Record STMT-W8960C8Aspirational

Robot Accident Investigation: a case study in Responsible Robotics

Framework Institutional policyGlobaldraft

This paper proposes a draft framework for social robot accident investigation, drawing parallels with established practices in aviation and healthcare. It advocates for the integration of technological tools like ethical black boxes and methodological approaches such as why-because analysis to investigate robot failures. The framework is illustrated through a fictional care robot scenario and aims to advance the practice of responsible robotics.

Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.

Who issued it

arXivAcademic

Publisher

Legal forceAspirational

Under whose authorityInstitutional policy

Judged fromfull text

Who it governs

Researchers and academicsRegulatorsAI developers and providersAI deployers and users

Roboticists, researchers, and policymakers interested in safety, ethics, and accident investigation frameworks for social robots.

Sectors

Research and science · robotics researchHealthcare · assisted living robots

What the document contains

What's covered

The document proposes a draft framework for social robot accident investigation, incorporating technological data recorders (ethical black boxes) and structured causal analysis processes (why-because analysis). It examines current accident investigation practices in safety-critical domains, analyzes the rising scope of social robot accidents, and connects accident investigation to responsible robotics and ethical design.

What's missing

The document does not provide a formal technical specification for ethical black boxes or legally binding regulatory standards for robot manufacturers.

Key takeaways

Social robot accidents are inevitable as robots operate closely with humans in unstructured environments.
Effective accident investigation is built around learning and requires separation from blame and liability attribution.
Equipping robots with an ethical black box is essential for recording data needed to investigate accidents.
Why-Because Analysis provides a rigorous causal analysis method for complex sociotechnical failures.
Smart infrastructure failures can significantly contribute to robot malfunctions and hinder safeguarding functions.

Outline

· Abstract
· 1 Introduction
· 2 The practice of Accident Investigation
· 3 Robot Accidents
  - 3.1 The Scope for Social Robot Accidents
· 4 Responsible Robotics
  - 4.1 Ethically Aligned Design
  - 4.2 Standards in Social Robotics
· 5 A Draft Framework for Social Robot Accident Investigation
  - 5.1 Technology
  - 5.2 Process
  - 5.3 The application of the framework
· 6 Concluding discussion
  - RoboTIPS
  - The Bigger Picture

Issued15 May 2020

Length9,107 words · 22 pages

FormatNot recorded

Scopeglobal

How it scores

Pending review

Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.

Fairness

0/5

Non-discrimination and equitable treatment

N/A

screening score · 2026-10-23

Transparency

3/5

Openness about how AI systems work and are used

when such processes are robust and transparent, trust in robotics (or, to be precise, the individuals, companies and institutions designing, operating and regulating robots) will grow.

Section 4

screening score · 2026-10-23

Enforcement

0/5

Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force

N/A

screening score · 2026-10-23

Topics

Physical AI Governancesupporting

accident_investigation ethical_black_box social_robotics responsible_robotics safety_critical_systems