Don Howard

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Don Howard is a leading voice in the ethics of emerging technologies, with a primary focus on the moral frameworks governing human-robot interaction (HRI). His seminal work, "A Code of Ethics for the Human-Robot Interaction Profession" (2014), which has garnered 94 citations, stands as a foundational contribution to the field. In this paper, Howard directly confronts the unprecedented technical, ethical, and legal challenges that arise as robots transition from industrial tools to social agents embedded in human environments. Rather than offering abstract philosophy, he proposes a concrete, actionable code of ethics for HRI practitioners, establishing a professional standard for responsible design. This work has proven highly influential, shaping subsequent discourse on robot rights, designer accountability, and the ethical deployment of autonomous systems. Beyond this landmark paper, Howard’s broader research portfolio includes contributions to robotic locomotion and control, as evidenced by his editorial work on the proceedings of the CLAWAR 99 conference. Through his clear, pragmatic approach to complex moral dilemmas, Howard has established himself as an essential thinker for students and researchers navigating the intersection of robotics, law, and ethics.