With the number of connected devices estimated to double by 2020, the I.o.T future is fast approaching. The Internet of Things should make our daily lives run more smoothly by assigning decisions to self-sufficient objects, but what happens when an “intelligent” item, such as a driverless car, encounters a moral dilemma? Interaction designers Matthieu Cherubiniand Simone Rebaudengo claim to have found a solution to this problem.

Ethical Things is a project that uses crowdsourcing to address varying moral beliefs whenever a smart device faces a quandary.  The concept is exemplified by a fan equipped with knobs and switches that allow users to input their different traits - such as religion, degree, sex, or age. The fan can also seek guidance by connecting to a website and posting a question. In exchange for a small online payment, a person – aka an Ethical Turk– will then analyse the dilemma and offer the fan an answer together with his/her line of reasoning.

”When it comes to discussion around the ethics of machines, the focus is often put on extreme examples where human life and death are involved. But what about more mundane and insignificant objects of our everyday lives?” state the creators on the project’s website. ”If a "smart" coffee machine knows about its user's heart problems, should it accept giving him a coffee when he requests one?”

Needless to say, Cherubini and Rebaudengo’s solution is not likely to be applied to all smart devices, especially where a decision is required immediately. However, the project is a great reminder of how challenging moral behaviour is, even in ordinary situations, and invites us to rethink the way we design the self-reliant objects of the future.