Ethical governance is essential to building trust in robotics and artificial intelligence systems

© 2018 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved. This paper explores the question of ethical governance for robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. We outline a roadmap-which links a number of elements, including ethics, standards, regulation, responsible research and innovation, and public engagement-as a framework to guide ethical governance in robotics and AI. We argue that ethical governance is essential to building public trust in robotics and AI, and conclude by proposing five pillars of good ethical governance. This article is part of the theme issue 'Governing artificial intelligence: ethical, legal, and technical opportunities and challenges'

Imatinib in gastrointestinal stromal tumour: Northern Cancer Network experience

Imatinib treatment in metastatic or inoperable gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) has shifted the paradigm of treatment of this disease. Successful clinical trials of imatinib led to rapid regulatory approval and, in England and Wales, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance on use of this technology. NICE recommend detailed audit of their guidelines in clinical practice. This audit reflects that guidance and was designed to document the use of imatinib in routine clinical practice

Towards an analytical framework of science communication models

This chapter reviews the discussion in science communication circles of models for public communication of science and technology (PCST). It questions the claim that there has been a large-scale shift from a ‘deficit model’ of communication to a ‘dialogue model’, and it demonstrates the survival of the deficit model along with the ambiguities of that model. Similar discussions in related fields of communication, including the critique of dialogue, are briefly sketched. Outlining the complex circumstances governing approaches to PCST, the author argues that communications models often perceived to be opposed can, in fact, coexist when the choices are made explicit. To aid this process, the author proposes an analytical framework of communication models based on deficit, dialogue and participation, including variations on each

Releasing fast and slow: Non-destructive prediction of density and drug release from SLS 3D printed tablets using NIR spectroscopy

Selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing is a revolutionary 3D printing technology that has been found capable of creating drug products with varied release profiles by changing the laser scanning speed. Here, SLS 3D printed formulations (printlets) loaded with a narrow therapeutic index drug (theophylline) were produced using SLS 3D printing at varying laser scanning speeds (100–180 mm/s). The use of reflectance Fourier Transform – Near Infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was evaluated as a non-destructive approach to predicting 3D printed tablet density and drug release at 2 h and 4 h. The printed drug products formulated with a higher laser speed exhibited an accelerated drug release and reduced density compared with the slower laser scanning speeds. Univariate calibration models were developed based on a baseline shift in the spectra in the third overtone region upon changing physical properties. For density prediction, the developed univariate model had high linearity (R2 value = 0.9335) and accuracy (error 50) for all of the test printlets. Overall, this article demonstrates the feasibility of SLS 3D printing to produce drug products containing a narrow therapeutic index drug across a range of drug release profiles, as well as the potential for FT-NIR spectroscopy to predict the physical characteristics of SLS 3D printed drug products (drug release and density) as a non-destructive quality control method at the point-of-care

Non-destructive dose verification of two drugs within 3D printed polyprintlets

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is a revolutionary technology in pharmaceuticals, enabling the personalisation of flexible-dose drug products and 3D printed polypills (polyprintlets). A major barrier to entry of this technology is the lack of non-destructive quality control methods capable of verifying the dosage of multiple drugs in polyprintlets at the point of dispensing. In the present study, 3D printed films and cylindrical polyprintlets were loaded with flexible, therapeutic dosages of two distinct drugs (amlodipine and lisinopril) across concentration ranges of 1–5% w/w and 2–10% w/w, respectively. The polyprintlets were non-destructively analysed for dose content using a portable near infrared (NIR) spectrometer and validated calibration models were developed using partial least squares (PLS) regression, which showed excellent linearity (R2 Pred = 0.997, 0.991), accuracy (RMSEP = 0.24%, 0.24%) and specificity (LV1 = 82.77%, 79.55%) for amlodipine and lisinopril, respectively. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that sintering partially transformed the phase of both drugs from the crystalline to amorphous forms. For the first time, we report a non-destructive method for quality control of two separate active ingredients in a single 3D printed drug product using NIR spectroscopy, overcoming a major barrier to the integration of 3D printing into clinical practice

3D printed drug products: Non-destructive dose verification using a rapid point-and-shoot approach

YesThree-dimensional printing (3DP) has the potential to cause a paradigm shift in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, enabling personalised medicines to be produced on-demand. To facilitate integration into healthcare, non-destructive characterisation techniques are required to ensure final product quality. Here, the use of process analytical technologies (PAT), including near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and Raman confocal microscopy, were evaluated on paracetamol-loaded 3D printed cylindrical tablets composed of an acrylic polymer (Eudragit L100-55). Using a portable NIR spectrometer, a calibration model was developed, which predicted successfully drug concentration across the range of 4–40% w/w. The model demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 = 0.996) and accuracy (RMSEP = 0.63%) and results were confirmed with conventional HPLC analysis. The model maintained high accuracy for tablets of a different geometry (torus shapes), a different formulation type (oral films) and when the polymer was changed from acrylic to cellulosic (hypromellose, HPMC). Raman confocal microscopy showed a homogenous drug distribution, with paracetamol predominantly present in the amorphous form as a solid dispersion. Overall, this article is the first to report the use of a rapid ‘point-and-shoot’ approach as a non-destructive quality control method, supporting the integration of 3DP for medicine production into clinical practice.Open Access funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council United Kingdom (EPSRC), UK for their financial support (EP/L01646X)

Industrial constructions of publics and public knowledge: a qualitative investigation of practice in the UK chemicals industry

This is a post print version of the article. The official published version can be obtained from the link below - © 2007 by SAGE PublicationsWhile the rhetoric of public engagement is increasingly commonplace within industry, there has been little research that examines how lay knowledge is conceptualized and whether it is really used within companies. Using the chemicals sector as an example, this paper explores how companies conceive of publics and "public knowledge," and how this relates to modes of engagement/communication with them. Drawing on qualitative empirical research in four companies, we demonstrate that the public for industry are primarily conceived as "consumers" and "neighbours," having concerns that should be allayed rather than as groups with knowledge meriting engagement. We conclude by highlighting the dissonance between current advocacy of engagement and the discourses and practices prevalent within industry, and highlight the need for more realistic strategies for industry/public engagement.Funding was received from the ESRC Science in Society Programme

Investigating public perceptions of Carbon Dioxide Utilisation (CDU) technology: a mixed methods study

Carbon Dioxide Utilisation (CDU) technologies hold promise for helping to limit atmospheric releases of CO2 while generating saleable products. However, while there is growing investment in the research and development required to bring CDU to market, to date there has been very little systematic research into public perceptions of the technology. The current research reports upon the findings of a series of six qualitative focus groups (and an associated questionnaire) held with members of the UK public in order to discuss the perceived benefits and risks of CDU technology. The findings reveal that public awareness of CDU is currently very low and that there is a desire to learn more about the technology. While our participants did, on average, appear to develop an overall positive attitude towards CDU, this attitude was both tentative and was associated with a number of caveats. The implications for the findings in terms of the development of communication and broader strategies of public engagements are outlined