Enhancing Synchrony in Autism: Introducing the MirrorPods-Intervention Platform

Descripción del proyecto

Transformar el tratamiento del autismo mediante una interacción innovadora

El autismo es un trastorno del neurodesarrollo que afecta a millones de personas en todo el mundo y repercute en la calidad de vida de las personas y sus familias. Supone una carga económica enorme para los sistemas sanitarios y educativos, y se prevé que los costes aumenten junto con el incremento de las tasas de diagnóstico. Se necesitan tratamientos eficaces para abordar aspectos del autismo que se pasan por alto, en particular la sincronía temporal (alineación de acciones, comportamientos o lenguaje a lo largo del tiempo). En este contexto, el equipo del proyecto AUTISMsync, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, presenta una plataforma de intervención llamada MirrorPods diseñada para díadas de niños autistas y padres. Gracias a una tecnología sofisticada y a la interacción con la vida real, la plataforma fomenta los movimientos coordinados mediante una respuesta sensorial gratificante. Al centrarse en la sincronía temporal, en AUTISMsync se transforman las intervenciones conductuales y las tecnologías de asistencia para el autismo, lo que establece nuevas normas asistenciales.

Objetivo

Autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting millions globally, severely impacts the quality of life of individuals diagnosed with this lifelong condition, and that of their families. It imposes an immense financial burden on health and educational systems, projected to grow alongside increasing diagnosis and prevalence rates. The magnitude of this crisis calls for more effective therapies that incorporate a nuanced, contemporary understanding of autism. Recent research and therapies point to a core deficit of autism that has, by and large, been overlooked in existing clinical protocols and assistive technologies (AT): temporal synchrony. Temporal synchrony refers to the harmonious alignment of actions, behaviors or language over time. AUTISMsync introduces a pioneering intervention platform, the MirrorPods, that targets temporal synchrony. The MirrorPods combine sophisticated technology with real-life human interaction and are tailored for autistic child-parent dyads. The dyad, on opposite sides of a transparent touch sensor, produce synthesized sound through hand movements. Using closed-loop sensory feedback, the sounds become more rewarding as the users movements become more coordinated. The reward scheme is optimized to each users difficulty level, to best promote improvement. AUTISMsync aims to explore the innovation potential through extensive user engagement and development. The management plan includes establishing a private HealthTech startup with long term plans for future commercialization. This multidisciplinary venture aims to deliver a cost-effective, scientifically supported product, poised to transform the landscape of behavioral interventions and AT for autism. Under the management of a leadership team renowned for their expertise and dedication, the MirrorPods which blend interactive technology, personalization, and direct human interaction pave the way for setting a new standard for care and support within the autism community.