A brief review: assistive technology and autism, a proposal for virtual tools for improved communication and emotional recognition

Autism is a condition that affects over one percent of the population, and is a condition that has varying degrees of severity. There currently exist various therapies to help people with autism communicate effectively. As a result some researchers and schools have expanded this provision by creating virtual tools to assist the communication process and allow a greater level of independence and generalization. Therefore, this brief paper aims to present a review of literature surrounding assistive technology, augmentative and alternative communication and autism, and how these fields of knowledge can be better understood to help develop virtual tools – more specifically a virtual world

Using virtual reality with autistic pupils

In the guide Nigel explores the two main options for VR-HMD; HTC Vive and cardboard VR with a smartphone/device. Focussing on the cardboard VR option, he then offers some guidance on using this technology with autistic pupils and recommends some content for both cardboard and HTC Vive VR devices.Nigel outlines advantages and disadvantages of both options, before focussing on the cardboard VR-HMD and offering guidance on how to set it up and use it with pupils. He also outlines apps and content to use with both the cardboard and HTC Vive options

Virtual reality tour: Experiences of autistic children

We worked with 11 autistic children in a school setting. The age ranged from 10-14 with a mean age of 12.4. Of the 12 children invited to take part, eleven (11) completed the process. The process comprised five parts:1. Answering questions related to their experiences of visiting museums/cultural spaces (2-3 mins.). 2. They had the chance to experience a museum tour using a VR 360-degree app (using cardboardgoogles) (5-10 mins.).3. Completed follow up questions about their experience of the VR app (2-3 mins.).4. 4 days later visited the same museum in real life (4 hours).5. The next day completed a post museum visit questionnaire related to their experiences (5 mins).At all points the participants were checked for any signs of ‘cyber-sickness’ or negative effects (feeling unwell, eye strain, etc..) when using the VR app. Teachers helped to ask the questions and performed the post- questionnaire survey. The following questions are reduced/condensed versions of the questions / questionnaire administered

The potential of virtual reality technologies to support people with an autism condition: A case study of acceptance, presence and negative effects

There has been much potential and discussion about the application of virtual reality technologies (VRTs) using head-mounted displays (HMDs) for users with autism However, very few, if any studies, have yet to explore and investigate the acceptance, presence and ecological validity of these platforms. On the other hand, literature is well developed in areas such as virtual environments [18], virtual worlds [9], [19] and virtual reality [20], but few have considered the resurgence in head-mounted displays for autistic users. Many of the affordances associated with VEs and VWs may be applied HMDs and VRTs and so are also seen a potential opportunity for people with autism to tackle challenges faced on a daily basis. We present findings from a study conducted in the United States that worked with a HMD (Oculus Rift) and 29 participants with an autism condition. We ran the experiment in two phases. Phase I considered acceptance of this wearable technology; looking at issues of sensitivity. Phase II consider sense of presence, immersion, ecological validity and negative effects [16]. Concluding with pre- and post- anxiety measurements [17]. The paper will discuss the quantitative findings of the study

Brief report: A pilot study of the use of a virtual reality headset in autism populations

The application of virtual reality technologies (VRTs) for users with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been studied for decades. However, a gap remains in our understanding surrounding VRT head-mounted displays (HMDs). As newly designed HMDs have become commercially available (in this study the Oculus Rift™) the need to investigate newer devices is immediate. This study explored willingness, acceptance, sense of presence and immersion of ASD participants. Results revealed that all 29 participants (mean age=32; 33% with IQ< 70) were willing to wear the HMD. The majority of the participants reported an enjoyable experience, high levels of ‘presence’, and were likely to use HMDs again. IQ was found to be independent of the willingness to use HMDs and related VRT immersion experience

Virtual reality in pediatric psychology

Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Virtual reality (VR) technologies allow for controlled simulations of affectively engaging background narratives. These virtual environments offer promise for enhancing emotionally relevant experiences and social interactions. Within this context, VR can allow instructors, therapists, neuropsychologists, and service providers to offer safe, repeatable, and diversifiable interventions that can benefit assessments and learning in both typically developing children and children with disabilities. Research has also pointed to VR's capacity to reduce children's experience of aversive stimuli and reduce anxiety levels. Although there are a number of purported advantages of VR technologies, challenges have emerged. One challenge for this field of study is the lack of consensus on how to do trials. A related issue is the need for establishing the psychometric properties of VR assessments and interventions. This review investigates the advantages and challenges inherent in the application of VR technologies to pediatric assessments and interventions

Exploring communication and representation of the self in a virtual world by young people with autism

One of the key benefits that a virtual world can provide to their users and community is the ability to communicate (via text and audio) and to express emotions (via gestures, facial expressions, etc.) on an interpersonal level. Virtual worlds provide contexts that allow users to interact in a variety of ways, and to express themselves through their individually designed avatars. Virtual environments and collaborative virtual environments have therefore been used in several studies with the aim of helping people with autism to interact, to communicate and to understand social skills. This thesis examines the work of others within the domain of virtual environments and autism, in an effort to understand debates and experiments that have led to some successful outcomes in helping people with autism to interact in a safe and secure environment. The conclusions of the research have been derived through a case study and by embedding a virtual world (Second Life) into a classroom for children on the autism spectrum. The case study group of autism participants consisted of eight 15 to 16 year olds, with 15 typically developing participants between 18 and 21 years of age. The case study lasted over eight sessions and three months, although the researcher was involved with the school for 12 months (to help with virtual world set up and design; designing in-world sessions). During the sessions social tasks were devised (e.g. visiting a coffee shop, fun fair rides, restaurant), with several opportunities for the participants to use the space as they desired.This thesis is offered as an original and substantial contribution to the fields of knowledge of assistive technology, autism and information and communication technology, focusing specifically on the role that a virtual world can play in a classroom for children on the autism spectrum. More specifically, this thesis explores social communication patterns in virtual worlds, visual representation of self through an avatar, and appropriateness of communication interactions in a virtual world used by young people on the autism spectrum. Visual representation of self is discussed by comparison to the typically developing group.Several main areas of innovation are detailed in the research: firstly, the finding that avatar representation for users with autism seems to be led by the body rather than the face; secondly, that the fidelity of the avatar seems to hold limited relevance for this user group; and thirdly, that communication in virtual worlds is expressed almost entirely though text chat and in a way that tends to lend itself to some inappropriate comments, although these tended to be far less than appropriate conversations recorded in the current study.The original and substantial contribution to knowledge of this thesis is an addition to our understanding of ways in which users with autism interact and represent themselves in a virtual world. Future scholars will be able to build on this, to consider the role that avatar customisation and design play in virtual-world interaction for users with autism. In addition, scholars in the fields of interaction will be able to take several findings associated with computer-mediated communication and apply to design related subjects; especially with emerging fields such as touch screen devices. Implications for avatar-mediated interfaces could also be informed by the findings presented in this thesis, especially the role of 3D and 2D avatars for users with autism. Moreover, this thesis presents original findings on preference for communication play in a virtual world that could impact on the role gestures, facial features and text communication in interactive interfaces