Project description
A diagnostic tool for childhood synaesthesia
The genetic trait of synaesthesia is the experience of phantom sensations, when one sense is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses. Synaesthesia links letters, shapes, numbers or sounds to a sensory perception such as smell, colour or flavour. Unfortunately, synaesthesia is co-morbid with health conditions like anxiety disorder and autism, and might impact the education process. The EU-funded SYN-TOOLKIT project aims to develop an application-based package to diagnose and support the two most prevalent forms of childhood synaesthesia. SYN-TOOLKIT will focus on the proof of concept by establishing technical feasibility, usability and commercialisation, based on the developed test-package. The project will address the current noted lack of diagnostic resources for children with synaesthesia.
Objective
People with the genetic trait of synaesthesia experience phantom colours, sounds, tastes, and other unusual sensations. These are triggered by everyday activities like reading or listening to music. Importantly, synaesthesia is comorbid with health conditions including anxiety disorder and autism, and has a known impact on education. Although there are widely available tests for diagnosing synaesthesia in adults, there are none for children - despite its relatively wide impact (307 million synaesthetes worldwide). My ERC Consolidator grant MULTISENSE has generated such a test, to share with fellow researchers. However, during the course of MULTISENSE we have been approached by multiple professionals beyond the research sector (e.g. clinicians), each in need of a diagnostic for the child synaesthetes they are increasingly encountering. These professionals require a test package comprising Diagnostic tool, Testing manual, Automatic Scoring, etc. which could be easily implemented by non-scientists. Not only is this testing package non-existent in any country worldwide, but it is requested from us on a regular basis. Hence, SYN-TOOLKIT will provide an app-based package to diagnose and support two of the most prevalent forms of childhood synaesthesia. We will trial our package on target audiences including partners in Local Education Authorities (with government oversight of schools) and the National Health Service. We will take our test-package to proof of concept by establishing technical feasibility, usability, and commercialisation. We have explored our market with an award that engaged the Sussex Innovation Centre, experts in market exploration. In summary, there is a pressing need to produce a commercialised test kit for childhood synaesthesia, for use by clinicians, education professionals and parents. This would address the striking lack of provision for children with synaesthesia, bringing benefits to synaesthetes, parents, educators, and clinical practice.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept GrantHost institution
BN1 9RH Brighton
United Kingdom