing and prioritizing possible ethical, moral and philosophical impacts as well as related risks and opportunities for the present and future.