Established in 2014 by the Transdisciplinary Studies in Social Robotics research network and taking place every two years, the conference this year will focus on questions of robo-philosophy emerging owing to social robotics. The possible applications of robotics extend into ever more complex contexts and present decision-makers from politics and research with sociopolitic, sociocultural, economic and ethical challenges. On February 14, researchers from disciplines such as philosophy, robotics, anthropology and psychology, but also law and economics will present their approaches.

With growing levels of automation and ever more powerful collaborative robots, fears are mounting, with concerns about lost jobs leading the way. But very few experts doubt that the “robotization of society” will continue advancing. Along the lines of “digital natives,” the first generation that will consider robots a matter of course is already being referred to as robonatives .