Responsible Innovation ‘Bottom Up’? – Using mobile robots as a case
This academic paper examines the integration of mobile robots in retail and public environments in Denmark, contrasting top-down ethical regulations with a bottom-up approach to responsible innovation. Drawing from a case study and ethnographic pilot research, the authors suggest that responsible innovation can be achieved through practical cultural learning, habituation, and gradual scaling of robotic interactive capacities rather than relying solely on pre-set values and standards. Ultimately, the paper proposes viewing robots as everyday technologies that society organically adapts to through routine interactions.
Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.
Who issued it
Who it governs
This paper should be read by robotics researchers, AI developers, and innovation scholars interested in alternative frameworks for responsible technology integration.
What the document contains
The document addresses the practical implementation of mobile robots in retail and urban environments, examining the gap between top-down ethical theories of responsible design and the reality of ad-hoc, business-driven deployment. It evaluates human-robot interaction challenges through an ethnographic pilot study and proposes a bottom-up model of responsible innovation centered on cultural learning and habituation.
The text does not provide legally binding regulations, explicit enforcement mechanisms, technical safety standards, or formal policy definitions for artificial intelligence governance.
- Top-down ethical regulations and value-driven design strategies often play a limited role in the practical deployment of mobile robots compared to immediate functionality and business needs.
- An ethnographic study in retail environments revealed that customers display a high degree of familiarity or casual disregard toward mobile robots, treating them as ordinary workplace technologies.
- Responsible innovation can be effectively pursued from the bottom up as a form of supervised cultural learning and habituation rather than solely relying on pre-defined normative standards.
- Minimally social robots offer a safer starting point for exploring human-robot interactions in everyday public spaces than highly complex social or companion robots.
· Abstract · 1. Introduction · 2. The viability of responsible innovation top-down: a reality check · 3. Ethnographic pilot study: Robot technology adoption as cultural learning · 4. ‘Bottom-up’ responsible innovation: Outline of a discussion landscape · 4. Conclusions
How it scores
Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.
Accountability
1/5Clear responsibility for AI outcomes
The key feature of responsible innovation (and responsible research) is that by default it involves “ responsiveness to society’s needs and engagement with society”
1. Introduction
screening score · 2026-10-23
Fairness
0/5Non-discrimination and equitable treatment
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Dignity
1/5Respect for the inherent worth of persons
First, the debate about social robots (and AI) so far has focused on robots with high-level social skills, i.e. companion robots, educational robots etc.
1. Introduction
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Oversight
2/5Humans remain in control of consequential decisions
For example, blinking lights could indicate in which direction the robot will move, or a user blocking the way, can be asked by speech to free the way.
2. The viability of responsible innovation top-down: a reality check
screening score · 2026-10-23
Privacy
0/5Protection of personal data and private life
screening score · 2026-10-23
Transparency
2/5Openness about how AI systems work and are used
For example, blinking lights could indicate in which direction the robot will move, or a user blocking the way, can be asked by speech to free the way.
2. The viability of responsible innovation top-down: a reality check
screening score · 2026-10-23
Enforcement
0/5Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force
screening score · 2026-10-23
Impact Assessment
2/5Required assessment of an AI system's risks/impacts before or during use
In view of the multi-faceted risks carried by social robots, concerned researchers have called for various forms of ‘top-down’ regulation
1. Introduction
screening score · 2026-10-23