{"ID":5937121,"CreatedAt":"2026-07-07T03:14:33.014478982Z","UpdatedAt":"2026-07-09T12:08:14.305007556Z","DeletedAt":null,"paper_url":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.04981","arxiv_id":"2607.04981","title":"Designing Touch for Trauma-Informed Social Robots: A Design Space for Direct and Indirect Actuation","abstract":"Touch is a fundamental communication modality in human-robot interaction and may support grounding, emotional regulation, and stress reduction in therapeutic contexts. However, designing touch-based interactions for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requires careful consideration of trauma-informed care (TIC) principles, including safety, transparency, autonomy, and trigger avoidance. This paper investigates how touch actuation in social robots can be designed to align with trauma-informed care. We distinguish between direct touch, involving physical contact between a user and a robot, and indirect touch, mediated through artifacts such as wearables or smart textiles. Building on this distinction, we propose a design space comprising three dimensions: Actuation Modality, Objective of the Actuation, and Intended Effect of the Actuation. We analyze these dimensions through the lens of trauma-informed care and derive key design considerations for touch-based interventions. The resulting approach provides a conceptual foundation for developing trauma-sensitive social robots that support individuals with PTSD through touch-based interactions.","short_abstract":"Touch is a fundamental communication modality in human-robot interaction and may support grounding, emotional regulation, and stress reduction in therapeutic contexts. However, designing touch-based interactions for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requires careful consideration of trauma-informed...","url_abs":"https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.04981","url_pdf":"https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.04981v1","authors":"[\"Madeleine Rischer\",\"Benedikt Bußmann\"]","published":"2026-07-06T12:17:40Z","proceeding":"cs.RO","tasks":"[\"cs.RO\"]","methods":"[]","has_code":false}