Subproject E

Subproject E

Project area E researches the ethical, legal, and social issues in the context of EmpkinS and develops orientation marks for its future societal design. As ethicists, the researchers face these challenges together with their colleagues in EmpkinS from day one to the day of implementation.  

 

Project area E uses different methodological lenses to investigate the ethical chances and choices:

 

Normative challenges

What conflicts arise with regard to normative concepts and implementation conditions through EmpkinS sensor technologies? How can the normative concepts and implementation conditions be further developed so that they provide clear orientation? The underlying theories and concepts are analysed as part of normative research. This is also necessary because it is already apparent at this stage of EmpkinS research that fundamental ethical norms and orientation concepts, such as autonomy and self-determination, sovereignty and surveillance, as well as solidarity and justice, are being challenged and transformed by using new sensor technologies.

 

 

Procedural challenges

What conflicts arise with regard to normative concepts and implementation conditions through EmpkinS sensor technology? And how can the normative concepts and implementation conditions be further developed so they provide clear orientation? This requires a comprehensive analysis and knowledge of the ethical and social procedural modes and criteria. Necessary forms of control, such as meaningful human control, are analysed for this purpose.

 

 

Intuition and values

What intuitions and feelings do people have about measuring the body without touching? What values play a role, and what conclusions are drawn from them? To investigate this, a qualitative-empirical study in the form of an interview study is being conducted. The aim of the study is to gain an empirically based understanding and value patterns of attitudes towards AI-based contactless sensor technologies.

 

 

Governance Aspects

Building on the knowledge of these three facets, an initial examination of fundamental governance issues takes place. This involves the question of how models and forms of social participation and creative involvement can be incorporated into the development and research process. 

 

 

 

Science Communication

Science communication is an important component of project area E in order to enable forms of participation as early as during the research stage. Several science slams have already been held in 2023.

 

 

Want to see more?

Science Slam

Lunch Series “Ethics, AI & Health”

 

Contacts

Prof. Dr. Matthias Braun

Principal Investigator

Prof. Dr. Peter Dabrock

Principal Investigator

Eva Maria Hille

Doctoral Candidate

Michael Hahn

Associated Doctoral Candidate

Hannah Bleher

Associated PostDoc

Dr. Tabea Ott

PostDoc

Dr. Max Tretter

Associate PostDoc

 

 

Additional Information

  • Dabrock P., Tretter M., Ott T., Hahn M. (Hg.):
    Grenzen von Vermittlung – Vermittlung von Grenzen. Ethische, theologische und gesellschaftswissenschaftliche Erkundungen.
    Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2025
  • Ott T.:
    Theologie als Grenzkompetenzvermittlung. Theologisch-Ethische Überlegungen zur Wissenschaftskommunikation.
    In: Dabrock, P., Tretter, M., Ott, T., Hahn, M. (Hg.): Grenzen von Vermittlung – Vermittlung von Grenzen. Ethische, theologische und gesellschaftswissenschaftliche Erkundungen. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2025, S. 207–214.
  • Ott T.:
    The expansive healthcare system: Digital Technologies, New Stakeholders and the Future of Responsibility in Healthcare.
    Interdisciplinary Socio-Ethical Workshop Public Responsibility for Health at the Chair of Social Ethics, Department of Catholic Theology | Frankfurt, 8.-9. Mai 2025
  • Ott T.:
    Von dynamischen Grenzen und unsichtbaren Machtachsen: Intersektionale Theoriebildung und ihre Impulse für eine theologische Sozialethik angesichts algorithmischer Klassifizierung.
    In: Ott, T., Bleher, H., Jacobs, C., Jäger, S., Kunkel, N. (Hg.): Solidarität. Intersektionale Dimensionen feministisch-theologischer Ethik. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (Research in contemporary Religion, 40), S. 29–48, 2025. DOI: 10.13109/9783666502033.29. (peer reviewed)
  • Ott T., Bleher H., Jacobs C., Jäger S., Kunkel N., (Hg.):
    Solidarität. Intersektionale Dimensionen feministisch-theologischer Ethik.
    Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht (Research in contemporary Religion, 40). 2025. DOI: 10.13109/9783666502033.
  • Braun M., Meacham D.:
    A Plea for (In)Human-centred AI.
    Philos. Technol. 37, 97 (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s13347-024-00785-1
  • Braun M., Hummel P.:
    Is digital sovereignty normatively desirable?
    Information, Communication & Society (2024). DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2024.2332624
  • Dabrock P.:
    Mehr >Wir< wagen? Zur Kontingenz und Normativität einer unvermeidbaren Verblendungskategorie.
    In: Zeitschrift für evangelische Ethik 68 (2024), p. 163-169. ISSN: 0044-2674. DOI: 10.14315/zee-2024-680302
  • Earp B. D., Porsdam Mann S., Allen J., Salloch S., Suren V., Jongsma K., Braun M., Wilkinson D., Sinnott-Armstrong W., Rid W., Wendler D. Savulescu J.:
    A Personalized Patient Preference Predictor for Substituted Judgments in Healthcare: Technically Feasible and Ethically Desirable.
    The American Journal of Bioethics, 1–14 (2024). DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2023.2296402
  • Hille E.M., Hummel P., & Braun M.:
    Meaningful Human Control over AI for Health? A Review.
    In Proceedings of the World Congress of Bioethics (Doha, 2024).
  • Hille E.M.:
    Algorithmic Biases in Health – Social-ethical challenges and perspectives.
    Proceedings of the ACM FAccT Conference (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 2024).
  • Krauß D., Engel L., Ott T., Bräunig J., Richer R., Gambietz M., Albrecht N., Hille EM., Ullmann I., Braun M., Dabrock P., Kölpin A., Koelewijn A., Eskofier B., Vossiek M.:
    A Review and Tutorial on Machine Learning- Enabled Radar-Based Biomedical Monitoring.
    IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology (2024), S. 1-22. ISSN: 2644-1276. DOI: 10.1109/OJEMB.2024.3397208
  • Öhl N., Steigleder T., Hille EM., Braun M., Weisser A., Muehlensiepen F., Vossiek M., Eskofier B., Kölpin A., Forbes CC., Ostgathe C., Heckel M.:
    Soziale Implikationen von Gesundheitstechnologien in der Palliativversorgung – Entwicklung eines konzeptionellen Rahmenwerks
    Zeitschrift für Palliativmedizin 25 (2024), ISSN: 1615-2921. DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1788351
  • Öhl N., Weisser A., Ott T., Grießhammer S., Yip J., Klinger I., Kölpin A., Miehling J., Bräuning J., Dabrock P., Steigleder T., Ostgathe C., Heckel M.:
    Mit Bürgerinnen und Bürgern über Forschung und technische Innovationen in der Palliativversorgung ins Gespräch kommen – Pilotierung eines ELSI-Cafés
    Zeitschrift für Palliativmedizin 25 (2024), ISSN: 1615-2921. DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1788353
  • Sassi Z., Eickmann S., Roller R., Osmanodja B., Burchardt A., Samhammer D., Dabrock P., Möller S., Budde K., Herrmann A.:
    Prospectively investigating the impact of AI onshared decision-making in post kidney transplant care (PRIMA-AI): protocol for a longitudinal qualitative study among patients, their support persons and treating physicians at a tertiary care centre.
    BMJ Open 14 (2024), p. e081318. ISSN: 2044-6055. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081318
  • Tretter M.:
    Mitigating Health-Related Uncertainties During Pregnancy: The Role of Smart Health Monitoring Technologies.
    Journal of Medical Internet Research (2024). ISSN: 1438-8871. DOI: 10.2196/48493
  • Tretter M.:
    Equipping AI-Decision-Support-Systems with emotional capabilities? Ethical perspectives.
    Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 7 (1398395), 2024. DOI: 10.3389/frai.2024.1398395 (peer reviewed)
  • Tretter M., Hahn M., Dabrock P.:
    Towards a smart glasses society? Ethical perspectives on extended realities and augmenting technologies.
    In: Frontiers in Virtual Reality 5 (1404890), 2024. DOI: 10.3389/frvir.2024.1404890 (peer reviewed)
  • Tretter M., Simmerlein J.:
    What about spiritual needs? Care Robotics and Spiritual Care.
    Frontiers in Robotics and AI 11 (1455133), 2024. DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2024.1455133 (peer reviewed)
  • Bleher H., Braun M.:
    Reflections on Putting AI Ethics into Practice: How Three AI Ethics Approaches Conceptualize Theory and Practice.
    Science and Engineering Ethics 29, 21 (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s11948-023-00443-3.
  • Braun M., Bleher H., Hille EM., Krutzinna J.:
    Tackling Structural Injustices: On the Entanglement of Visibility and Justice in Emerging Technologies.
    American Journal of Bioethics 23 (2023), S. 100-102. ISSN: 1526-5161. DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2023.2207514.
  • Glasze G. et al.:
    Contested Spatialities of Digital Sovereignty.
    Geopolitics (2023). DOI: 10.1080/14650045.2022.2050070.
  • Hille EM., Hummel P., Braun M.:
    Meaningful Human Control over AI for Health? A Review.
    Journal of Medical Ethics. Published Online First: 20 September 2023. DOI: 10.1136/jme-2023-109095.
  • Hille E.M.:
    Using AI-based Sensor Technologies in Rheumatology. Ethical Considerations.
    Proceedings of the International Hand Symposium (Erlangen, 2023).
  • Hille E.M.:
     The impact of AI in health on social justice – reflections on the example of contactless sensor technology.
    Proceedings of the Sustainable AI Conference (2023).
  • Ott T.:
    The Impact of Smart Sensor Technologies on the Total Care Principle.
    IVMS Kongress, Sorge – Care – Sorge – Care. Anthropologische Zugänge – Ethische Konzepte – Gesellschaftliche Praxen. Münster, 10. – 13. September 2023.
  • Ott T.:
    Überlegungen zur menschlichen Integrität im Kontext digitaler Datensammlungen.
    Forschungsseminar Prof. Arne Manzeschke, Ev. Hochschule Nürnberg. Nürnberg, 10 Januar 2023.
  • Ott T., Dabrock P.:
    Vulnerable Integrity. Theological-Ethical Reflections on Human Integrity and Integrity Violations.
    De Ethica 7,3 (2023). DOI: 10.1186/s12904-023-01174-9.
  • Ott T., Heckel M., Öhl N. et al.:
    Palliative care and new technologies. The use of smart sensor technologies and its impact on the Total Care principle.
    BMC Palliat Care 22, 50 (2023). DOI: 10.1186/s12904-023-01174-9.
  • Samhammer D., Beck S., Budde K., Burchardt A., Faber M., Gerndt S., Möller S., Osmanodja B., Roller R., Dabrock P.:
    Klinische Entscheidungsfindung mit Künstlicher Intelligenz – Ein interdisziplinärer Governance-Ansatz.
    Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2023. ISBN: 9783662670071. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-67008-8
  • Tretter M., Ott T., Dabrock P.:
    AI-produced certainties in health care: current and future challenges.
    AI and Ethics (2023). ISSN: 2730-5961. DOI: 10.1007/s43681-023-00374-6.
  • Tretter M., Samhammer D., Dabrock P.:
    Künstliche Intelligenz in der Medizin: Von Entlastungen und neuen Anforderungen im ärztlichen Handeln.
    Ethik in der Medizin (2023). ISSN: 0935-7335. DOI: 10.1007/s00481-023-00789-z .
  • Tretter M., Samhammer D., Ott T., Dabrock P.:
    Towards an Ethics for the Healthcare Metaverse.
    Journal of Metaverse 3 (2023), S. 181-189. ISSN: 2792-0232. DOI: 10.57019/jmv.1318774.
  • Bleher H., Braun M.:
    Diffused responsibility: attributions of responsibility in the use of AI-driven clinical decision support systems.
    AI and Ethics (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s43681-022-00135-x.
  • Bleher H., & Hille E.M.:
    Different Methods & Approaches of AI Ethics: Navigating AI Ethics to Practice.
    In Proceedings of the Summer School „Artificial Intelligence, Ethics & Human Rights“ (Madrid, ES, 2022).
  • Braun M., Krutzinna J.:
    Digital twins and the ethics of health decision-making concerning children.
    Cell Patterns 3 (2022). doi: 10.1016/j.patter.2022.100469.
  • Dabrock P.:
    Öffentliche Theologie und die Ethik gesundheitsbezogener Lernender Systeme (KI).
    In: Hans-Ulrich Dallmann (Hrsg.): Kritische Öffentliche Theologie, Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 2022, S. 159-172 (Öffentliche Theologie (ÖTh), Bd.42), ISBN: 978-3-374-07200-2.
  • Dabrock P.:
    Prüft aber alles und das Gute behaltet!“ Theologisches und Ethisches zu Künstlicher Intelligenz.
    Theologische Literaturzeitung (2022), S. 636–650, ISSN: 0040-5671.
  • Hille EM., Braun M.:
    Alles privat? Zur Ethik von Public Health und neuen Technologien.
    Public Health Forum (2022). DOI: 10.1515/pubhef-2021-0130.
  • Ott T.:
    Patients in health care as data assemblages – a threat to human integrity?
    SOCIETAS ETHICA | 58TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE, ZÜRICH, 25 August 2022 – 28 August 2022.
  • Ott T.:
    Transparency – An Infraethical Phenomenon?
    Workshop hosted by the Open Society Research Platform Transparency, Technology, and New Closures in Open Society, Central European University Vienna, 2 Dezember 2022.
  • Ott T., Dabrock P.:
    Transparent human – (non-) transparent technology? The Janus-faced call for transparency in AI-based health care technologies.
    Front. Genet. 13 (2022), 22 August 2022. Sec. ELSI in Science and Genetics. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.902960.
  • Tretter M.:
    Sovereignty in the Digital and Contact Tracing Apps.
    Digital Society 2 (2022), S. 1–28, ISSN: 2731-4650. DOI: 10.1007/s44206-022-00030-2.
  • Braun M., Hummel P.:
    Data Justice and Data Solidarity.
    Cell Patterns 2 (2021). DOI: 10.1007/s43681-022-00135-x.
  • Hille EM.:
    Verantwortung als zentrales Motiv einer Ethik der Künstlichen Intelligenz.
    Digitale Tagung des neth:KI – Netzwerk für Theologie und KI: „Alexa, wie hast du’s mit der Religion? Technik, Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz im Fokus der Theologie“ (Digital, 8 Oktober 2021 – 9 Oktober 2021).