AGXStarseed
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(Not written by me)
The app, created by a team at the University of Buffalo, tracks eye movement to determine if a child is showing signs of austim spectrum disorder
Wenyao Xu (left), University at Buffalo assistant professor of computer science and engineering, and undergraduate Kun Woo Cho (right), show a smartphone with the autism tracking software they are developing
Early detection of autism in children could be improved by a new app that tracks eye movement to determine potential signs of the condition.
app aimed at early detection of autism alongside her research advisor Wanyao Xu, an assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering. The app tracks eye movement to determine, in less than a minute, if a child is showing signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
It's believed that one-to-two people per 1,000 worldwide are diagnosed with ASD. The aim of the app is to allow parents at home to check if they believe their child does have autism.
“This can allow families to seek therapy sooner, and improve the benefits of treatment," said Xu.
The app works by tracking the eye movements of a child looking at pictures of social scenes, such as images of multiple people. The eye movements of someone with ASD are often different from those of a person without autism.
Cho and the team at University of Buffalo carried out a study of the app, monitoring 32 children, ranging in age from two to ten. Half of the children involved with the study had previously been diagnosed with autism in accordance with American Psychiatric Association diagnostic criteria.
It was found that photos of social scenes evoked the most dramatic differences in eye movement between children with and without ASD. The eye-tracking patterns of children with ASD looking at the photos were more scattered compared to the eye patterns of children without ASD.
The app had an accuracy rating of 93.96 per cent in the first study, which was presented at the flagship Wireless Health Conference this year.
"We still don't have a completely objective measure to diagnose ASD," said Michelle Hartley-McAndrew, MD, co-author of the study and clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and neurology at University of Buffalo. "The diagnosis is based on expert judgment. There are tests considered the 'gold standards,' but they still are somewhat subjective," she said.
A further study will see the app used by 300-400 children. Hartley-McAndrew is positive about the app, as parents could use it at home to determine if there is a need for clinical examination. “The technology crosses cultural lines and language is not a barrier. [And] nowadays, most people have a smartphone,” she said.
Dr Judith Brown, head of knowledge and expertise at the National Autistic Society told WIRED that parents should be cautious about using an app such as this without large-scale research.
“Once we have further research about eye movement in relation to autism and how it can be analysed using smartphones, it is possible that this technology could be used as a screening tool or contribute to the necessarily multi-faceted diagnostic process,” she said.
“However, the possibility of developing a single and universal diagnostic test, such as an app on a smartphone, for such a varied condition is extremely unlikely.”
“It’s crucial to remember that autism is a complex condition, which affects each person in a different way. A diagnosis involves a thorough assessment with different specialised clinical professionals who assess communication and behaviour patterns. There is no tool which can diagnose someone in place of this assessment,” Dr Brown added.
SOURCE: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/app-wants-to-detect-autism
The app, created by a team at the University of Buffalo, tracks eye movement to determine if a child is showing signs of austim spectrum disorder
Wenyao Xu (left), University at Buffalo assistant professor of computer science and engineering, and undergraduate Kun Woo Cho (right), show a smartphone with the autism tracking software they are developing
Early detection of autism in children could be improved by a new app that tracks eye movement to determine potential signs of the condition.
app aimed at early detection of autism alongside her research advisor Wanyao Xu, an assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering. The app tracks eye movement to determine, in less than a minute, if a child is showing signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
It's believed that one-to-two people per 1,000 worldwide are diagnosed with ASD. The aim of the app is to allow parents at home to check if they believe their child does have autism.
“This can allow families to seek therapy sooner, and improve the benefits of treatment," said Xu.
The app works by tracking the eye movements of a child looking at pictures of social scenes, such as images of multiple people. The eye movements of someone with ASD are often different from those of a person without autism.
Cho and the team at University of Buffalo carried out a study of the app, monitoring 32 children, ranging in age from two to ten. Half of the children involved with the study had previously been diagnosed with autism in accordance with American Psychiatric Association diagnostic criteria.
It was found that photos of social scenes evoked the most dramatic differences in eye movement between children with and without ASD. The eye-tracking patterns of children with ASD looking at the photos were more scattered compared to the eye patterns of children without ASD.
The app had an accuracy rating of 93.96 per cent in the first study, which was presented at the flagship Wireless Health Conference this year.
"We still don't have a completely objective measure to diagnose ASD," said Michelle Hartley-McAndrew, MD, co-author of the study and clinical assistant professor of pediatrics and neurology at University of Buffalo. "The diagnosis is based on expert judgment. There are tests considered the 'gold standards,' but they still are somewhat subjective," she said.
A further study will see the app used by 300-400 children. Hartley-McAndrew is positive about the app, as parents could use it at home to determine if there is a need for clinical examination. “The technology crosses cultural lines and language is not a barrier. [And] nowadays, most people have a smartphone,” she said.
Dr Judith Brown, head of knowledge and expertise at the National Autistic Society told WIRED that parents should be cautious about using an app such as this without large-scale research.
“Once we have further research about eye movement in relation to autism and how it can be analysed using smartphones, it is possible that this technology could be used as a screening tool or contribute to the necessarily multi-faceted diagnostic process,” she said.
“However, the possibility of developing a single and universal diagnostic test, such as an app on a smartphone, for such a varied condition is extremely unlikely.”
“It’s crucial to remember that autism is a complex condition, which affects each person in a different way. A diagnosis involves a thorough assessment with different specialised clinical professionals who assess communication and behaviour patterns. There is no tool which can diagnose someone in place of this assessment,” Dr Brown added.
SOURCE: http://www.wired.co.uk/article/app-wants-to-detect-autism
