Disability rights and robotics: Co-producing futures

Savage, Sophie; Curran, Tillie

Abstract

People with lived experience of disability, family carers, students and academics in robotics and social sciences came together as co-researchers to ask: How can robotics technology support disability rights? How can co-production research be developed to explore this question? Using a knowledge café approach (Brown, 2001), we defined “ethical” research, generated questions, and tested robots. Co-production continued during the COVID-19 lockdown with the creation of a website, cartoon report, and international impact events. Institutional barriers prevented some members from continuing, which we discuss. The themes highlight how robotics technology might create opportunities and relationships towards living a full life. However, control, use of personal data, and equality of access are concerns calling for co-production at the earliest stage of robotics design. We end with a reflexive account that draws on post-human disability studies that resist privileged views of “the future” and embrace a more fluid, relational discourse.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 7, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Aug 25, 2023
• Publication Date: Aug 25, 2023
• Deposit Date: Apr 8, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 9, 2024
• Journal: International Journal of Disability and Social Justice
• Print ISSN: 2732-4036
• Electronic ISSN: 2732-4044
• Publisher: Pluto Journals
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 26-48
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.13169/intljofdissocjus.3.2.0026
• Keywords: Disability rights , robotics, co-production, post-human, lived experience, COVID, family carers
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11884745
• Publisher URL: https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.13169/intljofdissocjus.3.2.0026