title: A physiologically informed virtual reality based social communication system for individuals with autism.
abstract: Clinical applications of advanced technology may hold promise for addressing impairments associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This project evaluated the application of a novel physiologically responsive virtual reality based technological system for conversation skills in a group of adolescents with ASD. The system altered components of conversation based on (1) performance alone or (2) the composite effect of performance and physiological metrics of predicted engagement (e.g., gaze pattern, pupil dilation, blink rate). Participants showed improved performance and looking pattern within the physiologically sensitive system as compared to the performance based system. This suggests that physiologically informed technologies may have the potential of being an effective tool in the hands of interventionists.
authors.affiliation: Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, India, uttamalahiri@iitgn.ac.in.
authors.forename: Uttama
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lahiri
authors.forename: Esubalew
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bekele
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dohrmann
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Nilanjan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sarkar
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003142:Communication; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012919:Social Behavior; D063367:Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy / Q000379:methods*