Madeline Balaam

Papers

Total Citations

137

H-Index

About

Madeline Balaam is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of human-computer interaction, feminist technology design, and somaesthetics. Her work fundamentally challenges how we design technologies that touch, interact with, and shape human bodies and experiences. Balaam is best known for introducing **Feminist Human-Robot Interaction** (2023, 103 citations), a landmark paper that applies feminist theories to HRI, arguing for more ethical, inclusive, and critically aware robotics practice. She also leads innovative work in **soma design** and **intimate technologies**, exemplified by the **Pelvic Chair** (2022, 27 citations)—a soft robotic chair designed to gently touch the outer pelvic floor, helping users develop bodily awareness of this often-ignored muscle group. Her most recent work, "Towards Robot and Technologies that Touch Well" (2024, 7 citations), establishes an experience-driven design paradigm for social and haptic technologies that can touch humans in meaningful, wellbeing-oriented ways. Balaam’s contributions are reshaping how we think about technology’s relationship with the body, moving beyond functional interaction toward deeply felt, ethical, and embodied experiences. Her research has significant implications for healthcare, assistive technologies, and the future of human-robot touch.