Das Projekt RechTech präsentiert sich am 28.9.2023 beim Annual Meeting des Socio-Gerontology Network in Utrecht (NL). "Theorising Ageing in a Digital World" ist das Jahresmeeting überschrieben. Prof. Dr. Christian Djeffal und Verena Müller (M.A.) werden bei der Tagung mit dem Schwerpunkt Gerontologie und Digitalisierung ihr Instrument zur Bewertung der gemeinsamen Haftung in gerontologisch-technischen Zusammenhängen vorstellen, das sie in den bisherin Interventionen entwickelt haben. Den Link zur Tagung finden Sie hier. Das vollständige Programm als Pdf finden Sie hier.

Abstract zum Vortrag:

A tool for Shared Liability Assessment: A socio-legal intervention in developing gerontechnology

Our paper describes an intervention into assessing legal liability of gerontechnology projects. The tool Shared Liability Assessment is designed to combine legal assessments with participatory exercises. Gerontechnology promises to address the repercussions of demographic change resulting in an aging society with fewer resources for nursing. However, technologies such as robotics bring new issues and questions with them. In many cases, project teams are concerned about legal liability for their products, which safeguard essential interests by establishing responsibility for products and technologies. Since gerontechnology, by its very nature, often interacts closely with patients at a very vulnerable stage of life, malfunctions may quickly result in damages to life and limb. Accordingly, manufacturers must meet high safety standards for product construction. The law only defines abstract and objective duties of care, which must be determined in individual cases with respect to the specific type of product. Future users and stakeholders typically have no say in the development of technologies nor in legal assessments. Our intervention addresses this issue by involving those affected by the technologies as experts regarding the future applications of the technologies to help define aspects of responsibility and liability. Our Shared Liability Assessment Tool breaks down different categories of duties of care with regard to their potential implications for gerontechnology, thus allowing a preliminary liability assessment. Unlike traditional self-assessment approaches, our method enables participation in technology assessment and cocreation of robotic systems by those affected by the technology, not least the elderly themselves and professionals in the medical field. Combining legal and STS approaches and based on ethnographically-inspired observations, our paper critically reflects on the potential and shortcomings of stakeholder participation in liability assessment.