Interest in scientific discoveries has decreased from 2010

.The interest of EU citizens about scientific discoveries and technological development has decreased since January 2010, according to the Special Eurobarometer 382 Public attitudes towards robots.

Because “robotics is a key technology for Europe’s future competitiveness”, it is important to understand even better the public opinion about this technology “to improve the image of robots and to increase public acceptance”, it’s written in the document.

The result from this year revealed that the EU citizens that claim to be “very interested” in scientific discoveries and technological development (25%) decreased five points since the previous survey in 2010. In national results, Spain decreased 5 points but UK decreased 18 and Hungary 19 points.

Even in this situation it is important to know that a quarter of EU citizens are “very interested” and a half are “moderately” interesting and only less than a quarter are “not at all” interested.

The survey also indicates that the image that they have of a robot is more likely to be that of an “instrument like” machine than of a “human” machine. So, EU citizens also have well defined views about the application areas of robots like space exploration, manufacturing and military and security because they are areas that are too difficult or too dangerous for humans. Plus, they think that robots should be banned from activities such care of children, education and healthcare.


Este blog cuenta con la colaboración de la Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología – Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación