The EPINET final conference
The EPINET final conference was held on 28-29 April 2015.
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It brought together researchers, innovators, policy makers, ELSi scholars and other stakeholders who represent the epistemic networks associated with smart grids, wearable sensors, in-vitro meat, autonomous robots and data protection.
The conference took place in Le Bouche à Oreille, Rue Félix Hap 11, 1040 Bruxelles.
EPINET IN BRIEF
At present there exists a great diversity of assessment methods to evaluate the impacts of science and technology on society and the environment, and to evaluate the purposes for which innovation practices proceed.
This project explores novel ways of bringing a range ofassessment methods into concert with each other, and with the concerns of innovators, policy makers and citizen groups.
Epinet introduces the concept of epistemic networks to conceptualise complex developments within emerging fields of socio-technical innovation. It establishes a 'soft' framework within which the plurality of assessment practices can be explored and reflected upon.
Epinet uses this approach to study four cases:
- Wearable sensors for activity and physiological monitoring
- Cognitive technical systems (mainly robotics)
- Synthetic/ in-vitro meat
- Smart grids for power supply
The conference will report on our case studies and accommodate feedback, discussion and debate, addressing the impacts and implications of recent trends. It will also dedicate considerable time to discuss and debate Responsible Innovation as a policy programme within Horizon 2020—a yardstick for innovators and evaluators to measure their commitments and standards.
