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report:eth [2026/03/30 16:41] – [6.4 Environmental Ethics] team5report:eth [2026/04/20 19:05] (current) – [6.4 Environmental Ethics] epsatisep
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 It covers: It covers:
  
-- Engineering Ethics: An analysis of passenger interaction and consent, focusing on data privacy (the non-collection of personal data in Phase 1 versus audio storage in Phase 2) and accessibility concerns for vulnerable, disabled, or sensory-sensitive users.+- Engineering Ethics: An analysis of passenger interaction and consent, focusing on data privacy (the non-collection of personal data in Phase 1 versus audio storage in Phase 2) and accessibility concerns.
  
-- Sales and Marketing Ethics: An evaluation of the project's funding models (public interest versus commercial sponsorship), emphasizing the need for transparency and the protection of user-generated content from commercial exploitation.+- Sales and Marketing Ethics: An evaluation of the project's funding models (public interest versus commercial sponsorship), highlighting the need for transparency and the protection of user-generated content from commercial exploitation.
  
-- Environmental Ethics: A reflection on the ecological footprint of the chosen hardware and infrastructure, addressing the use of biodegradable PLA, the management of electronic waste, and the energy consumption of web hosting.+- Environmental Ethics: Reflection on the ecological footprint of the chosen hardware and infrastructure. Addressing use of Nanovia PA Rail, the management of electronic waste, and the energy consumption of web hosting.
  
-- Liability: A discussion on the distribution of responsibility regarding physical and electrical safety in a high-traffic transit environment, as well as the accountability for moderating potentially harmful user-generated audio content.+- Liability: A discussion on the distribution of responsibility regarding physical and electrical safety in a traffic transit environment, and accountability for moderating potentially harmful user-generated audio content.
  
 - Summary: The final conclusions detailing the specific design, material, and technical choices implemented by the team to uphold these ethical standards. - Summary: The final conclusions detailing the specific design, material, and technical choices implemented by the team to uphold these ethical standards.
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 ==== 6.2 Engineering Ethics ====  ==== 6.2 Engineering Ethics ==== 
  
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 **Privacy and data minimisation**\\ **Privacy and data minimisation**\\
-In Phase 1, the system uses velostat pressure-sensitive sheets to detect grip. Velostat registers physical pressure only — it +In Phase 1, the system uses velostat pressure-sensitive sheets to detect grip. Velostat registers physical pressure only: it 
 does not identify who is pressing, collect biometric data, or transmit any personal information. No data is stored or logged at any point in Phase 1. This distinguishes the system from biometric sensing technologies and minimises privacy risk, in line with the principle of data minimisation established under the GDPR [(gdpr2016)].\\ does not identify who is pressing, collect biometric data, or transmit any personal information. No data is stored or logged at any point in Phase 1. This distinguishes the system from biometric sensing technologies and minimises privacy risk, in line with the principle of data minimisation established under the GDPR [(gdpr2016)].\\
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-In Phase 2, passengers may voluntarily choose to submit a message via a web platform accessed through a QR code near the exit doors. Participation is entirely optional. However, voice messages constitute personal user-generated content, and the platform must handle this responsibly in accordance with the GDPR [(gdpr2016)]. Moderation will be handled through automated content review using OpenAI's Moderation API and Whisper API for transcription prior to moderation. Questions of data ownership and retention period should be clearly communicated to users on the platform.\\+In Phase 2, passengers may voluntarily choose to submit a message via a web platform accessed through a QR code near the exit doors. Participation is entirely optional. However, voice messages constitute personal user-generated content, and the platform must handle this responsibly in accordance with the GDPR [(gdpr2016)]. Voice messages are transcribed and reviewed through automated content moderation tools prior to being made available on the platform. Questions of data ownership and retention period should be clearly communicated to users on the platform.\\
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 **Accessibility**\\ **Accessibility**\\
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 **Enclosure material**\\ **Enclosure material**\\
-The electronics enclosure is 3D printed using Nanovia PA Rail, a composite polyamide filament certified to NF EN 45545-2 for use in railway environments. The material was selected for its fire safety properties, because it is non-flammable, low smoke, and low toxicity characteristics. It is a petroleum-based polymer, which is not  biodegradable, and end-of-life disposal should be handled  +The electronics enclosure is 3D printed using Nanovia PA Rail, a composite polyamide filament certified to NF EN 45545-2 for use in railway environments [(nanovia_pa_rail)]. The material was selected for its fire safety properties, because it is non-flammable, low smoke, and low toxicity characteristics [(nanovia_pa_rail)]. It is a petroleum-based polymer, which is not  biodegradable, and end-of-life disposal should be handled accordingly. We were initially planning on using PLA, which would be biodegradable, but the safety requirements of the deployment was considered more important.\\
-accordingly. We were initially planning on using PLA (polylactic acid), which would be biodegradable, but the safety requirements of the deployment was considered more important.\\+
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 **Electronic components**\\ **Electronic components**\\
-The system uses a WEMOS C3 Mini microcontroller (ESP32-C3-based), WS2812B addressable LED strips, MCP2551 CAN bus transceivers, and velostat pressure-sensing sheets, which are all electronic components. Their manufacture involves energy processes and can involve rare materials. As the system contains electronic components, it falls within the scope of the WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU), which requires that electronic waste is collected and processed through certified facilities rather than disposed of as general waste [(weee2012)].\\+The system uses a WEMOS C3 Mini microcontroller (ESP32-C3-based), WS2812B addressable LED strips, MCP2551 CAN bus transceivers, and velostat pressure-sensing sheets, which are all electronic components. Their manufacture involves energy processes and can involve rare materials. As the system contains electronic components, it falls within the scope of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive (2012/19/EU), which requires that electronic waste is collected and processed through certified facilities rather than disposed of as general waste [(weee2012)].\\
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 **Phase 2 infrastructure**\\ **Phase 2 infrastructure**\\
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 **Physical safety (Phase 1)**\\ **Physical safety (Phase 1)**\\
-Passengers grip handrails that contain embedded velostat sheets, wiring, and LED components. The materials must be safe for repeated physical contact and must not create electrical hazards. The electronics enclosure is designed to contain all active components, and the handrail surface presented to passengers should be free of exposed components. The General Product Safety Directive requires that all products placed in public use are safe and do not pose excessive risk to users [(gpsd2001)]. The Low Voltage Directive establishes safety standards for electrical equipment and applies to the electronic components used in the installation [(lvd2014)]. Responsibility for  ensuring compliance lies with the team as designers, in coordination with the metro operator as the host environment.\\+Passengers grip handrails that contain embedded velostat sheets, wiring, and LED components. The materials must be safe for repeated physical contact and must not create electrical hazards. The electronics enclosure is designed to contain all active components, and the handrail surface presented to passengers should be free of exposed components. The General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) requires that all products placed in public use are safe and do not pose excessive risk to users [(gpsd2001)]. The Low Voltage Directive (LVD) establishes safety standards for electrical equipment and applies to the electronic components used in the installation [(lvd2014)]. Responsibility for  ensuring compliance lies with the team as designers, in coordination with the metro operator as the host environment.\\
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 **User-generated content (Phase 2)**\\ **User-generated content (Phase 2)**\\
-The introduction of a voice message platform in Phase 2 raises the question of liability for user-generated content. Passengers may submit messages that are harmful, offensive, or distressing to other users. The team addresses this through automated moderation: voice messages are transcribed using OpenAI's Whisper API and reviewed via OpenAI's Moderation API before being made available on the platform. The platform must also comply with the GDPR regarding storage, access, and retention of voice data [(gdpr2016)]. While automated moderation reduces risk, it does not eliminate it entirely. The team should establish clear terms of use accessible via the platform, defining what content is not permitted.\\+The introduction of a voice message platform in Phase 2 raises the question of liability for user-generated content. Passengers may submit messages that are harmful, offensive, or distressing to other users. Voice messages are transcribed and reviewed through automated content moderation tools prior to being made available on the platform. The platform must also comply with the GDPR regarding storage, access, and retention of voice data [(gdpr2016)]. While automated moderation reduces risk, it does not eliminate it entirely. What kind of content that is not permitted need to be defined clearly for the user.\\
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 **Sponsor and operator responsibility**\\ **Sponsor and operator responsibility**\\
 If the installation is commercially sponsored or operated by a transit authority, the distribution of liability between the team as designers, the sponsor, and the metro operator should be clearly defined prior to any deployment. This is particularly relevant for Phase 2, where the platform  If the installation is commercially sponsored or operated by a transit authority, the distribution of liability between the team as designers, the sponsor, and the metro operator should be clearly defined prior to any deployment. This is particularly relevant for Phase 2, where the platform 
-hosts user content over time.\\+hosts user content over time. The data stored need to be separated from commercial interests.\\
 ==== 6.6 Summary ==== ==== 6.6 Summary ====
  
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 and liability. The analysis informed a number of concrete design decisions.\\ and liability. The analysis informed a number of concrete design decisions.\\
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-Based on this ethical and deontological analysis, the team chose velostat pressure sheets as the sensing technology which does not store data and PLA as the enclosure material, because PLA offers a biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics. The team also adopted automated content moderation for the Phase 2 platform to mitigate the risks associated with user-generated content.\\+Based on this ethical and deontological analysis, the team chose velostat pressure sheets as the sensing technology which does not store data and Nanovia PA Rail as the enclosure material, due to safety reasons. The team also adopted automated content moderation for the Phase 2 platform to mitigate the risks associated with user-generated content.\\
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 The team decided to design a solution with passive consent signage on the carriage door, an accessible sensor point at a lower position on the pole, no data logging in Phase 1, and a content moderation pipeline in Phase 2. The following chapter describes the development of the project.\\ The team decided to design a solution with passive consent signage on the carriage door, an accessible sensor point at a lower position on the pole, no data logging in Phase 1, and a content moderation pipeline in Phase 2. The following chapter describes the development of the project.\\
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