In the context of the Silver Economy in Belgium, what are the ethical and economic barriers to the adoption of social robot in elderly care?

Details

Supervisors

Desmet, Carlos

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

In 2050, the elderly (65+) will represent a quarter of the Belgian population. This ageing of the population combined with a growing shortage of caregivers constitutes a major challenge for our society. It is therefore essential to find solutions for the care of our seniors in the decades to come. What if technology, and more specifically, social robots, were one of them? This thesis seeks to identify and analyze, in the context of the Belgian Silver Economy, some of the ethical and economic barriers that prevent our society from adopting social robots to help the elderly. Indeed, the interaction between humans and social robots brings new concerns to be taken into consideration; is the introduction of these intelligent machines in the life of our seniors dehumanizing, stigmatizing, dangerous? Is it economically sustainable? Will they support caregivers or replace them? How can we legally ensure the ethical behavior of these robots? The literature review has clearly demonstrated the potential of social robots but has also shown that there are many obstacles to their adoption. However, through the qualitative research, it was shown that the ethical barriers presented in the theory were less important than they seemed. As for the economic barriers, they remain present and worrying for the population. Despite the new knowledge acquired, it is difficult to conclude whether, despite the barriers to adoption, it is realistic to see social robots as a solution to the demographic megatrend.