Since its launch in June 2023, the ERC project SAFE & SOUND has pioneered innovative approaches to regulation in service robotics, aiming to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and policymaking. At its core is the “Science for Robot Policy” model—a dynamic, interdisciplinary framework designed to integrate empirical evidence into regulatory governance. This model rethinks regulation as an adaptive, inclusive, and evidence-based process, moving beyond static legal rules to keep pace with technological change and societal needs.
Key achievements so far:
- Aligning science and policy – developed a structured approach that connects empirical research directly to regulatory design, closing long-standing gaps between robotics innovation and legal governance.
- Clarifying regulatory definitions – systematic reviews exposed ambiguities in standards like ISO 13482, proposing refined definitions for Mobile Servant Robots and Physical Assistant Robots to strengthen legal certainty for developers, regulators, and users.
- Identifying gaps and dissonances in regulation – mapping and prioritizing regulatory gaps through engagement with diverse stakeholders, including developers, policymakers, and user communities, to address the complexity of aligning robotics innovation with legal and ethical safeguards.
- Unpacking the concept of safety – SAFE & SOUND broadens the notion of safety in robotics beyond physical harm to include psychological and social risks. Using a four-dimensional model of gender (sex, attraction, expression, identity), the project exposed how current systems can obscure discrimination and create unsafe conditions for women and other groups historically excluded from design considerations. It also explores how emotion-recognition technologies in service robots present new challenges to user well-being, highlighting the need for more inclusive and resilient safety standards.
- Positioning for international impact – as members of ISO/TC 299/WG 2 (Safety Requirements for Service Robots), the team’s findings are positioned to inform the future revision of global safety standards, ensuring that issues of diversity, inclusivity, and human factors are embedded in technical requirements.
- Preparing robot testing to generate policy-relevant data – laying the foundations for experimental studies in real-world robotics environments. These tests will reveal how service robots interact with humans and society, providing evidence to inform smarter, safer, and fairer regulation.
Through these innovations, SAFE & SOUND is not only tackling regulatory uncertainty but also pioneering inclusive, anticipatory governance for robotics—ensuring that the technologies shaping our future are safe, fair, and aligned with societal values.
