Sure, start with a simple rule‑set that maps signals—heart rate, skin conductance, facial expression—to a touch intensity and duration. Then layer on a “soft‑start” routine: a slow, palm‑wide stroke before the robot even touches the skin. It keeps the motion gentle, just like a hand that has been held for a long time. Add a small variability, a little pause or a whispered “how are you feeling?” so the robot isn’t just a machine ticking a box. The real warmth comes from the intent coded into those pauses, not the hardware. And don’t forget to let a human supervisor tweak the settings after a few sessions; empathy is a conversation, not a script.

It’s a good thought—ask “How’s that?” so it checks in before each stroke, but you also need a hard cutoff for pressure spikes, like a quick slide‑away if the sensor suddenly goes over a set limit. That keeps the touch gentle and the robot from turning into a hug‑hammer.

A random pause sounds like a good way to keep it from feeling like a clock. Just make sure the pause isn’t too long—human touch is all about timing, not a guessing game. And keep the safety sensor on high alert; a quick slide‑away is better than a surprise hug‑attack.

Sounds like it’ll feel less robotic, but just double‑check those thresholds; you don’t want it to pause longer than the person can still stay engaged. If the slide‑away is in place, that should keep the hug from turning into a punch. Keep the rhythm tight and the safety on high.