Ethics in Neurotechnological Innovation

The Monash institute of Medical Engineering (MIME) and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences (MICCN) are pleased to announce the following interdisciplinary Neuroethics Symposium:    Ethics in Neurotechnological Innovation  Tuesday, 1 May 2018 from 1:00pm-5:30pm  New Horizons, 20 Research Way, Level 4 Collaboration Lounge

Brain science is experiencing a boom. Global brain initiatives (e.g. US BRAIN Initiative, EU Human Brain Project) are investing billions of dollars into neuroscience R&D. The global neurotechnology market will reach US$12 billion by 2020 with Elon Musk, Facebook, IBM and Google entering the neuromarket. These technologies may transform our health, workforce, and how we learn and age. The ability to monitor and manipulate brain and behaviour raises significant ethical, legal and social issues, such as: privacy; agency, identity and moral responsibility; and the regulation of commercial devices. It is important that we consider these important issues throughout the R&D of emerging neurotechnologies if we are to realise their potential. This symposium will highlight neurotechnologies being developed in Australia and research being done to meet the ethical, social and legal issues that they raise. 

The symposium includes the MICCN Distinguished Lecture:   "An Imperative for Neuroethics on the Landscape of Modern Neurotechnology" Professor Judy Illes (University of British Columbia) from 1-2pm 

Professor Judy Illes is the Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She is the Director of Neuroethics Canada and Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Ethics of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and Vice Chair of the Internal Advisory Board of the Institute for Neuroscience, Mental and Addiction of CIHR. Dr. Illes is Immediate Past President of the International Neuroethics Society, and a Board Member of the International Brain Research Organization. She is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Life Sciences), of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (Neuroscience). Prof Illes was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2017. 

The symposium will feature the following distinguished speakers and will conclude with a Q&A panel discussion followed by drinks and canapés. 

Prof Arthur Lowery (Monash Institute of Medical Engineering)

Monash Vision Group's Brain-Machine Interface: A practical benchmark

Prof Paul Fitzgerald (Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre)

Brain Stimulation: A new wave of therapies for Psychiatric Disorders

Prof Robert Sparrow (Philosophy, Monash)

Windows Brain '98: What could possibly go wrong?

Dr Frederic Gilbert (Neuroethics, University of Tasmania)

Implantable Brain Computer Interfaces: Exploring Estrangement and Embodiment

Prof Anne-Maree Farrell (Health Law, La Trobe)

Regulating Consumer Use of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Devices? Ethical, Safety and Legal Issue

Further details are available here: https://www.monash.edu/news/events/symposium-ethics-in-neurotechnological-innovation   

To RSVP, email [email protected].