Designing Interactive Technology to Support Children with Autism

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the design of interactive technologies to support the development of greetings, peer socialization, and daily life skills in autistic children. Collaboration with professional therapists and families is integral to ensure that the designed technological tools align with practical needs and undergo effectiveness evaluations. The research content includes 1) wearable masks for training autistic children in social greetings, 2) tabletop augmented reality technology to aid therapists in training children in audience socialization, and 3) tabletop interactivity to assist autistic children in learning daily activities such as making beds and dressing. The findings of those studies are expected to provide substantial guidance for developing interactive technologies that support social interaction and daily life skills development in children with autism. By using three different technologies, my doctoral research will provide a deep understanding of how interactive technologies can benefit the development of autistic children in diverse areas.