Ethical considerations for researchers developing and testing minimal-risk devices

Abstract

This comment provides an overview of ethical considerations for researchers developing and testing minimal-risk devices that interact or interface with people, such as electronic wearables and biomedical sensors. We outline the process of independent review, emphasizing that research can undergo different levels of review depending on its design and risk level. Using scenarios drawn from our own experience, we outline salient ethical considerations for research with such minimal-risk devices.