Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences
Tohoku University

From November 5-7, 2025, the Symposium on Social Robots and Ethical Design, jointly organized by the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) at Kyushu University and FRIS at Tohoku University, convened as a hybrid event in Aobayama Campus. Under the banner “Toward Design-centered Governance for Social Robots”, the symposium addressed the regulatory, ethical, design and governance challenges posed by increasingly capable AI-enabled social robots. 

The symposium brought together researchers from engineering, design, ethics, law, and social sciences to provide examination on the challenges and opportunities posed by social robots. The thematic sessions covered four interconnected areas, underscoring the symposium’s central commitment to viewing social robots as socio-technical systems whose development must be informed by integrated insights from technology, behavior, and normative frameworks.

In the domain of robotics design and deployment, researchers presented studies on how robots can be incorporated into real living environments. Presentations from Tohoku University demonstrated the use of living-lab and experimental settings to evaluate how individuals interact with assistive robots in everyday situations. Contributions from National Taiwan University highlighted soft robotics and adaptive locomotion mechanisms that enable robots to navigate complex human environments more effectively. Additional work explored how visual complexity and familiarity influence user comfort and attentiveness when engaging robots. Other speakers analyzed how both the physical and psychological dimensions of human–robot interaction (HRI)can be shaped through careful design choices that promote a sense of safety, empathy, and trust.

The second thematic focus on HRI offered behavioral and cognitive perspectives. Scholars examined how emotional responses such as acceptance, rejection, or perceived social friction emerge in interactions with social robots. Research using game-based simulations demonstrated how robots can affect participants’ moral reasoning processes. Another presenter introduced findings about the social acceptance of anthropomorphism in dog robots. The symposium further highlighted how cultural narratives found in science fiction and digital games can illuminate public expectations, anxieties, and imaginaries surrounding future robot governance.

Presentations within the policy and governance theme addressed broader societal and regulatory implications. Speakers discussed the growing role of robots in ageing societies and the need for human-centered approaches to care technologies that recognize emotional and moral dimensions of vulnerability. The presenters emphasized that recognizing overlooked needs is important. Others analyzed how systematic reviews and stakeholder consultations contribute to more inclusive robot governance frameworks. The longstanding issue of “responsibility gaps” was also examined. 

The final set of presentations turned toward ethical design and governance, emphasizing the significance of non-binding ethics standards as complementary tools to formal legal regulation. Experts analyzed how socio-technical standards developed within the IEEE framework are being adopted globally, noting their increasing influence on engineering practice. Cross-cultural studies from Japan and Norway provided comparative insights into consent, privacy, and social acceptance of robots. Researchers argued for the integration of both philosophical reflection and empirical data in the development of robot ethics methodologies. 

Taken together, these contributions demonstrated the inherently multidisciplinary nature of responsible robotics. The symposium underscored that engineering innovation alone cannot address the complexities of deploying social robots into public and private spaces. Instead, effective governance requires design-centred approaches that incorporate behavioural insights, ethical standards, and legal considerations from the outset. The discussions also reflected a broader shift in robotics research: from industrial automation toward socially embedded systems in homes, care settings, and everyday public environments. This shift signals that future progress in robotics must be aligned with societal needs and normative expectations. Through its diverse range of perspectives, the symposium offered a valuable foundation for continued research, collaboration, and the development of robust governance frameworks for social robots.