autism

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Developing technology for people with autism

Developing technology for people with autism

Developing technology for people with autism

Could technology help people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Cristina Costescu informs us in her passionate talk that it is not enough to have just a mobile application. People with ASD need a complete system for their therapy in order to improve. What are the necessary components of such a system?

Cristina Costescu is a PhD researcher at the University Babes-Bolyai in Romania. She is interested in developing suitable technological tools for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She worked as a psychologist in a Non-Governmental Association that provides services for children with ASD. Her main activity was in the field of developing robot assisted techniques that can help people with autism. She is now co-founder of ASSISTIVE TECH – a company that develops mobile and tablet applications for individuals with ASD.

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Autistic children may benefit from being bilingual

The benefits of being bilingual for autistic people

The benefits of being bilingual for autistic people

A new study has found that children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) may have an easier time switching between tasks if they learn a second language.

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Nearly imperceptible fluctuations in movement correspond to autism diagnoses

Nearly imperceptible fluctuations in movement correspond to autism diagnoses

Nearly imperceptible fluctuations in movement correspond to autism diagnoses

A new study led by researchers at Indiana University and Rutgers University provides the strongest evidence yet that nearly imperceptible changes in how people move can be used to diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.

The study’s results, reported Jan. 12 in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, suggest a more accurate method to diagnose autism. Current assessments depend on highly subjective criteria, such as a lack of eye movement or repetitive actions. There is no existing medical test for autism, such as a blood test or genetic screening.

“We’ve found that every person has their own unique ‘movement DNA,'” said senior author Jorge V. José, the James H. Rudy Distinguished Professor of Physics in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Physics. “The use of movement as a ‘biomarker’ for autism could represent an important leap forward in detection and treatment of the disorder.”

Read the rest of the article here.

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Animals & autism: Q&A with Dr. Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin on autism and animals

Temple Grandin on autism and animals

Dr. Temple Grandin has speaking gigs across the country, including two sold-out talks at the Weinberg Center For The Arts today, but there was a time when she could not speak. Grandin needed a speech therapist and other social instruction to be mainstreamed in kindergarten.

Since then, Grandin emerged as an expert on the humane treatment of livestock as well as her own autistic brain. She was the subject of a 2010 HBO film, and her book, “The Autistic Brain,” advocated for treatment of autistic individuals that affirms their strengths, not weaknesses.

Grandin is a true daughter of the Midwest. She frequently wears her trademark western shirt and kerchief known as a wild rag. The time she’s spent around animals, including on her grandfather’s North Dakota farm, has at times been less perplexing than the myriad of social norms that shape human interactions. But Grandin’s autistic perspective can illuminate truths that non-autistic people overlook every day. Grandin shared her view on animals and autism with 72 Hours.

Read the Q&A here.