While the modification of products by their purchasers is not a new phenomenon, the increasing digitization of consumer products, and the availability of online resources and public code repositories may be opening the door to a greater scope of modifications. This literature review and analysis paper is significant as the first known effort to address the unique factors that apply to decisions on a so-called “right to modify,” distinguished from ongoing discussions and legislative action on the “right to repair.” Through (...) review and analysis of legal, technical, and user acceptance considerations, applied to the example of artificial intelligence-enabled robotic systems, this paper demonstrates a pressing need for policy which distinguishes between repair and modification and reflects the risks and opportunities of each. (shrink)

The authors review the criteria for loading tests for buildings and structural elements contained in building codes and find a lack of uniformity. Specifications of six major codes are presented in table form. Factors to be considered in formulating loading test specifications and in assessing structural adequacy are presented, using a philosophy that is in closer harmony with ultimate strength design compared to that contained in allowable stress design.