In this project, we developed methods for more transparent use of algorithms in the insurance industry, investigated the consequences of increased transparency, and studied ethical requirements on algorithms.

Insurance decisions come in many forms and can be based on different parameters. Different kinds of insurance also entail different preferences and different acceptance for which factors decisions may or may not be based on. In everything from life insurance for individuals to cyber insurance for companies, there are ethical dimensions. When humans are removed from the decision-making process, the need to understand how the algorithms work and make their decisions increases. Thus, automation of the right kind is a crucial strategic issue for the insurance industry.

Read some scientific publications:

• Towards Increased Transparency with Value Sensitive Design presented at the International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
• Nordic lights? National AI policies for doing well by doing good in Journal of Cyber Policy
• Transparency and insurance professionals: a study of Swedish insurance practice attitudes and future development in The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice
• Explaining automated decision-making: a multinational study of the GDPR right to meaningful information in The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice
• Rawls’s Original Position and Algorithmic Fairness in Philosophy & Technology
• First- and Second-Level Bias in Automated Decision-making in Philosophy & Technology
• Transparent but incomprehensible: Investigating the relation between transparency, explanations, and usability in automated decision-making, PhD thesis from KTH.

Read the final report of the project here.

Syfte och mål

Behovet av att förstå urbergets risk för glidning vid sprickor är av betydelse vid utformningen av djupt liggande undermarksutrymmen. Projektet syftar till att bidra med högkvalitativa data från tester på en unikt stor skala för utvecklandet av modeller för bergsprickor i fullskala.

Utmaning

Replikat är avgjutningar av bergsprickor och utgör en viktig del i forskningsarbetet genom att användandet av replikat möjliggör upprepning av test med samma sprickgeometri. Resultaten kan dock vara svårtolkade och ibland även motstridiga.

Numeriska modeller används utifrån data från provningar i laboratorieskala, för att prediktera fullskaliga sprickors beteende. Prover med olika storlek ger dock olika resultat och en utmaning är därför att förstå hur en sådan skaleffekt skall tas i beaktande vid utvecklingen av modeller för fullskaliga sprickor.

Lösning

Utarbeta en metodik för generering av högkvalitativa data vid användandet av replikat, för att på så sätt skapa förutsättningar för konsistenta resultat. Detta görs genom att identifiera och kvantifiera kritiska processteg vid tillverkning av replikat.

Genom att utveckla och använda en skjuvprovningsutrustning för unikt stora provkroppar är målet att ta fram data som tidigare inte funnits tillgängliga för ökad förståelse av skaleffekten.

Effekt

Data från detta projekt kan användas till forskning en lång tid framöver. Resultaten kommer särskilt att användas i säkerhetsanalysen av kärnbränsleförvar i Sverige och Kanada.

Goal

The overarching goal was to explore and demonstrate how V2X communication can serve as an effective information carrier between vehicles and cyclists.

Challenge

The development of wireless communication in traffic environments today largely focuses on motor vehicles. There is a need for research and development specifically targeting the conditions and needs of cyclists. The challenge in the project involved finding a technical solution that meets the requirements for data transfer, size, and power supply. Additionally, it involved creating a user interface that effectively informs the cyclist without being annoying or unnecessarily distracting. 

Solution

The project resulted in two prototypes using different technical architectures to communicate information between cars and cyclists. One prototype utilized direct communication via V2X, while the other used communication via the mobile network. The prototypes could warn the cyclist about two common risks in traffic environments. In one of the prototypes, the car driver also received a warning. Furthermore, user interfaces designed for integration into a bicycle helmet were developed and tested. In the interface, the cyclist receives information through sound and vibrations via bone conduction speaker elements. This solution allows the cyclist to hear the surroundings since the elements do not cover the ears. Utilizing the helmet as an interface could also potentially contribute to increased use of bicycle helmets in the future. The project's studies and demonstrations showed that the solutions have promising potential to increase traffic safety and be accepted by users.

Effect

Insights generated by the project could, in the long term, lead to improved traffic safety and continued appeal of cycling as a mode of transportation. Thus, the project has contributed to the promotion of sustainable cities and communities, health and well-being, as well as combating climate change.

More information

Public report: https://www.vinnova.se/globalassets/mikrosajter/ffi/dokument/slutrappor…