The Robots and the Future of Welfare Services (ROSE) project examines how advances in service robotics can enable the innovation of products and services and renew social and health services especially as concerns the needs of ageing populations.
In the future, service robotics will play an even greater role in the provision of services. The project analyses these developments at the levels of individuals, institutions and society by considering user needs and ethical aspects as well as the maturity of technology and entire service systems. The research focuses on the coexistence of humans and robots, social acceptability, and welfare systems.
Goal
Automation and the digital revolution have become the focal points of social debate when solutions to such burning issues as the ageing population, the development of social and health services and the productivity of these services are sought.
Artificial intelligence and robotics have been regarded a way to develop new services, improve their quality and increase productivity. However, many open ethical, societal and political questions remain, which the research projects seek to answer.
Social sciences and philosophy at Tampere University are part of the Academy of Finland’s Strategic Research Consortium “Robots and the Future of Welfare Services”, which aims to evaluate and test the new generation of service robots as part of the production and development of services for old people. The experiences gained in this project will be useful in the renewal of care technology, service organisations and especially the development of new services.
Recent publications
Turja T., Saurio R., Katila J., Hennala L., Pekkarinen S., Melkas H. (2020). Intention to Use Exoskeletons in Geriatric Care Work: Need for Ergonomic and Social Design. Ergonomics in Design. DOI: 10.1177/1064804620961577.
Taipale, S., Turja, T. & Van Aerschot, L. (2020). Robotization of mobile communication. In R. Ling, G. Goggin, L. Fortunati, S. S. Lim & Y. Li (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Mobile Communications. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Pirhonen, J., Melkas, H., Laitinen, A., & Pekkarinen, S. (2020). Could robots strengthen the sense of autonomy of older people residing in assisted living facilities? – A future-oriented study. Ethics and Information Technology, 22(2), 151-162. DOI: 10.1007/s10676-019-09524-z
Van Aerschot, L. & Parviainen, J. (2020) Robots responding to care needs? A multitasking care robot pursued for 25 years, available products offer simple entertainment and instrumental assistance. Ethics and Information Technology, 247–256(2020). DOI: 10.1007/s10676-020-09536-0
Laitinen, A., Niemelä, M., & Pirhonen, J. (2019). Demands of Dignity in Robotic Care. Recognizing Vulnerability, Agency, and Subjectivity in Robot-based, Robot-assisted, and Teleoperated Elderly Care. Techne: Research in Philosophy and Technology. 23:3 (2019): 366–401. DOI: 10.5840/techne20191127108
Parviainen, J. et al. 2019 Motions with emotions? A phenomenological approach to understanding the simulated aliveness of a robot body. Techné: Research in Philosophy and Technology, 23(3): 318–341. DOI: 0.5840/techne20191126106
Turja, T. (2019). Accepting Robots as Assistants. A Social, Personal and Principled Matter. Tampere University Dissertations 174.
Turja, T., Aaltonen, I., Taipale, S. & Oksanen, A. (2019). Robot acceptance model for care (RAM-care): A principled approach to the intention to use care robots. Information Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.im.2019.103220
Parviainen, J., Turja, T. & Van Aerschot, L. (2019). Social Robots and Human Touch in Care: The Perceived Usefulness of Robot Assistance among Healthcare Professionals. In Social Robots. An Interdisciplinary Compendium on Technological, Societal and Ethical Aspects. Springer.
Turja, T., Kaakinen, M., Taipale, S. & Oksanen, A. (2019). Care workers’ readiness for robotization: Identifying psychological and socio-demographic determinants. International Journal of Social Robotics, 12, 79–90 (2020). DOI: 10.1007/s12369-019-00544-9
Turja, T., Oksanen, A. Robot Acceptance at Work: A Multilevel Analysis Based on 27 EU Countries. International Journal of Social Robotics, 11, 679–689 (2019). DOI: 10.1007/s12369-019-00526-x
Funding source
Academy of Finland
Contact persons
Arto Laitinen
Professor, Research Director (Philosophy)
arto.laitinen [at] tuni.fi
+358 50 318 7018
Pertti Koistinen
Professor, Research Director (Social Sciences)
pertti.koistinen [at] tuni.fi