Revealing the risks: Exploring the social implications of technology that allows individuals to use intuitive smart-wear to potentially recognise invisible viral threats
The Team: Dr Negin Amini, Dr Monique Mann, Ms Courtney Hempton, Dr Tanya King, Prof Jennifer Loy
In a ‘COVID normal’ future, with viral threats potentially loose in the environment, engineers could develop wearable garments to allow individuals to detect significantly high temperatures in others, and to signal their own temperature. Yet the form of these technologies and the social and ethical implications need to be considered in order to ensure that potential defences do not unreasonably undermine individual rights and the defence of the potentially vulnerable in society. The development of such technologies requires an interdisciplinary approach to ensure design and potential implementation is informed by practicalities of the technology and user interaction, in addition to social and ethical considerations.
The Team: Dr Negin Amini (lead CI, pictured), Dr Monique Mann, Ms Courtney Hempton, Dr Tanya King, Prof Jennifer Loy