Fachbereich Biomedizinische Ethik - Brain

Research

The Division’s research focus is on ethical aspects of the digital transformation of healthcare as well as ethical issues in palliative medicine and care. The Division collaborates with international, national, and regional partners.

The Division, headed by Univ.-Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Giovanni Rubeis, was founded in 2021. One major research topic is assistive systems for older adults, especially AI-based technologies. The Division is part of the working group on ethical, legal, social, data protection and privacy issues of the GoodBrother Network on Privacy-Aware Audio- and Video-Based Applications for Active and Assisted Living (COST action 19121). Furthermore, the Division collaborates with STAR (Science and Technology for Aging Research) Institute at the Simon Fraser University Vancouver and AGE-WELL Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE) in Canada. Several publications as well as a joint workshop at the 2021 PErvasive Technologies Related to Assistive Environments (PETRA)-Conference in Corfu resulted from this collaboration. Additionally, an exchange program for PhD-students was established between the Division and the Canadian institutions.

Another research topic is ethical aspects of digital applications in mental health. Starting in September 2023, the Division will lead the ethics-work package as part of the HORIZON Europe-project “Augmented Social Play (ASP): smartphone-enabled group psychotherapeutic interventions that boost adolescent mental health by

supporting real-world connection and sense of belonging (ASP-belong) (HORIZON 101080665)”. Researchers at the division will investigate the ethical aspects of developing an augmented reality app for psychotherapeutic interventions in adolescents.

In addition to ethical aspects of digitalized medicine, ethical implications of palliative medicine and care are also a focus of research. The Division is part of the research network Palliative Care / Palliative Medicine, supported by the Health Agency of Lower Austria (NÖ Landesgesundheitsagentur).