I first wrote down a list of different behaviors one could form as a result of trauma, specifically the behaviors I was interested in and could potentially identify with:
Controlling
Workaholic
Being attracted to dangerous situations
Ending up in abusive situations
Memory loss/denial
Scared/Anxious
Addictive Behaviors
For each of those behaviors, I started sketching different ideas for my child robots. I tried to come up with 2-4 ideas per behavior with different methods of communication, such as textual, movement, and verbal.
My personal favorite shows the idea that the the abused becomes the abuser. There is a hand mark on the robot’s eye and the robot’s hand is hitting the ground over and over again to show that he’s only repeating the trauma that happened to him. Another robot is addicted to dangerous behaviors because he feels so numb, so he’ll do anything to get closer to a glass of water. Emotionally isolated robots may do anything to move away and avoid you.
Below is a workaholic robot who will move away from people to do more work. The computations it spits out will reveal clues of traumatic memories- such as “have to work- can’t get distracted.” In any other context, that statement might not mean so much. In the context of abuse, statements like those can be heartbreaking and speak volumes of how one deals with trauma.
Below is a memory robot who will erase different parts of her memory that is logged. Her interaction is a form of editing history, denial, and a way of forming a defense against the pain that remembering would cause.
Scripts + Subtext
For every robot’s behavior, there’s a theme underneath. For example, being controlling could be a response to having none in a traumatic situation. I first listed out the different themes/subtext of each interaction and robot.
After coming up with my behavior / subtext pairs, I started writing the different scripts for the control robot (robot that shouts orders at people) and for the workaholic. I tried to write a variety of scripts that would approach the subtext in a different way. I’m still working on it and think that the most difficult issue will be communicating trauma subtly and effectively.
Cat Schmitz 