Session: DTM-01-01 - New Models, Constructs, and Explanations in DTM

Paper Number: 91063

91063 - Design-Engineers' Selection of Agency: Harm Mitigation in Ambient Intelligent Environments 

The computing paradigm where built environments are filled with dense levels of computing sensor technology, known as Ambient Intelligence (AmI), is likely to become increasingly common due to the maturity of sensor technology. Enabling AmI requires that sensor technology is necessarily implemented in complex use cases. Complex use cases increase the complexity of mitigating any harm as perpetuated by the technology. Previous research indicates that practitioners in industry believe the level of agency of an AmI artifact could effect harm mitigation in AmI. Through a literature review and research conducted over the course of a month with VyZee, we contribute additional context into modeling the role of AmI agents. And investigate whether agency plays a role in AmI harm mitigation. Namely, how the agency of AmI agents might be a factor in harm mitigation; a relationship outlined in earlier research proposing an Agency/Intelligence Axis [1]. Due to the nascence of the field of applied (vs. theoretical) AmI, research on best practices for the design-engineering of AmI technology is still emerging. This research seeks to add to the literature on design methods by evaluating the Agency/Intelligence Axis in the context of AmI. In this paper, we expand on our previous findings and examine the correlation between agency and harm and how varying levels of agency mitigate or perpetuate un-anticipated/- desired consequences.

Presenting Author: Caseysimone Ballestas TU Delft

Presenting Author Biography: Caseysimone Ballestas is a spatial Computing Researcher working at the intersection of design theory and methodology, computer science, architecture, and human experience.

Authors:

Caseysimone Ballestas TU Delft
Euiyoung Kim TU Delft
Jusuël Lanoy TU Delft
Jules Janssens TU Delft