Category: Health & Medical

Paper Submissions Deadline Extended! – 2026 International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS)

By on May 14th, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blog Posts, Call for Papers, Conferences, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

The paper submission deadline for the 2026 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS 2026) has been extended to 29th May 2026.

You Can Solve a Lot of Problems With a Good Night’s Sleep

By on April 4th, 2026 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Case Studies, Commentary, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

In the American Southwest, and increasingly around the world, extreme heat creates conditions that are not merely uncomfortable but physiologically dangerous, multiplying the already staggering risks of homelessness.

Call for Papers — 2026 International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS)

By on March 17th, 2026 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blog Posts, Call for Papers, Conferences, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Privacy & Security, Robotics, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, Standards

The International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) is the annual flagship conference of the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT).

IEEE SSIT Webinar on IEEE AgeTech – Recording Now Available

By on March 17th, 2026 in Articles, Blog Posts, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, Video & Podcasts

A recording of the February 18, 2026 SSIT Webinar, “IEEE AgeTech for Humanity: A Standards-Led Approach to Aging and Accessibility,” is now available. Speaker Dr. George Arnold, Chair of the IEEE AgeTech Initiative, was the presenter of the session, which was organized by the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) Education Committee.

Human Activity Recognition: Innovations, Impacts, and Implications for Society

By on February 1st, 2026 in Articles, Editorial & Opinion, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Privacy & Security, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

Human Activity Recognition (HAR) enables applications that enhance daily living and foster smooth technology integration into personal routines. The pervasive use of HAR also introduces ethical dilemmas that must be carefully navigated.

On the Morality of “Fake It Till You Make It” in High-Tech

By on January 20th, 2026 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Case Studies, Editorial & Opinion, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

The highly dubious practice of “Fake It Till You Make It” resurfaced recently, as it has periodically throughout high-tech’s history, when it was exposed in scandals involving the diagnostics technology company Theranos and the cryptocurrency exchange FTX.

On the Abolition of All Big Tech Organizations

By on October 22nd, 2025 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Commentary, Communication Technology, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

Digital enterprises have become increasingly monopolistic, individualistic beyond narcissistic to the point of lamentably solipsistic, devastatingly careless of human potential, and environmentally wasteful.

ISTAS25: Exploring the Atmosphere of the AI Era, and IEEE’s Influence

By on September 18th, 2025 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blog Posts, Conferences, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

The 2025 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS25) themed “AI Evolution and Revolution” was held September 10-12 at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, U.S.A..

Real Is Beautiful: Selfies, Social Media, and Self-Determination

By on July 15th, 2025 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Case Studies, Commentary, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Privacy & Security, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

We examine social media’s profound influence, delving into its effects on self-esteem, media consumption habits, and exposure to targeted marketing.

Special Issue on Ethical Innovation with/in Music Technology — Deadline Extended

By on June 23rd, 2025 in Blog Posts, Call for Papers, Call for Papers, Conferences, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, Transactions

The deadline for the IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society Special Issue on Ethical Innovation with/in Music Technology has been extended to December 31, 2025.

Smartphone Self-Paced Learning With a Chatbot in Malaysian Older Adults

By on May 14th, 2025 in Articles, Commentary, Communication Technology, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

Research has shown that cognitive training done on computers results in modest learning gains with the potential to minimize cognitive decline in older adults. Indifferent attitudes toward the chatbot on the part of participants suggest that developers need to adopt a different approach in designing a more interactive and human-like experience, as older adults may have unique preferences and requirements compared to more tech-savvy users.

Analyzing Smartphones as Persuasive Technologies: A Rhetorical Perspective

By on April 23rd, 2025 in Articles, Commentary, Communication Technology, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

We should remember that the smartphone’s persuasive power-though generated through interactions with the device itself-is, at base, due to the very human intentions embedded within the device’s design and functionalities.

Book Review: The Science of Life and Death in Frankenstein

By on December 20th, 2024 in Articles, Book Reviews, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

In the background of Mary Shelley’s life was a very public debate between two prominent doctors beginning in 1815: John Abernethy and William Lawrence, both faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons. Lawrence was Shelley’s doctor. There was a clash in their philosophies that emerged in public lectures. Abernethy’s belief about life is more harmonious with Judeo-Christian faith: that there is an essence that renders organic matter different from the inorganic and that human life is fundamentally different from other life. Lawrence maintained that life is simply matter that has grown sophisticated enough to reproduce itself and to become aware of its surroundings. Lawrence paid for this by losing his job. Ruston implies that Shelley’s Frankenstein subscribes to Abernethy’s belief.

Technology and Analytics for Global Development: Transforming Agriculture, Empowering Sustainable Livelihoods, and Ensuring Planetary Well-Being

By on November 30th, 2024 in Articles, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Case Studies, Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

We initiated this special issue to highlight innovative and essential work underway on technology and analytics for global development. The panoply of important Adaptation and sustainability are essential, enabled by technologies that optimize crop production, improve quality, and protect the environment. topics discussed at ISTAS23 presented a difficult, but welcome challenge of deciding the theme for this special issue.

Ramalatha Marimuthu Honored with Meritorious Achievement Award

By on November 25th, 2024 in Articles, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact, SSIT Announcements

Ramalatha Marimuthu, who is SSIT’s Madras India Chapter Chair, and a IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society Associate Editor, was recognized November 22, 2024, in Dallas, TX, with the IEEE EAB Meritorious Achievement Award in Continuing Education.

The Ethics of Product Development—Houston, Do We Have a Problem?

By on November 15th, 2024 in Articles, Case Studies, Commentary, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

Though it is hard to find accurate figures on how many products introduced every year fail to meet safety and environmental standards—partly because market surveillance proves to be inadequate [6], while the assessment of market readiness is, in many cases, left to producers themselves [7] —the number may be higher than the public expects.

Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Stewardship

By on October 28th, 2024 in Articles, Editorial & Opinion, Environment, Ethics, Health & Medical, Human Impacts, Magazine Articles, Social Implications of Technology, Societal Impact

Regenerative agriculture involves improving, not depleting, the resources used. Cora and Mike’s methods emphasize the symbiotic relationship between the animals and the land, ensuring that both thrive in a balanced and healthy environment.