Movement-based and tangible interactions to offer body awareness to children with autism

Abstract

Children with autism have sensory processing disorders impairing their ability of having awareness of their body and movementsso theyfrequently exhibit "atypical" body-interactions they useas "compensatory movements". In this paper, we explore how tangible computing could offer to children with autism the body awareness they need during sensory therapies. We describe the design and development of Sensory Paint, a system that enables children with autism to control a multisensory environment using body-based and tangible interactions. Sensory Paint displays the shadow of the user to provide "biofeedback," monitors users' "atypical movements" to adjust the instrumental music playing in the background, and tracks users' interactions with balls to change colors. Sensory Paint uses the kinect sensor and computer vision techniques for recognizing user interactions. The results of a performance evaluation of the use of SensoryPaint with 10 users shows SensoryPaint is accurate, easy to use, fun, and engaging. © Springer International Publishing 2013.