4TU.Ethics aims to engage with industry on developing technological products and systems. Through adhering to ethical standards and societal values and needs, these gain greater societal acceptance. Our researchers collaborate to seek and identify potential consequences and ethical aspects of new technological products and practices. By working with developers, we contribute to creating technologies that are responsible, sustainable, and ethical before they are implemented in society. To that end, we provide the transfer of both knowledge and skills.
Collaborating with Industry Partners
Members of 4TU.Ethics have outstanding track records in terms of collaboration with and outreach to industry. Many of these projects involved the responsible development or redesign of concrete products and services. Others included the general enhancement of responsible innovation practices for the participating company. We have similar collaborations with publicly funded technology labs in the context of such projects. Furthermore, our members are regularly interviewed by engineering magazines and some members also write columns or feature articles for them. Our researchers have collaborated with companies such as Ericsson, Royal Haskoning DHV, Novartis, IHC Merwede, Google, Facebook, TomTom, Deutsche Telekom, Eneco, DAF Trucks, Nogepa, Nederlandse Gasunie, Alliander, Ballast Nedam and Philips. These collaborations were done in the context of NWO Responsible Innovation and Horizon 2020 RRI projects,
Future Outreach
4TU.Ethics is committed to explore and improve methods of engagement with developers of technology in the field, in order to influence design processes, practices, and outcomes. These methods may involve:
- Performing or encouraging joint research approaches that have value for engineering and technology development.
- Supporting projects and project proposals with technology developers, which develop or apply innovative approaches such as value-sensitive design.
- Developing new concepts for interaction with industry, such as publishing our results in academic and professional journals, as well as presenting our work at industry conferences and workshops.
- Supporting collaborations and interactions with leading companies and technology labs industry, which may involve knowledge transfer in the research collaboration process and in possible follow-up actions (co-)funded by our valorisation budget.
- Engaging in knowledge transfer at our own institutions, such as the DesignLab, and strategic business development centres which may include responsible innovation methods and principles into their activities.
4TU.Ethics is pursuing a similar strategy for interaction with professional end-users (both organisations as end-users and professional groups).
Contact
For more information about collaboration with 4TU.Ethics, please contact our members individually or one of our coordinators at info@ethicsandtechnology.eu