Faculty Fellow Diana Bowman co-authored the introduction to a special issue of the Journal of Responsible Innovation on advances in the field of neurotechnology. The Neurotechnology and Society Interface: Responsible Innovation in an International Context was co-authored by Hermann Garden, Clare Stroud, and David Winickoff.
Advances in neurotechnology may have a profound impact on the social, economic, and personal burden that mental illness places on society. New tools promise to increase our understanding of the brain, treat injury and illness, and enhance cognition. However, such technologies require engaging with ethical, legal, and medical challenges in a responsible manner.
Bowman et al.‘s piece introduces articles, discussions, and perspectives on the ethical, legal, and societal challenges facing the latest in neuroscience and technology. These articles touch on neuroethics, neurolaw, and do-it-yourself brain enhancement, among other topics.
Additionally, the introduction discusses themes that arose out of the 2016 OECD Neurotechnology and Society: Strengthening RRI in brain science workshop. The primary themes included (1) cross-project learning, (2) learning across different governance frameworks, (3) innovating governance, and (4) facing the challenges of integrating society and science.