Correction de l’évaluation de CE – Tle

The document under consideration is an extract from an article written by Jane Wakefield,
and published on the BBC website on July 8th, 2018. It deals with the project of endowing
humans with superhuman/natural power/strength with the creation of an exoskeleton (a
wearable structure that supports and assists movents or augments the capacity of human
body). The document also underlines the controverse about the project. The exoskeleton
project itself is thought of in a context where scientific innovations are envisaged or
undertaken to make humans’ life easier or better. The document is meant for everyone, but
more specifically readers of bbc.com.

In matter of fact, at the MIT Biomechatronics lab, researchers are working on the creation of
an exoskeleton which will be used in various context to augment or upgrade the capacities of
human body, in order to be able, for example to run miles and miles without being ever worn
out/exhausted. In addition, the project targets standing workers to enhance their stamina.
According to the article, people working as nurse or waiter/waitress would benefit from it. To
believe Mr. Clites (a PhD student working on the project), an exoskeleton will allow people
to push the boundaries of their strength and capacities, using the allegory/image of an
industrial truck used for lifting and carrying heavy loads.

Although the exoskeleton project might be beneficial to humans, it already sparkles debates,
in so far as it raises serious ethical problems – Professor Noel Sharkey (Co-founder for the
Foundation for Responsible Robotics) questions such a technology, as it can make humans
work for longer periods of time, without them resting. He is mostly concerned with the
mental fatigue users of exoskeletons can accumulate, given that they will not feel any
physical tiredness upon using it. In addition, he raises the question of the potential misuse of
exoskeletons, suggesting that a switching off system and an ethical design should (be in
place) come along with the creation of the exoskeleton to monitor and regulate its uses.
Contrary to Prof. Noel Sharkey, Mr. Clites posits that whenever the benefits of a technology
are higher than the drawbacks, we should go for it, rather than limiting technology with
unecessary worries/concerns.

The goal of this document is to inform readers/people about an innovation meant to boast
human capacities beyond its limits, as well as discussing and/or warning about the possible
dangers of such innovation. The document relates well with the two aspects of the axe :
scientific innovations and responsibility, as there is an innovation : the exoskeleton, and the
responsibility question is related to the ethical issue of the exoskeleton.