ETHICS – EBRAINS-Italy Training, Human-AI, Innovation Centre: Commons & Smartspace is an ecosystem of services shared within a physical and virtual smartspace.
ETHICS: a new set of commons and physical–virtual smartspace
ETHICS is a new physical and virtual centre within the EBRAINS-Italy research infrastructure. It fosters research on brain, behaviour, artificial intelligence (AI), and autonomous robotics; supports training and dissemination; drives the transfer of frontier knowledge into industrial applications; and embeds human values in brain and AI innovation.
The Brain: a Frontier of Discovery
The brain is the most complex system we know. Understanding it is key to tackling devastating diseases and to cultivating human potential. Advances in imaging and data are opening paths to earlier diagnosis, personalised therapies, and human well-being.
AI: a Rapidly Evolving Landscape
AI has leapt forward with deep learning and transformers. These models now power tools that perceive, reason, and act—also in robotics. The pace reflects combined advances in data, compute, and open research plus strong industrial pull.
Synergy Between Natural and Artificial Intelligence
Natural and artificial intelligence now inform each other. Brain insights inspire new AI; AI helps us analyse brain data and test hypotheses at scale. This loop accelerates progress in medicine, assistive tech, and human–computer interaction.
Education & Skills: A 360° Imperative
Knowledge and skills are today’s core infrastructure. We need researchers at the frontier, professionals who can adapt, and citizens who are AI‑literate. ETHICS builds modular learning pathways that people can stack across careers and life stages.
Ethics & Policy Landscape
Innovation must be trustworthy. Europe’s guardrails—GDPR and the AI Act—set a high bar. We also address market concentration, job transitions, and neuro‑ethics: neurorights, neural data, and the need for meaningful human control.
Institutional Context of ETHICS
ETHICS sits inside the research infrastructure EBRAINS‑Italy and is linked to EBRAINS Europe. This gives access to datasets, models, HPC, and a national community—plus alignment with European goals to accelerate brain science and translate knowledge to society.
Values of ETHICS
ETHICS is grounded onto humanistic values, such as the centrality of reason and autonomous thought, freedom and fraternity. We implement ethics‑by‑design—privacy, safety, transparency, accountability—and work to widen inclusion. Openness and sustainability shape our collaborations and choices.
ETHICS: an Innovative Physical & Virtual Smartspace
Our smartspace combines a hands‑on centre—robots, sensors, a fab‑lab—with a strong virtual layer for courses and collaboration. It lets teams move smoothly between on‑site and online research, prototyping, and user studies.
Objective 1: Training
Training covers brain, behaviour, AI, and robotics. Learners get labs on data and modelling plus responsible deployment. Formats are blended and assessed, with projects tied to live research and industry problems.
Objective 2: Research on Brain, Behaviour, AI & Robotics
Research leverages shared infrastructure for secure data and reproducible workflows. Interdisciplinary teams run experiments—with humans in the loop—supported by fellowships and continuous ethical oversight.
Objective 3: Innovation & Industry
Innovation is end‑to‑end: we help ideas become prototypes, pilots, and transfers. Startups and SMEs get mentorship on IP and regulation. We validate with TRL milestones and co‑design with clinicians, educators, and operators.
Objective 4: Dissemination
Dissemination makes complex neuro‑AI topics understandable and useful. We engage academia, industry, policymakers, and the public with demos, exhibits, media, and ready‑to‑use materials.
Objective 5: Reflection & Ethics
Reflection is a design input, not an afterthought. We assess implications early—privacy, jobs, fairness, power, and the environment—and co‑develop codes of practice, audits, and dialogue across stakeholders.