Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems are rapidly becoming part of everyday life, and the pace of change is only expected to increase as it becomes more affordable. AI is expected to improve the efficiency of tasks performed by programming and recognition tools, many of which are integrated seamlessly into everyday life. Your Roomba vacuum cleaner, for example; or suggestions for you on your streaming video channel, and
targeted advertisements on your Internet feed. Mechatronics, aka Mechatronics Engineering is a multidisciplinary field that refers to the skill sets needed in the contemporary, advanced automated manufacturing industry. At the intersection of mechanics, electronics, and computing, mechatronics specialists create simpler, smarter systems, it deals with robotics, control systems, and electro-mechanical systems. Bionomics is traditionally the study of living organisms and their relation to environment; in the modern era it refers to technology enhancements of the organism, such as the recent announcements of Neuralink “brain chip” interfaces that can be implanted within the body to process and transmit neural signals to internal and external devices. Since AI systems impact workers and work processes either directly or indirectly, it is important to acknowledge that there is always risk that any system may not operate as intended. AI tools might function as designed, but their design may not adequately consider the people or particular groups of people working with the technology.
What is the role of EH&S professionals in recognizing hazards, assessing risks, and ensuring controls appropriate to reduce AI-related risk to acceptable levels, especially in the research laboratory?