Emily Stark

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Emily Stark is a pioneering voice at the intersection of ethics, sensory technology, and human-robot interaction. Her primary research focuses on the underexplored domain of robotic olfaction—the automation of smell—and the profound ethical implications it raises. In her influential 2018 opinion piece, "Odorveillance and the Ethics of Robotic Olfaction," Stark argues that while olfaction has one of the lowest "data rates" among the five traditional senses, it remains the least understood and least developed for automation. She introduces the concept of "odorveillance," warning that the ability to detect, analyze, and digitize scent could lead to unprecedented forms of surveillance and privacy invasion. Though her work has garnered modest citation counts (3 citations), its conceptual novelty and ethical foresight have sparked critical conversations in robotics and philosophy. Stark’s contributions are notable for challenging the field to consider not just what technology can do, but what it should do, making her a vital thinker for students and researchers exploring the social consequences of emerging sensory technologies.