Living with robots: Ethical tradeoffs in eldercare

Abstract

We discuss some of the research and ideas for developing robot carers and Companions for people with aging brains. We speculate a little about a near-future when it may be possible to keep people at home for longer in the almost exclusive care of robots and smart homes. We examine the benefits of robot care and Companionship and at the same time raise key ethical questions and concerns. We point to a series of trade-offs between the unethical and the beneficial that must be considered before robot care/Companionship becomes commonplace.