Principle 2: CLIENT AND EMPLOYER

Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer, consistent with the public interest. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:

2.01. Provide service in their areas of competence, being honest and forthright about any limitations of their experience and education.

In the innovation of the device we didn't have that much biological knowledge in this domain. After the research we found out this concept as the solution and then we got assistance from the relevant parties who are specialized in the envenomation. Therefore as to our knowledge and experience in information technology we contributed to automate this venom detection task. So as a whole we are responsible for any consequences which come from the device. But we are totally abide to any side effects or malfunctions of the device and software. We believe the medical data and formulas we have used are actually very correct. Based on that we have ended up with this outcome as the prototype.

2.04. Ensure that any document upon which they rely has been approved, when required, by someone authorized to approve it.

As we said before the device we have now is just a prototype which we believe should be improved more for real time use. But the extent to which it works now is accepted as the solution. So it is a must that the device is approved by the authorized persons such as venomous specialists and other responsible associations before it is used.

2.05. Keep private any confidential information gained in their professional work, where such confidentiality is consistent with the public interest and consistent with the law.

In the research process we gathered some information from the patients, from the families whose family member was found envenomed from a snake bit and observed in the interested fields where the probability of happening snake bites is high. Also the other possible fields where snake bites are reported was analyzed. Afterwards we realizes that this is a serious problem in a small domain where only specific group of people are attacked and these snake bites are still being considered as a common neglected problem since mostly people with low income have become the victims.

2.07. Identify, document, and report significant issues of social concern, of which they are aware, in software or related documents, to the employer or the client.

Some of the identified social concerns at listed below.

1.   Prior tests before use of the venom detector.

Firstly we can do some chemical calculations for each venom sample then record the constant measure of identification of the venom.  When we test in the laboratory, we can make use of this test for all blood categories to ensure that the after fusion of each venom and each blood type the venom identification still works fine and correct. In the same way we have to test for all other scenarios to ensure that the device works fine in all that scenarios or to find out any constraints with respect to the context. In real we can collect a blood sample from the person envenomed and then filter out the venom and test it with the device for the identification of the venom.

2.   So in the documentation of the problem domain we have the gathered information regarding snake bites, number of reported snake bites per year, in which places or areas the snake bites have occurred, how many people have died and why haven’t they taken steps against this issue.

3.   In the experimental process we happened to gather venom samples with the minimum harm for the snakes. Reports include the data about venom samples and the experiments conducted using them to overcome this social matter.

2.09. Promote no interest adverse to their employer or client, unless a higher ethical concern is being compromised; in that case, inform the employer or another appropriate authority of the ethical concern.

The biggest ethical issue as I was describing so far was collecting venoms. Therefore we have to compromise this issue as it would raise a lot of complaints from organization for animal rights. In this case the method we followed was measuring the long term benefits for both. We had a special concern on the snakes which we used to contribute to the project. We had no intention harming them since we thought that the device will give long term benefit for both human and snakes. Now you understand the benefit for human. As you know doctors request to bring the snake which bites the person if possible since it helps them to identify snake and remedy the person with correct anti-venoms as soon as possible. So people may attempt to bring the snake somehow. Hence now it’s obvious it’s hard to catch the snake alive. So the people may try to kill it and bring it to the hospital thinking that keeping it alive will put some other human in danger. Here comes the solution to that problem. When people know that there is a device which can recognize the snake, they won’t attempt to kill the snakes. In this way it will save the rest of the snakes from becoming a victim of human due to snake bites.