ETHICAGE: Ethical Implementation of AI-driven Home Cage Monitoring in Animal Research

Monitoring the welfare of animals is an essential part of animal research, both for scientific and ethical reasons. To support this, artificial intelligence (AI) and automated monitoring systems, particularly home cage monitoring technologies (HCMTs), are increasingly being developed and implemented in animal research. Such systems enable the continuous, non-invasive, and objective monitoring of laboratory animals, offering potential benefits for reproducibility, scientific validity, and animal welfare.

Despite their growing adoption, the ethical implications of these technologies remain largely unexplored. HCMTs are often framed as 3Rs (Replace, Reduce, Refine) approaches, yet broader ethical dimensions, including the implications of AI-supported decision-making for professionals, human-animal relationships, transparency, accountability, and oversight, remain insufficiently addressed.

The ETHICAGE project investigates the ethics of automated welfare monitoring in animal research, combining normative analysis with qualitative empirical investigation of animal research professionals’ perspectives. By integrating normative and empirical insights, ETHICAGE aims to inform the ethical implementation of HCMTs and AI in animal research, support animal welfare, and contribute to scientific rigor.