Some of Australia's most renowned international law and ethical experts will be discussing the challenges and legal issues of robotics in the workplace this Friday at Monash University.
As part of the workshop; Autonomous Robotics: Ethical Challenges and Legal Repercussions, one of Australia's pre-eminent medico legal lawyer Michael Regos will be joining internationally-recognised philosopher and Professor in Monash University's Department of Philosophy, Rob Sparrow; barristers Andrea de Souza and Huw Watkins; and computer science and engineering expert Associate Professor Laurel Riek from UC San Diego in a mock trial, mediation session and panel discussion.
The workshop will feature an imaginary "incident" involving a female patient in a hospital where RoboHealth BB robots were supposedly assisting hospital staff. The legal action involves this patient suing the hospital and the robot manufacturer after having a fall and suffering an intracranial bleed and stroke. The plaintiff (who is now paralysed) is seeking to sue for damages and loss of income after claiming she failed to receive adequate assistance and care.
Issues to be discussed involve duty of care, patient management, negligence, safety defects in automotive robotics and who's responsible in a medical workplace where robots are being utilised. Is it RoboHealth who manufactured the robots or South Coast Hospital where the patient was hospitalised?
These are some of the complex, challenging and intriguing issues to be debated and discussed during the all-day workshop to be held today at the Monash University Law Building, Clayton Campus.
