In September 2003 the Swiss Centre for Technology Assessment (TA-SWISS) published a study with the title "The Precautionary Principle in the Information Society. Effects of Pervasive Computing on Health and Environment". TA-Swiss is affiliated to the Swiss Science and Technology Council, which is the advisory body of the Swiss Federal Council for any topics on science, education, research and technology policy. Lorenz Hilty, professor for sustainable information technology at the EMPA St. Gallen, was charged with this study.

The objective of the study was to perform a comprehensive technology assessment of the developments in the field of Pervasive Computing (hereinafter called "PvC"). The authors describe PvC as "... visionary new ways of applying Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to our daily lives. It involves the miniaturisation and embedding of microelectronics in non-ICT objects and wireless networking, making computers ubiquitous in the world around us." PvC comprises e.g. the advancement of wireless networking through mobile communications or developments in medicine making remote treatment of patients possible with the help of active implants, which send out medical information.

Content

The study describes the opportunities and risks of possible developments in the field of PvC and recommends the application of the precautionary principle in the information society by addressing the emerging technological trends at an early stage in a comprehensive way.

The precautionary principle serves to minimise risks that may become evident only in the long term while there is no acute danger in the present situation. The authors distinguish between a weak and a strong type of the precautionary principle. The weak type considers precautionary measures only if major, irreversible risks could occur and their scientific level of proof is high. On the other hand, according to the strong type of the precautionary principle, precautionary measures should be taken even when there is only speculative evidence of any kind of risk. The risks do not have to be high and irreversible. Together with the precautionary principle, the use of technologies shall also be governed by the concept of sustainability. The sustainability principle is based on intergenerational fairness – i.e. extending the principle of fairness to future generations so that today’s actions will preferably not constrict the scope for future action.

Possible development perspectives of PvC are presented in great detail. The investigation focuses in particular on four areas of application, i.e. housing, transport, work, and health, describing the areas of use and market trends of PvC for each area and assessing future prospects. Arising opportunities and risks are determined for the fields of human health and the ecological environment.

In the field of public health the benefits to be expected for medical treatment (e.g. remote health monitoring of chronic patients through implanted chips) are counterbalanced by the as yet insufficiently clarified potential health risks from electromagnetic fields. The total individual exposure grows due to the increasing penetration of objects working on the basis of electromagnetic fields into our daily lives, which are in most cases worn in the immediate vicinity of the body. The authors present current scientific knowledge of health effects of electromagnetic fields and call for further research to be carried out on specific subjects.

In connection with environmental effects, the authors point out that the reduction in material consumption to be expected – reduction in size and weight of electronic components – could be (over-)compensated by the growing number of electronic integrated objects as well as changing behaviour patterns which might lead to an increase in the consumption of such components. Such a "rebound effect" is likely to be observed for energy requirements as well.

The authors conclude in a summary assessment of the opportunities and risks of PvC that a substantiated technology assessment at an early stage is necessary in order to underscore the opportunities of PvC to the greatest extent while keeping the risks as low as possible. The precautionary principle is accordingly specified in the form of recommendations for an early and comprehensive use of technological trends. Such recommendations are addressed to the areas of policy, research, education and business enterprises in different industries. They are aimed at different levels of action – from the individual use of technological developments and innovations to government measures – thus presenting us with differentiated levels of action and measures.

BfS assessment

The underlying interpretation of the precautionary principle makes it possible to identify several differently characterised risks even in the preliminary stages of technological developments and to address them in a proactive manner since the central players and fields of action have been specified. In this context precaution does not only refer to possible health effects due to the increasing exposure to non-ionising radiation, which is expected. The term rather includes a comprehensive consideration of the scope of impact of technological developments in different areas, in particular with respect to social aspects.

The associated early integration of different groups of society in the sense of participative technological assessment helps to uncover socially relevant subjects in time and to identify discussion and information requirements at an early stage. Possible conflictual situations may thus become apparent in advance so that they need not escalate at all. This may encourage the public to treat potential risks sensibly.