public opinion on future innovations, science and...

Eurobarometer Qualitative Study

PUBLIC OPINION ON FUTURE

INNOVATIONS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

National Report

June 2015

Romania

This study has been requested by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and

Innovation and co-ordinated by Directorate-General for Communication.

Qualitative study – TNS Qual+

Project title

Eurobarometer Qualitative study - “Public opinion on future innovations, science and technology” - National Report Romania

Linguistic Version EN

Catalogue Number KI-02-15-347-EN-N

ISBN 978-92-79-48069-0

DOI 10.2777/700334

© European Union, 2015

Eurobarometer Qualitative study

Public opinion on future innovations, science and technology: results of focus

groups in selected Member States

National Report

Romania

Conducted by TNS Qual+ at the request of the European Commission,

Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

Survey co-ordinated by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication

(DG COMM “Strategy, Corporate Communication Actions and Eurobarometer” Unit)

NATIONAL REPORT – ROMANIA “Innovations, science and technology”

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................. 2

A. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY ...................................................... 5

Objectives ............................................................................................ 5

Methodology and sampling ..................................................................... 5

Participant profile .................................................................................. 5

National context .................................................................................... 5

I. GENERAL PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL

INNOVATIONS .................................................................................... 6

1.1 General associations linked to the notion of scientific innovation .......... 6

1.2 The most important scientific and technological innovations observed

over recent years ..................................................................................... 8

II. SPONTANEOUS PROJECTIONS ON TOMORROWS SCIENTIFIC AND

TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS ...................................................... 12

2.1 The scientific innovations expected to be part of peoples’ daily life in

2030 and their possible impact ................................................................ 12

2.2 Expected innovations in selected areas ........................................... 13

III. REACTIONS TO FUTURE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL

INNOVATIONS IN SELECTED AREAS ................................................. 15

3.1 Homes and living ......................................................................... 15

3.2 Health and healthcare .................................................................. 19

3.3 Ubiquitous communication and interaction ...................................... 23

3.4 Environment ............................................................................... 26

IV. CONCLUSION .................................................................................... 29

Qualitative Study European

Commission

Qualitative Study European Commission


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

General perceptions about scientific and technological innovations

People often associated scientific innovation with specific examples of

technology that they already use and are familiar with: gadgets,

electronics and household appliances, phones, Internet, alarm systems,

computers, IT.

People also associated innovation with the wider concept of evolution and

development: future, progress, resourcefulness, vision, innovative spirit,

intelligence, idea, history, performance, discovery, exploration,

advancement, research.

The most important developments in the field of scientific and

technological innovations during recent years were felt to be:

IT

Smartphones, new gadgets, GPS systems, photo cameras, tablets and

advanced computers.

Health/medical treatment

Improved efficacy of medical tests, the invention of artificial blood,

recent discoveries in stem cell treatments, intensive efforts to treat

cancer, developments in surgery, microscopy and forensic medicine.

Education/knowledge

Laptops and advanced computers, smartphones and Internet.

Living conditions/housing

Advanced TV sets (LCD, LED, curved displays), household appliances

(smarter, more compact), PVC windows.

Transport

Electric cars, GPS navigation system, safety measures, electric

windows, air conditioning, sophisticated equipment, sensors,

automatic driving.

Work/jobs

IT making work easier and more efficient.

Environmental protection

Recycling.

Energy

Solar panels and wind energy.

Personal data (+ data security)

Bank cards, extensive use of ATMs and digitalisation of information,

viruses and fear of personal data being violated.

Spontaneous projections on tomorrow’s scientific and technological innovations

Flying cars will exist, helping people move faster and safer.

Cash will not exist any longer; shopping sessions will be done online.

Robots to take care of all household chores. Artificial intelligence will

Natural food will be difficult to find and people’s nutrition will be based on

pills and substitutes.


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Machines will be controlled by voice, electric cars will be driving

themselves automatically.

Pollution will be reduced because of alternative energy (hydrogen-based

fuels, solar, wind).

House of the future

People expected to be helped more and more by robots with household

chores (cleaning, cooking).

People will have more time to dedicate to personal life/ enjoying activities.

They will become less physically active, more dependent on machines. Health and healthcare

By 2030, cures for cancer, HIV and other incurable diseases will have been

discovered.

Surgery will be done with more precision by robots

Stem cells will be used on a large scale for the reconstruction of organs

and transplants. Communication

There will be a continued revolution in communication in ways impossible

to imagine

The interactions between man and machine will be closer than ever.

Social networks will keep growing, helping people to connect more easily

with each other.

Video conferences and holograms will be available everywhere.

People will be more stressed and more dependent on technology.

Environment

In 2030 people will use other means of transportation that are less

polluting (electric cars, flying).

All products will be bio-degradable.

The technologies used in manufacturing will be more eco-friendly.

Alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind will be used

extensively.

Reactions to future scientific and technological innovations in selected areas

Homes and living

All participants and especially women reacted positively to this scenario.

They seemed to be surprised and delighted with the robot that would help

them live more comfortably.

The scenario is credible and not overly surprising – they believed that

technology will evolve making robots part of family life.

Positive aspects: cleaning the house, resource efficiency, online shopping

and delivery of goods and the storage of all activities that happened at

home in their absence.

Negative aspects: all data is saved on the company’s server and their

privacy may be violated, relying on a robot to make decisions for them or

select the products to buy.


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Health and healthcare Reactions to this scenario were mixed. On the one hand they thought it

was useful and beneficial for people’s health, on the other hand some

feared the scenario gave too much control over their lives.

Positive aspects: quick interaction with the doctor (all), the home test with

rapid results (all) and the data analysed by researchers (younger targets).

Older participants did not trust the patch, while most of the younger ones

thought it could be a convenient solution to prevent illnesses.

Negative aspects: purchasing over-the-counter genetic tests (not

trustworthy), biochip controlling their health and accessing personal

information to be used by interest groups (older).

Communication (Ubiquitous communication and interaction) Reactions to this scenario were mostly negative, especially from people

with higher education. Although positive aspects were mentioned as well

(safety, ease of communication and fun, virtual interaction), the persistent

feeling of control dominated feedback towards this scenario.

Positive aspects: holographic communication (younger), traffic cameras

and GPS tracking to witness accidents and to identify criminals, supporting

the idea of safety, but also payment of insurance based on drivers’

historical behaviour.

Negative aspects: holographic communication (older), monitoring and

tracking of individuals in traffic/ groups (including facial recognition in

stores), stores’ suggestions or gifts recommendations on social networks.

Environment First reactions to this scenario were unanimously positive; all thought this

was an ideal scenario for the future.

Positive aspects: almost all of them, particularly living in suburbs,

renewable energy, recycling waste, finding innovative ways to eliminate

CO2 from the atmosphere, preserving water and the environment in

general.

Negative/ unclear aspects: A few did not trust constructions made from

waste. None of the participants understood the proposed changes in

agriculture. Opinions towards feeding micro-organisms with CO2 were

viewed suspiciously because participants could not predict how this would

affect life in the oceans. Trapping CO2 inside the Earth seemed like a good

idea, but the effects of this technology are unknown and people regarded

it with reservation.


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A. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY

Objectives

The aim of this qualitative study was to get a better understanding of European

opinion on the subject of innovations brought about by science and technology in

society. More precisely, its main objective was to explore reactions to some

specific innovations that might be a part of everyday life for citizens in Europe in

15 years’ time in four different areas.

Four areas/scenarios were tested:

The house of the future (Homes and living),

Health and healthcare,

Communications (Ubiquitous communication and interaction),

The environment.

Methodology and sampling

Fieldwork consisted of a series of 6 focus groups, each approximately two hour

and a half in length, conducted in each of the following 16 Member States:

France, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands,

Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, United Kingdom and the Czech

Republic.

Participant profile The table below presents the composition of groups:

Group Description

1 18-34 years old who finished their education between 17 and 22

2 20-34 years old who finished their education between 20 and 25

3 35-64 years old who finished their education before 18

4 35-64 years old who finished their education before 18

5 35-64 years old who finished their education after 18

6 35-64 years old who finished their education after 18

The detailed participant profiles and group composition, as well as details on the

fieldwork dates are described in the technical report.

National context

The Romanian economy has been at a standstill in recent years and public

funding for research and development of science/ technology has decreased.

Nevertheless, the IT sector is performing very well because of specific programs/

conditions offered to IT companies (tax reductions, support for investments) and

Romania now has the highest number of IT specialists per capita in Europe.


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I. GENERAL PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS

This chapter focuses on the participants’ general view on scientific and

technological innovations in order to get an overall grasp of their opinion on this

subject. Firstly, what ideas, feelings and associations come to their mind

when thinking about these innovations? What positive and negative aspects

do they tend to associate with innovations brought about by science and

technology? Secondly, looking back on recent years, which innovations do

they think have had the most impact on society and why? What changes

did these scientific and technological innovations bring?

1.1 General associations linked to the notion of scientific innovation

‘Scientific and technological innovation’ was spontaneously associated with

positive aspects related to:

Specific examples which demonstrate innovation: gadgets, electronics and

household appliances, phones, the Internet, alarm systems, computers, IT.

The broader concept of evolution: future, progress, resourcefulness, vision,

innovative spirit, intelligence, idea, history, performance, discovery,

exploration, advancement, research.

“It makes life easier, less time wasted. All these modern

technologies are a great benefit, to get anything in the shortest

time possible.” (Romania, group 4)

But it was also associated with regret because of the perceived slow pace that

characterises Romania in this field. Innovation seemed to be an attribute which

better characterizes the developed countries and one which is not sufficiently

acknowledged and applied in Romania.

When prompted for specific words with positive connotations that come to mind

when they hear ‘scientific and technological innovation’, participants thought of:

An easier life, comfort, improvement of the quality of life, having more

time for oneself and personal development.

Knowledge and rapid access to information.

Social welfare, saving lives, prolonging life expectancy.

“It depends on how we use what we invent. If we exploit it in our

favour, it’s beneficial, but if we try to abuse it, it could bring out

the worse of it and it won’t be useful anymore.” (Romania, group

3)

People also discussed the possible negative outcomes of scientific and

technological innovation:

Addiction to technology leading to isolation and difficulties in distinguishing

actual reality from virtual reality.

Sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity for both adults and children.


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“And childhood passes, children nowadays don’t have a normal

childhood. They just sit in front of the computer … they don’t go

outside to play, they don’t draw pictures on the sidewalk like we

use to do when we were kids.” (Romania, group 1)

Less interest among children in school education due to digital activities.

Changes in social interactions; people now communicate differently, less

by face-to-face and more by online interaction. Younger generations were

perceived by older people to be more individualistic and aggressive, which

was often seen to be related to insufficient direct social interaction among

young children (through games, time spent together playing outside).

Fear of being exposed to out-of-control experiments such as viruses,

dangerous chemical substances, development of new weapons and

weapons of mass destruction.

A constant feeling of exposure and uncertainty related to personal data

and security of information (bank transactions, identity theft, the newly

introduced ‘health card’ that contains personal background information).

“I want to say that in computer science, all this technology can

have a negative side, identity or data theft.” (Romania, group 2)

Pollution, radiation, toxicity.

“Pollution is a great problem. Any progress in science requires

resources that are limited.” (Romania, group 2)

Fear of losing identity and becoming ‘less human’ because of the close

relationship between humans and machines.

Personal feeling unable to adapt and keep up with the new inventions.


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1.2 The most important scientific and technological innovations observed over recent years

Among the most significant scientific and technological innovations observed over

recent years, participants mentioned

IT

Smartphones, new gadgets, GPS systems, cameras, tablets

and advanced computers. They were believed to be significant

because they have changed the way people interact, work and learn.

Positive associations were related to rapid access to information, more

accessible communication with people in other parts of the world,

extension of social networks and work productivity. Negative

associations included people being over-reliant on these devices and

becoming lazier or addicted as a result.

“Smartphones… in the subway everyone is with their phone, no

one talks to anybody about problems they have at home”

(Romania, group 1)

“Technology makes the brain lazier. It does the thinking for us.”

(Romania, group 5)

“Smartphones […] they offer us access to superior information.

Now we have Internet access everywhere. Anyone can go online

and search for anything.” (Romania, group 2)

“Another negative effect of computers, laptops, Internet, from a

social perspective for the new generations that are coming - they

spend too much time on the Internet, I’ve noticed that with us too;

instead of going out, we talk on Facebook, on social networks and

we waste essential things in life” (Romania, group 2)

“Last week there was a blackout at our place, it was a disaster

without technology. We spent 40 minutes of quality family time.

We had a chance to talk and it was great for our family!” (Romania,

group 5)

Health/medical treatment

New and better-performing medical tests, the invention of artificial

blood, recent discoveries in stem cell treatments, intensive efforts to

treat cancer, developments in surgery, microscopy and forensic

medicine. Generally, all inventions made in health/ medical

treatments prompted positive associations because nowadays people

have more opportunities to get better and live longer. On the other

hand, participants felt that people do not have equal chances to

benefit from such treatments due to financial barriers or the

unavailability of some of the new technologies in Romania. There were

also some scientific achievements that were perceived unfavourably,

such as cloning or genetic modification of organisms.

“The Japanese are still researching the perfect formula to replace

blood. I know because I’ve been watching this, but it’s not

completed yet, and regarding cancer… to discover some formula

that can cure this disease, the disease of the century… many


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people died, money and a lot of other things are being invested in

this.” (Romania, group 4)

“Medicine has come a long way, offering solutions for people with

different problems… heart surgery on foetuses inside of the

mother… that’s fantastic! 4D ultrasound sees everything, if the

heart is proportioned properly, if veins exit correctly… it’s

extraordinary, you don’t have to wait anxiously until the baby is

born to see if it is all right.” (Romania, group 6)

Education/knowledge

Laptops and advanced computers, smartphones and Internet.

All these devices have changed the way people learn. Education is

now a continuous process and lifelong learning is made possible by

new supporting technologies which provide rapid access to

information. Negative associations were linked to dependency,

physical inactivity and the decreasing tendency of children to learn

proactively - they are now more likely to use their memory less, some

can’t even write by hand. The amount of information is also seen as

too vast and the selection of “good” or correct information is difficult.

“I think it’s a good thing because we have access to information

anywhere, at any time, anyhow. To read a book you just have to

download it online, maybe some books aren’t available in stock and

you have to study. The more information, the better. “(Romania,

group 2)

“The number of Olympic students has decreased, there are not as

many as when we used pencil and paper to make calculus.”

(Romania, group 3)

“I think about those who live in remote villages, and have to walk

many km to reach school, and walk through forests during winter

time and it can be dangerous. It would be helpful if they had this

pad and could get courses online if they can’t reach school.”

(Romania, group 6)

Living conditions/housing

Advanced TV sets (LCD, LED, curved displays), household

appliances (smarter, more compact), PVC windows. These

spontaneously mentioned innovations are considered to have brought

more comfort and enjoyment in people’s living conditions. No

drawbacks were identified in relation to them.

“Household appliances have made my life easier. My children are

now grown up and they remind me of their childhood years when I

had to wash by hand because we had no washing machine… for me

it’s a success of technology.” (Romania, group 5)

Transport

Electric cars, GPS navigation system, safety measures, electric

windows, air conditioning, sophisticated equipment, sensors,

automatic driving. Transportation developments have meant

increased comfort for passengers, higher speed and improved safety

for both pedestrians and passengers. The negative aspects concerned

pollution as a result of more intensive use of cars.


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“Europe is making an effort in the business of car manufacturing,

so that we produce environmentally friendly cars.” (Romania,

group 3)

“Safety in automobile field, tests are being made for us too.

Innovation led to progress in safety domain for people. The safety

of a person, or the ones who take part in traffic, it doesn’t matter if

they are pedestrians or drivers” (Romania, group 2)

“All cars are equipped with high-tech devices, from GPS to other

things that in the past we wouldn’t even imagine they would ever

exist.” (Romania, group 3)

Work/jobs

No specific innovations were spontaneously mentioned in relation to

work/ jobs – except for the fact that nowadays people are able to do

their jobs more easily and better with the help of technology/ IT

products and services.

“Computers evolved a lot and it’s a necessity, but this has a

positive and negative side. A negative side in banking and financial

domain would be the reducing number of personnel, especially in

the back-office, cashiers will be replaced with online payment. The

good thing is that it makes life easier, the bad thing is diminishing

the number of work places. “(Romania, group 2)

“I work as an operator at the Romanian Post Office. Before

everything was done manually, but now we have computers. Work

is now minimum effort.” (Romania, group 3)

“Storing information without the need for files… It’s very good.”

(Romania, group 6)

Environmental protection

No specific innovations were spontaneously mentioned in relation to

environmental protection.

Energy

Solar panels and wind energy were brought up in discussion as

being efficient alternatives to traditional sources of energy. These

sources were considered advanced techniques for dealing with scarce

resources, but not used widely currently because they are expensive

and (possibly) because governments do not have any financial

interest in making them available on a large scale.

“You’ve seen the solar panels, they’re great, as long as you are

heating your thermal agent and water, they can provide the

comfort you need… it costs more… but again it’s advanced

technology.” (Romania, group 5)

Personal data

Bank cards, extensive use of ATMs and digitalisation of

information were spontaneously identified as being important

changes in the way personal data is used. These aspects have two

sides: positive (because it is easier to carry out transactions or to

access money) and negative (because of data security and privacy

issues, and the impact of viruses etc).


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“You spend too much time there and people are slowly starting to

trust social networks and it’s not a good thing, we give information

that can be used against us.” (Romania, group 1)

“You can be anywhere in the country and receive your salary, you

can make payments from home, like from an account. For me, not

having a credit card is like not having a cell-phone.” (Romania,

group 2)

“Maybe we all received these health cards. I think it’s stupid. If

data theft can be done in any IT domain, I think that a company

like National Healthcare House can be hacked at any time. I heard

that on those health cards they will put everything about your

background since you were born.” (Romania, group 2)


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II. SPONTANEOUS PROJECTIONS ON TOMORROWS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS

This chapter focuses on participants’ spontaneous predictions about the scientific

and technological innovations that could be part of daily life in 2030, which

changes are seen as beneficial and those seen as more negative or undesirable.

Finally, it looks at the scientific innovations in four selected areas:

How living at home will be different in the future;

how people will take care of their health;

how people will interact with each other and with machines;

and how people will protect the environment in 2030.

2.1 The scientific innovations expected to be part of peoples’ daily life in 2030 and their possible impact

In 15 years’ time, participants imagined that most of the transportation will be

done with flying cars in a world filled with high rise buildings, where cash does

not exist, all shopping will be done online and there will be robots to take care of

all household chores

“Traffic would be easier with suspended lanes, trams will be

renewed in Bucharest... In 15 years everything will be electronic.”

(Romania, group 3)

“Robotics has a bright future and is progressing rapidly.” (Romania,

group 5)

“It won’t be necessary to go to the bank anymore for cash,

everything will be online.” (Romania, group 6)

Also, natural food will be difficult to find and people’s nutrition will be based on

pills and substitutes. Machines will be controlled by voice, electric cars will drive

themselves automatically and pollution will be reduced because of alternative

energy (hydrogen-based fuels, solar, wind).

“The only thing that can revolutionize is hydrogen-based fuel, it

doesn’t pollute, and any vehicle can use it.” (Romania, group 5)

“We will probably end up like in Star Trek, when everything

seemed strange back then and now it seems ordinary.” (Romania,

group 5)

In the ideal scenario, people will live longer because by then the cure for cancer

will have been found, they will be less tired because they will have machines to

do most of their jobs, they will get from one place to another more rapidly due to

higher speed of transportation, their lives will be healthier and safer.

“We will be able to go to Moscow for our lunch break and then

come back to work.” (Romania, group 3)


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On the other hand, they feared that the abuse of technology will result in the loss

of the human spirit, invasion of privacy and loss of purpose – what will people do

if all their jobs will be taken over by machines, how will they make money, what

will be their purpose and meaning?

“I will be then 55 years old and technology will be so advanced

that there won’t be any more jobs for people […] Everyone is

thinking of automated industrial lines, but what about the human

element, what will we do with it, how will people get paid to buy

stuff?” (Romania, group 3)

“If we had to tie knots on a ladder, and 100 individuals had to

make these knots, a single machine could do the work, so we

excluded 100 individuals from the processing line.” (Romania,

group 5)

The negative vision of the future predicts a world with more pollution, less forests

and contaminated water – global warming will have reached the highest point in

history. In this world, people will be exposed to human-created viruses and

natural diseases, they will be dependent on drugs, will suffer from stress, and will

not have access to natural food any more. Wars and conflicts will dominate a

world fighting for resources.

“I am concerned about one thing, scientists are playing God with

different experiments […] Viruses. Different micro-organisms which

you can’t see… but which can get out of control. I appreciate these

scientists a lot. […] But if the virus escapes or someone lets it loose,

the impact that it will have counts, you can’t know what will

happen. You can know 99% but the remaining 1 % can be

devastating.” (Romania, group 5)

2.2 Expected innovations in selected areas

Homes and living

In this area, people expected to be helped more and more by robots with

household chores (cleaning, cooking). They believe their homes will become more

comfortable, they will use advanced technology to improve their living space,

while having more time for themselves and their families (i.e. working out,

travelling), being exposed to less stress and fatigue.

The negative aspects of this scenario would be that people will become more

sedentary and they will become dependent on machines, not knowing how to deal

with small tasks without the help of robots.

Health and healthcare

In the ideal scenario, all people will benefit from new, well-equipped hospitals and

free advanced treatments. The healthcare system will be centralized, so they will

no longer have to spend their time between different doctors. By 2030, cures for

cancer, HIV and other incurable diseases will have been discovered, surgery will

be performed with more precision by robots and stem cells will be used on a large

scale for the reconstruction of organs and transplants. The downside of using

robots in medicine for surgery is that they may break down and cause accidents.


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Also, older people fear that medicine will be used against them for the purpose of

population reduction.

“We are afraid that medicine will be used in population control and

reducing it. Already our planet can’t sustain our population and the

issue is being discussed, what will we do when we are unable to

live?” (Romania, group 3)

Communication

It was widely felt that communications was an area with great potential to grow

innovation. Some believed that interactions between man and machine will be

closer than ever, that social networks will develop, helping people to connect

more easily with many other people and that video conferences and holograms

will be available everywhere. The danger of this scenario consists in people being

connected all the time, making them more stressed and more dependent on

technology.

“You won’t realize the passing of time, you will always be plugged

in, always connected...” (Romania, group 2)

“I think computers will be so advanced that it will be possible to

read someone’s thoughts, you won’t have the right to intimacy

anymore.” (Romania, group 3)

Environment

Participants believed that in the future people will be more preoccupied with the

environment and will become more aware that if we want to last longer on the

planet, we need to make some profound changes. In 2030 people will use other

means of transportation that are less polluting (electric cars, flying vehicles), all

products will be bio-degradable, the technologies used in manufacturing will be

more eco-friendly and alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind will

be used extensively.

The worst case scenario was considered to be the one where things stay the

same and people continue to go about their activities at the same pace without

consideration for the environment.


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III. REACTIONS TO FUTURE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN SELECTED AREAS

The main objective of the study was to explore reactions to some specific

innovations that might be a part of everyday life for citizens in Europe in 15

years’ time in four different areas.

The house of the future (homes and living);

Health and healthcare;

Communications (ubiquitous communication and interaction);

The environment.

A scenario related to each theme and introducing possible innovations was

presented during the focus-groups.

This chapter focuses on participants’ reactions to the four scenarios.

3.1 Homes and living

All participants and especially women reacted positively to this scenario. They

seemed to be surprised and delighted with the robot that would help them live

more comfortably.

They associated the scenario with words like: sci-fi, convenience, practicality,

usefulness, interest, evolution, ideal, no worries, relaxation, ‘life like in the

movies’.

Most thought the scenario was interesting because it is very innovative; Pra does

almost everything a human should do but often does not have time to do properly.

It is also useful and convenient because people will have everything they need at

their disposal and it is safe because everything is programmed and the system

will surely have mechanisms to avoid accidents. The automatic functions will

guarantee people to more time for themselves and their family.

“I would use it because I would spend more time with my child, I

would dedicate more time to my child.” (Romania, group 5)

Assessment of the scenario

Most of the participants believed that this scenario is realistic because robots

already exist in countries like Japan, China and Dubai, but at the moment they

are not as advanced as the one presented in the scenario.

“They made a movie with the Planet of the apes, and the ape was

doing chores around the house, the idea is not new.” (Romania,

group 4)

They mentioned spontaneously that they liked the aspects related to cleaning the

house, resource efficiency, online shopping and delivery of goods and the

recording and storage of all activities that happened at home in their absence.

The emotional benefits of this scenario consist of eliminating the stress linked to

household responsibilities and the feeling of being pampered and indulged.


16

“You don’t worry anymore, everything is programmed. No more

worries. You can live 100 years without worries.” (Romania, group

4)

Some participants did not like the fact that all the data is saved on the company’s

server and that their privacy may be violated by hackers or by the company itself.

A couple of older respondents mentioned that they would like to do the shopping

themselves because they enjoy this activity and they would not rely on a robot to

make decisions for them or choose the products to buy. That is because they

believed their needs are unpredictable. A few also argued that they would like to

do household chores by themselves because they like it and they also would not

like the robot to provide an update of what happened at home in their absence

because this would take away some of the communication they have with their

family, discussing what happened during the day.

“As long as you are part of a data base, at any time that data base

can be violated.” (Romania, group 2)

“And a house full of equipment, isn’t it hazardous to live in it?”

(Romania, group 4)

Participants felt that this scenario will be embraced by the majority of people,

especially the younger population and women. Older people were more

conservative and argued that this scenario would not be part of their lives, but

rather their children’s lives. Some participants believed that the robot’s price will

be a very important barrier for it becoming mainstream. Many felt that religion

will oppose this kind of technology, as it does in the case of most innovations.

“I think yes… the younger generation… they will use it, we have a

different style. […] The younger generations accept these kinds of

changes.” (Romania, group 4)

Assessment of the innovations contained in the scenario

Participants were not really surprised about the aspects described in the scenario

because they were aware of the existence of robots and they believed that

technology will evolve, making robots more advanced than they are at present.

Most were familiar with the existence of robots, solar panels, online payments,

filter windows and receiving daily information with the aid of machines. What was

really a surprise for them however was the control of electric energy and the

supermarket drone which delivers goods to people’s homes.

The innovations described in this scenario were considered to be generally useful,

especially the assistance in cleaning the house, organising the schedule and

online shopping because all these have the potential to make people’s lives easier.

The least useful aspect seemed to be the one related to information (i.e. weather)

because it is not new and they can do this on other devices at the moment: TV,

radio or Internet.

“Free time, I want to say that technology reduces the time you

spend completing necessary activities and it results in having more

time for yourself.” (Romania, group 5)


17

Some participants were afraid that the robot may break down or turn against the

human being. Older participants believed that young people will be completely

dependent on the robot and if it broke down, they would not know how to deal

with household responsibilities by themselves. People with young children feared

for the safety of their children near the robot. All participants were concerned

with their data being stored online, making them vulnerable with regard to the

security of information.

“Losing the sense of being human. I wouldn’t like it if a robot does

everything I am supposed to do, and I just sit in bed all day.”

(Romania, group 1)

“You have a list and go to the supermarket… what does it do:

brings me the products without me checking and looking at them?”

(Romania, group 4)

The options for making this scenario more acceptable would be to store all the

information and settings on the internal hardware of the robot.

Overall ranking of the innovations contained in the scenario

Personal assistant (planning, personal messages, weather

forecast…)

Most people were open to the idea of a personal assistant to help them live a

more stress-free life, but did not find the planning, personal messages and

weather forecast particularly relevant for their needs because they can do this

already with the help of other devices.

“I would love someone to clean for me and bring me tea in bed”

(Romania, group 1)

Personalized assistance in performing 'household chores'

(cleaning of the house…)

This aspect received high praise from all groups because it gave the participants

the feeling of really being helped to enjoy more time doing what they like or

spending more time with their loved ones without worrying too much about

household responsibilities that currently take a lot of their personal time.

Keeps a complete memory/ recording of home events

Most of the participants showed interest in this function because it lets them

know if anything is wrong with their home (i.e. if a pipe broke down, there is a

fire or someone broke into their home). It would have been more interesting if

the robot could send them notifications in case of an emergency.

All data stored by the Robot in his memory is kept online on the

company’s data servers (in case it breaks down)

This aspect was evaluated negatively because of the risk of their privacy being at

risk – they would not like anyone to see what happens in the privacy of their

home.

“All data are held online on the company’s server. I wouldn’t like it

if someone could enter the server and see what you have been

doing.” (Romania, group 1)


18

“You have the right to a private life, to intimacy, and this is

different from hiding or not hiding things. That’s how I feel […] I

know I’m being monitored, but the robot I purchased for my own

comfort should not do this.” (Romania, group 5)

Smart fridge that warns you when you run out of food

Younger people were more open to this idea, but older people felt this function is

useless because their needs change every day and a smart fridge could not

possibly guess what they would like to eat or if they really need what is missing

from the fridge. Also, the idea of letting the robot make decisions and making

payments with their credit card is not welcomed – they would not let decisions

about their finances be taken over by a robot.

“The refrigerator can’t always tell you what you need. My wife

makes soup today, tomorrow she makes it again… but the soup is

not the same. At that time maybe I will prefer more or less salt,

this robot Pra doesn’t really know what my tastes are.” (Romania,

group 4)

Home delivery of goods by drones

Older participants were more in favour of this idea because it would spare them

the effort of carrying all the goods home. Younger participants like the shopping

experience and would like to choose the products to buy personally; they would

not trust the store to make decisions for them.

“If I like cooking, I also like grocery shopping, I prefer to do it

myself” (Romania, group 1)

Filter windows that automatically darken to block excess sunlight

Even though many liked this idea, all stated that it is not new and that it exists

already.

Smart meters connected to a smart power grid (power company

monitors your exact electricity consumption; example: charges you

less for consumption during off-peak times…)

All participants were in favour of this because it would help them pay less for

energy.

Alternative scientific innovations

In the future, people would like all household appliances to be wireless (to

eliminate unsightly cables from their homes) and more compact to fit their space

better.


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3.2 Health and healthcare

First impressions/ general feelings towards the scenario

People had mixed feelings with regard to this scenario. On the one hand they

thought it was useful and beneficial for people’s health, but others feared the

scenario gave authorities too much control over their lives.

First associations with the scenario related to words like: health, prevention, aid,

necessity, safety, usefulness, accessibility, but also with words with negative

connotations: control, violating personal data, not-credible.

“More advantageous. Easier, more accessible.” (Romania, group 3)

Prevention was one of the most frequently mentioned words because, in the

participants’ view, people in Romania do not show enough concern for prevention

and usually go to the doctor when it is too late. Also, this scenario was highly

praised as beneficial because people felt they were being cared for and they were

helped to identify and eliminate health risks.

“I would like men and women not to arrive too late at the doctor’s

office. <<My neighbour took something and it doesn’t hurt

anymore>>, we all do the same, we still do the same thing our

neighbour does… and traditional medicine. A friend told me to have

a routine check 1-2 times a year, I got there too late. We neglect

our health.” (Romania, group 3)

Older targets showed a more reserved opinion about this scenario and tended to

reject aspects linked to the biochip and controlling the population’s data because

they feared their health may be affected by people who have access to their

personal information.


This scenario was considered to be very realistic, as some of the aspects

described are similar or already exist in the present. The least credible part was

the one about the store’s involvement in recommending healthy foods to be

consumed by people at risk – participants did not believe that a store would ever

promote goods that are not in its commercial interest to sell.

The most favourably evaluated aspects involved the quick interaction with the

doctor (all), the home test with rapid results (all) and the data analysed by

researchers (younger targets). Older participants did not trust the patch, while

most of the younger ones thought it could be a convenient solution to prevent

illnesses. Although participants did not consider the idea of the supermarket

giving dietary advice very credible, they liked it and thought it could work to their

advantage.

“For me the video doctor is not new, in other countries you go

online and search if you need advice and tests taken it takes you to

the specific site and it tells you to call the doctor online.” (Romania,

group 6)


20

One of the points which almost all participants disliked was purchasing over-the-

counter genetic tests because people do not trust buying a health-related device

from just any type of store. A pharmacist would have provided more credibility to

the product and also more competence in case a customer needs additional

advice on how the product works.

Religion was mentioned as a top barrier to making this scenario available for

everyone. Even today, the Orthodox Church is putting pressure to eliminate

electronic health cards from use, claiming the microchip contains the ‘666’ devil

number (the same as for the biometric passport). Other barriers in making this

scenario available to everyone could be, in the participants’ opinion, the high cost

of stem-cell treatments and the feeling of privacy invasion with biochips

monitoring and personal data saved online.

“Like they did with these health cards, when they showed on TV

some nuns who refused to take them.” (Romania, group 3)


The scenario is credible and most of the participants are not surprised by the

innovations described.

They were already familiar with elements like: identity biochip, health cards, stem

cells and verifying glycaemia with quick tests.

“From a medical point of view, in the past if you wanted to check

your blood pressure or blood sugar, you had to go to the hospital,

but now there are devices that can be purchased at the pharmacy

and do those tests at home” (Romania, group 2)

What was a novelty to them was notifying the supermarket, video calls with the

physician and the idea of a biochip that constantly monitors the health condition.

Participants believed that most of the innovations described in the scenario are

extremely useful because they help people prevent and monitor their illnesses

without effort – i.e. the idea of a biochip, rapid contact with the doctor, tests

conducted at home, but some older participants felt that the biochip will be

exercising an undesirable control and intrusion in their privacy, producing a fear

of control, but also fear of finding out what are their health risks and of becoming

obsessed with fear of dying of a particular disease.

“Maybe I want to give someone a gift and I have a lot of friends or

maybe I’m going to a party or I buy too many alcoholic beverages.

Would they notify me then?” (Romania, group 1)

“And I spend all my time thinking that I’m predisposed to some

disease […] Sometimes is better not to know than thinking what

could trigger disease.” (Romania, group 3)

The existence of a biochip that knows everything about people and stores data in

a national health register was unacceptable to some older participants and was

rejected on the spot, it would not become less frightening for them under any

circumstances.


21

“Many health related risks […] Having this chip […] That is the

purpose. If it’s implemented it can destroy you.” (Romania, group

6)


('Over the counter') Genetic tests

The idea of genetic tests was familiar and was considered to be useful for the

prevention of health problems but opinions about selling them in an OTC system

were split: some found it very convenient, others would not trust a health product

bought in regular commercial stores, without being accompanied by the

recommendation of a pharmacist.

“I don’t have the information in a supermarket, there you can only

read the description, and those tests should be monitored and not

be available to everyone. I don’t say they’re not good, they’re

welcome, but not in supermarkets. They should be in a pharmacy.”

(Romania, group 3)

Dietary advice for disease prevention

This aspect was understood as beneficial because it would help people get advice

on nutrition and thus prevent disease and reshape their behaviour, but it was not

credible that a supermarket would give such recommendations without following

its commercial interests.

“I hard for me to think that a shop wants to prevent me from

buying more…” (Romania, group 3)

(Wearable) biochips for health monitoring and diagnosis

Younger participants were less resistant to the idea of this device for prevention

and monitoring their health condition, but older participants were more reluctant

due to fears related to data security and invasion of privacy.

Centralised Health data records (‘National health record’) (which can

be accessed only by the patient and his/her doctor); this health data can

furthermore be used anonymously by researchers for medicine

development

Some people were against this practice out of fear of becoming ‘guinea pigs’ for

pharmaceutical companies that may have an interest in accessing their data,

while others were completely open to sharing their details with researchers who

might use their statistical data to find cures for serious diseases.

Medical consultations made at your home: Doctor

consults/counsels you at your home ('tele medicine')

Although not totally new (because patients and doctors currently communicate by

phone), this element of the scenario received positive assessments. What was

indeed new and exciting for the participants was the transmission in real-time of

test results to the doctor. More traditionalist participants tended not to completely

trust quick tests and believed that only a complete physical/ blood exam could

offer 100% sure results.

“A direct link to your doctor, you get your results at home, no more

wasting time in clinics.” (Romania, group 3)


22

Stem cell therapy (for organ repair)

Most people were favourable to this type of therapy, but many had doubts about

its efficiency since research in this field has just begun to develop. The major

drawback of this new generation of treatment was believed to be the cost

because nowadays it is very expensive and its efficiency is not entirely proven. Alternative scientific innovations

Full body scans that could identify all health problems, developing drugs that do

not harm the other organs when treating a condition (i.e. liver, kidneys), finding

the cure for cancer, advanced solutions for people with disabilities, 100%

sterilization, detection of incurable diseases of unborn children, finding an

infallible cure for alcoholism – all these were spontaneously mentioned as ideal

innovations for the future in terms of health and healthcare.


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3.3 Ubiquitous communication and interaction


Reactions to this scenario were generally negative, especially from people with a

higher level of education. Although positive aspects were mentioned as well, the

feeling of control dominated feedback towards this scenario.

The first associations mentioned tended to focus on continuous monitoring and

control (Big Brother theme) and lack of privacy. More positive associations also

came out in the groups: safety, ease of communication and fun, virtual

interaction.

The predominant aspect of monitoring created a negative feeling of bring tracked

and controlled, never alone and potentially abused, while the second most

discussed theme – ease of communication – made participants feel more

connected to the world, closer to people anywhere in the world.


The scenario was evaluated as very realistic because part of the innovations

described already exist in one form or another and, taking into consideration the

rapid progress of technology in the communication field, participants believe that

future developments will be even more astonishing.

Younger people particularly liked the holographic communication because it would

make them feel closer to friends and family who are away. But the older

participants were scared of holographic communication, feeling that it is either

useless or intrusive for them. Other aspects evaluated as positive were linked to

traffic cameras and GPS tracking to witness accidents and to identify criminals,

supporting the idea of safety, but also payment of insurance based on drivers’

historical behaviour.

“The person you are talking to maybe it’s someone dear to you,

and you can’t reach him/her.” (Romania, group 2)

“If holographic interpretation of facial expressions would be

possible, it would be great, so that the person you are talking to

can see the state of emotion you are in… you can’t say <<I love

you>> while doing something else.” (Romania, group 2)

Most people rejected monitoring and tracking of individuals in traffic or groups

(including facial recognition in stores), considering that control is acceptable on a

macro scale, but not at individual level. Participants did not necessarily like

suggestions or gift recommendations coming from stores on social networks,

thinking that this would take the surprise element away from human interaction.

“Then they will know everything about us, they can even recognize

from your face what preferences you have?!” (Romania, group 5)

Participants believed that this type of change will happen with or without

acceptance from the majority of people, for instance phone calls are already

tapped and stored for six months even though people do not agree.

“I’m not ready for this yet, maybe my son is, I’m not.” (Romania,

group 5)


24


The scientific and technological innovations described were not surprising for the

participants because all the elements described are inspired from films (i.e. Star

Trek) and even from present-day reality.

The most familiar aspects were: GPS connection, traffic/ supermarket/ public

place monitoring, smart watches, 3D projections and video calls. Holograms stood

out as more surprising than the other innovations described, but the idea is not

new.

Some of the aspects described were considered to be useful, some were not. For

instance, holograms were perceived as useful for younger participants, while

older participants viewed them as a form of entertainment, a whim or even scary

compared to normal video calls. Traffic monitoring was evaluated as useful for

capturing criminals or redirecting traffic by all participants, while facial recognition

and store messages or recommendations were considered to be the least useful

innovations.

“It’s something normal for some and something scary for others.

For someone with health problems, knowing that your child in USA

and then you see him next to you.” (Romania, group 3)

Facial recognition and the possibility for anyone to be tracked on a small scale

level was a subject of concern for all the groups.

“I agree with real-time information exchange, but not with

precision camera satellites that can tell precisely where a person is.

It helps in some way, but it’s not helpful for regular people.”

(Romania, group 2)

In order to be more acceptable, monitoring should remain at a wider, more

collective level and individual monitoring should be done only in the case of

criminals.


Ubiquitous tracking of machines and people with satellites,

trackers and cameras

Higher education participants were against omnipresent tracking, while the others

focused on the benefits of tracking (safety, catching criminals). The arguments

for rejection were in related to control and loss of privacy.

(Facial) recognition technology

For participants, this aspect was acceptable only to help authorities find criminals.

But in the context of shopping, facial recognition technology was perceived as

both sinister and useless.


25

Collection of data on personal preferences used by companies

This was not believed to be very useful. A few people were interested because it

would help them save time on finding sales and goods to fit their needs.

“Another negative aspect would be associating your account with

your profile on a social network so that the shop can recommend

products that you can buy. It’s stupid. It’s my friend’s birthday,

maybe she likes those products, or maybe she doesn’t want to

receive something she can buy herself, something she can see

online all the time. There is no more surprise in it […] we should be

able to choose a gift, not just pick one suggested by the computer.”

(Romania, group 2)

Virtual reality:

at home; holographic calling

Younger participants embraced this idea, hoping that holograms will make

communication more authentic, but older participants rejected it for being useless

or unnatural.

“You will end up having virtual life sexual experiences … not feeling,

not seeing, not hearing, only brain impulses. Jogging virtually,

eating virtually, living virtually… I don’t know…” (Romania, group

5)

in education (virtual courses)

Virtual reality in the field of communication generated unanimous positive

evaluations regardless of age. People believed this innovation has the potential to

make education more interactive and engaging for children, raising their attention

level and attracting them into learning.

“There are courses which are online, only read the texts and

nothing else... If it were in holographic format, I think it would be

more interactive, you could probably ask questions, not just read

texts.” (Romania, group 2)

at work (virtual meetings with colleagues)

At work, virtual reality seems to simplify the connection between people and save

time, but some older participants could not find the added benefit compared to

video calling of colleagues.

in public places (virtual information stands)

Information stands already exist, but are not used by the population because

they are not sufficiently interesting or easy to use. Most participants agreed that

interactive holograms would attract people to use them and, thus, become more

informed.

“I would like to see a holographic police officer directing traffic.”

(Romania, group 2)


Because this area of innovation is very unpredictable and moves rapidly,

participants could not come up with specific ideas for possible future innovations

that they would find acceptable. It was hard for them to identify a need that is

not currently met.


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3.4 Environment


First reactions to this scenario were unanimously positive, all thought this was an

ideal scenario for the future – ‘too good to be true’.

They associated this scenario with recycling, environment protection, resource

efficiency, durable developments, valuing natural resources and modernity. The

most powerful associations were in regard to durable development and safety

(cleaner environment, safer environment for humankind).

“This scenario would reduce pollution and then we would have life

security, we would live longer, live healthier and less expensive

lives.” (Romania, group 4)


This scenario already exists on a smaller scale in more developed countries,

which is why it seemed realistic to all the participants – idealistic, but credible.

People believed that Romania is far from making this scenario come true, but

Western European countries have a high potential of transforming this scenario

into reality by 2030.

“At this moment all these things exist, but not for regular people,

they don’t have houses like that. The technology is developed but

not implemented.” (Romania, group 2)

In their opinion, all that is needed is people to be educated in the spirit of ecology,

to understand that Earth’s resources should be cherished and rationalized and

then motivated to implement changes.

Participants liked most of the elements of the scenario, particularly living in

suburbs, renewable energy, recycling waste, finding innovative ways to eliminate

CO2 from the atmosphere, preserving water and the environment in general.

“Buildings are constructed mostly out of recycled materials, out of

the demolition of other building. I like the idea, it sounds

interesting. I’ve heard about this, crushing concrete from old

buildings to reuse it, they say it’s better because there won’t be

any more trucks to dump concrete blocks in the fields.” (Romania,

group 4)

“I see environmental protection. It’s known that CO2 is bad and

destroys oxygen….I see good in this.” (Romania, group 6)

A few did not trust constructions made from waste, thinking they would not be

solid enough, but were also reluctant about the idea of transforming

contaminated water into drinking water. None of the participants understood the

proposed changes in agriculture and what would happen to farmers when new

technologies were introduced. Also, attitudes towards feeding micro-organisms

with CO2 were viewed suspiciously because participants could not predict how this

would affect life in the oceans. Trapping CO2 inside the Earth seemed like a good

idea, but again, the effects of this technology are unknown and people regarded it

with reservation.


27

“If I want to build a house, I wouldn’t agree to having it built out of

recycled materials.” (Romania, group 2)

Out of viable alternatives, the majority of people would have to accept this

scenario because it is the only way life on Earth could endure. In the participants’

view, people need to be motivated to implement changes (either positively

through incentives or negatively through penalties if they do not comply with

environmental rules). Each country’s government would need to adapt legislation

and decide a viable strategy for the implementation of these rules.

“Educating the population. Currently there are lots of things that

are thrown away and that could be recycled: plastic, glass, paper.”

(Romania, group 6)

Barriers towards making this scenario happen consist in people’s low education in

ecological practices such as recycling, but most importantly, the absence of legal

norms or non-adherence to them by companies and people.


The participants were not surprised by the innovations described in the scenario

because most of the practices and technologies already exist, even in Romania.

“Waste sorting has been practiced for many years, it has been tried

in Bucharest as well, but few people really do it.” (Romania, group

2)

The elements identified as new were linked to the technologies for eliminating

CO2 from the atmosphere and the satellite agriculture - neither one fully

understood. All the elements described in the scenario were evaluated as having

high potential for being useful to life on Earth and societal development in

general; none were assessed as unacceptable or frightening.


(Most energy is derived from) renewable energy like solar panels

and wind farms

The idea was positively received, but a couple of participants expressed concerns

about the fact that this type of energy is not enough to support all the activities

of the planet and traditional sources of energy are still needed.

“You can’t produce 100% just from solar and wind power alone,

you need something else too. It’s a good idea, but it can’t be self-

sustaining.” (Romania, group 2)

Energy efficiency: energy efficient homes and cities

Even though the investment price today for the implementation of efficient

houses was considered to be very high, people hoped that in the future this will

change with these technologies becoming more widely available. This aspect of

the scenario received only positive evaluations.

Recycling of materials and natural resources

(building/construction materials, water…)

A few participants showed some concerns about building with recycled materials

that could affect the durability of the building, but other than that, all the

assessments were positive.


28

Recycling of waste

This idea received only positive feedback – this is already done, but not as much

as it should be.

Conversion of waste into value‐added by-products (ex.

Biorefineries turning agricultural residues into plastic and fuel)

This idea received only positive feedback – eliminating waste constructively and

in a smart way.

New farming management practices in agriculture (minimum

inputs/monitoring of crops and cattle with high‐resolution

satellites and sensors)

Participants did not understand this aspect and its utility.

“I don’t understand a thing about these satellites and a herd of

cows… Let’s say you have 1000 cows and one cow goes nuts...

What does the satellite do? Maybe the satellite can do something

else, this year is good for grains…maybe plant it there.” (Romania,

group 4)

Geo‐engineering:

Underground CO2 storage

Opinions were mixed. Although it seemed like a good innovation, most people

had doubts first about the collection of CO2 from the atmosphere and second

about what would happen to this gas once it is stored inside the Earth – is there

any danger of explosion, earthquake, what if the Earth surface cracks and the gas

is eliminated massively?

“How to gather CO2?! It’s weird. […] How can you gather gas? It’s

not like you can use a broom for this.” (Romania, group 4)

Carbon Ocean fertilisation

Participants proved sceptical about this element of the scenario because they

could not have imagined what impact this would have on the eco-system in

general – would some species be affected, isn’t it toxic for living organisms?

“If the fauna isn’t destroyed or the ecosystem, then it’s good.”

(Romania, group 6)


Other than the scientific and technological innovations described in the scenario,

people would like the future to bring less dependence on polluting fuels, more

advanced technologies to filter the air and, of course, a more educated society

that would value and protect natural resources.


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IV. CONCLUSION After the discussion session, people felt more confident that the future can bring

favourable changes, but the success of the changes would depend on how people

will manage their resources and how they will understand change – in a

constructive or destructive manner.

“It got better, it was an interesting discussion, pleasant, useful.”

(Romania, group 4)

Positive feedback was seen from participants with regard to:

A more comfortable life (better living conditions, receiving help in

domestic areas).

More time for themselves.

Prevention and rapid communication in detecting and monitoring life-

threatening diseases.

The hope that something can be done about the environment, that not all

is lost.

Some negative feelings towards the future came out when discussing about:

Biochips.

Ubiquitous monitoring.

“During this discussion I thought that thing I saw in movies can

become reality. It strengthened my beliefs now.” (Romania, group

5)

public opinion on future innovations, science and...

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