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Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Addressing COVID-19 Pandemic’s Challenges

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Modelling and Simulation for Autonomous Systems (MESAS 2020)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 12619))

Abstract

There is a growing awareness that the unfolding Covid-19 pandemic will deeply change people’s lives, while in the humanitarian system the gap between available resources and need is widening. Authors aim to investigate the ways new technologies can be effective in addressing global challenges. A session has been conducted at the United Nations conference HNPW 2020 where humanitarian experts have recognized the potential for Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to support response, decision-making, logistics and health services. In effect, one of the differences between Covid-19 and previous epidemics, consists in the massive deployment of technologies’ applications for monitoring, surveillance, detection, prevention, and mitigation. Areas of concern have been identified in bias, accuracy, protection and use of data, citizens’ privacy and legal gaps. Provided that such issues are addressed in every new project, authors propose to link AI and robotics with the triple nexus concept of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) aiming to bridge the divide between humanitarian assistance, development agenda and peacebuilding.

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Acknowledgements

Authors wish to thank Ms. Alexandra Stefanova, United Drone Community, for her outstanding contribution as co-lead of the session on Artificial intelligence and robotics in military and humanitarian space at United Nations/OCHA HNPW Conference 2020, Geneva.

Authors also thank Laura Musgrave, Ronin Institute, for her literature contributions and suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Italian Army Training Specialization and Doctrine Command, 00143, Rome, Italy

    Walter David

  2. Ronin Institute, Montclair, NJ, 07043, USA

    Michelle King-Okoye

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  1. Walter David
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Correspondence to Walter David .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. NATO M&S COE, Rome, Italy

    Jan Mazal

  2. University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    Adriano Fagiolini

  3. Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic

    Petr Vasik

  4. NATO M&S COE, Rome, Italy

    Michele Turi

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David, W., King-Okoye, M. (2021). Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Addressing COVID-19 Pandemic’s Challenges. In: Mazal, J., Fagiolini, A., Vasik, P., Turi, M. (eds) Modelling and Simulation for Autonomous Systems. MESAS 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12619. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70740-8_18

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