Technoethics and Situated Cognition: The Case of Exoskeletons

Abstract: The paper presents a theoretical and ethical framework capable of describing the effects that exoskeletons (i.e., an emerging type of wearable technology) can have on users, especially on their embodiment. After an introductory framework, in section two we explain what exoskeletons are, focusing on occupational – or industrial – exoskeletons. Thus, we introduce and discuss the major opportunities and threats these technologies present from an ethical point of view, especially in the occupational sector. In section three, we further deepen the ethical challenges of exoskeletons, especially whether these technologies are morally acceptable or simply individually accepted, by relying on the theories of situated cognition and affectivity, which we integrate by introducing the concept of body invasion, derived from Slaby’s mind invasion. By changing the embodiment of workers, wearable technologies such as exoskeletons might impose cognitive and affective repertoires that might go against the fulfilment of goals the user would otherwise choose for herself. Finally, we show why iterative design is not enough to address the ethical challenges posed by exoskeletons, especially when individual acceptance and moral acceptability are conflated.