The Application of Modeling and Simulation to the Behavioral Deficit of Autism

This abstract describes a research effort to apply technological advances in virtual reality simulation and computer-based games to create behavioral modification programs for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research investigates virtual social skills training within a 3D game environment to diminish the impact of ASD social impairments and to increase learning capacity for optimal intellectual capability. Individuals with autism will encounter prototypical social contexts via computer interface and will interact with 3D avatars with predefined roles within a game-like environment. Incremental learning objectives will combine to form a collaborative social environment. A secondary goal of the effort is to begin the research and development of virtual reality exercises aimed at triggering the release of neurotransmitters to promote critical aspects of synaptic maturation at an early age to change the course of the disease

A Virtual Conversational Agent for Teens with Autism: Experimental Results and Design Lessons

We present the design of an online social skills development interface for teenagers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The interface is intended to enable private conversation practice anywhere, anytime using a web-browser. Users converse informally with a virtual agent, receiving feedback on nonverbal cues in real-time, and summary feedback. The prototype was developed in consultation with an expert UX designer, two psychologists, and a pediatrician. Using the data from 47 individuals, feedback and dialogue generation were automated using a hidden Markov model and a schema-driven dialogue manager capable of handling multi-topic conversations. We conducted a study with nine high-functioning ASD teenagers. Through a thematic analysis of post-experiment interviews, identified several key design considerations, notably: 1) Users should be fully briefed at the outset about the purpose and limitations of the system, to avoid unrealistic expectations. 2) An interface should incorporate positive acknowledgment of behavior change. 3) Realistic appearance of a virtual agent and responsiveness are important in engaging users. 4) Conversation personalization, for instance in prompting laconic users for more input and reciprocal questions, would help the teenagers engage for longer terms and increase the system's utility

Information and communication technologies (ICT) for enhanced education of children with autism spectrum disorders

Recent developments in the area of information and communication technologies for people with special needs has led to significant changes in the way specialists and educators can address the daily impairments posed by people with abnormal behaviour, such as autism. Computer based educative methods are increasingly being considered as a key tool for educating people with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). Recent research has demonstrated that persons with autism, especially children, enjoy interacting with computers particularly as they are free from the expectations and judgments that make social interaction problematic. Virtual Environments (VEs), usually accompanied by three dimensional (3D) humanoid characters have been proven to play an essential role in special education and social interventions. Emotionally expressive avatars (a computer user’s representation of himself/ herself or alter ego), can advance the quality of tutor-learner interaction, with unobtrusive wireless sensors integrating an autistic person’s feedback and reaction. In this paper we review some developments in information and communication technology (ICT) for managing children with ASDs and also describe the approach we are taking to developing a platform to enhance and mediate the teacher-child educational process

Dissertation Abstracts

This is a list of dissertation abstracts from the field of disability studies put together by Jonathon Erlen

A Virtual Reality System for Practicing Conversation Skills for Children with Autism

We describe a virtual reality environment, Bob’s Fish Shop, which provides a system where users diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can practice social interactions in a safe and controlled environment. A case study is presented which suggests such an environment can provide the opportunity for users to build the skills necessary to carry out a conversation without the fear of negative social consequences present in the physical world. Through the repetition and analysis of these virtual interactions, users can improve social and conversational understanding

Using Augmented Reality to Elicit Pretend Play for Children with Autism.

Children with autism spectrum condition (ASC) suffer from deficits or developmental delays in symbolic thinking. In particular, they are often found lacking in pretend play during early childhood. Researchers believe that they encounter difficulty in generating and maintaining mental representation of pretense coupled with the immediate reality. We have developed an interactive system that explores the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) technology to visually conceptualize the representation of pretense within an open-ended play environment. Results from an empirical study involving children with ASC aged 4 to 7 demonstrated a significant improvement of pretend play in terms of frequency, duration and relevance using the AR system in comparison to a non computer-assisted situation. We investigated individual differences, skill transfer, system usability and limitations of the proposed AR system. We discuss design guidelines for future AR systems for children with ASC and other pervasive developmental disorders.This is the accepted manuscript. The final version is available from IEEE at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=700059

Designing an intelligent virtual agent for social communication in autism

Copyright © 2013, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved. This paper describes the Intelligent Engine (IE) of ECHOES, a serious game built for helping young children with Autism Spectrum Conditions acquire social communication skills. ECHOES IE's main component is an autonomous virtual agent that acts as a credible social partner for children with autism by engaging them in interactive learning activities. The other IE components are a user model, a drama manager and a social communication engine. We discuss how AI technology allows us to satisfy the requirements for the design of the agent and the learning activities that we identified through consultations with children and carers and a review of best practices for autism intervention. We present experimental results pertaining to the agent's effectiveness, which show encouraging improvements for a number of children

Einsatz von intelligenten virtuellen Avataren in der Therapie mit Menschen mit Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen : Eine innovative Technologie als potentielles ergotherapeutisches Therapiemittel zur Förderung von berufsrelevanten sozialen Interaktionsfertigkeiten

Darstellung des Themas: Jugendliche mit Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen (ASS) zeigen aufgrund ihrer Diagnose Einschränkungen im Bereich der sozialen Interaktionsfertigkeiten, welche besonders während dem Eintritt ins Erwachsenen- und somit Berufsleben zur Hürde werden. In der Ergotherapie fehlen entsprechende Ansätze, um Betroffene beim beruflichen Prozess zu unterstützen. Ziel: Das Ziel dieser Bachelorarbeit ist es, herauszufinden, welches Potential die junge Technologie Virtuelle Realität (VR) in Form von Avataren in der Ergotherapie bietet, um berufsrelevante soziale Interaktionsfertigkeiten von Menschen mit ASS zu fördern. Methode: Anhand einer systematischen Literaturrecherche wurden sechs Hauptstudien identifiziert, kritisch gewürdigt und für die Beantwortung der Fragestellung analysiert. Um die Relevanz der Thematik für die Ergotherapie zu evaluieren, wurde das OTPF (AOTA, 2014) in dieser themengeleiteten Arbeit eingebettet. Relevante Ergebnisse: Die Ergebnisse bestätigen das Potential der VR für die ergotherapeutische Intervention mit Menschen mit ASS. Die von den Avataren adressierten Fertigkeiten decken sich mit den erforderten sozialen Fertigkeiten aus der Arbeitswelt. Jedoch sollten bei der Implementierung in der Praxis zwingend ethische Grundsätze beachtet werden. Schlussfolgerung: Obwohl berufliche Ressourcen und Defizite von Menschen mit ASS individuell sind, gilt VR als vielversprechende Therapiemethode, da sie beliebig anpassbar und ansprechend für Betroffene ist