Wearable technology can change the lives of autistic people if they create it.

PRI GEN INT .EDINBURGH FGN10 AUTISM-TECHNOLOGY WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY CAN CHANGE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM IF THEY ARE INVOLVED IN DESIGN By Lauren Giles-Walker, PhD Researcher/Assistant Lecturer, University of the West of Scotland and Naeem Ramzan, Professor, University of the West of Scotland Edinburgh (UK), August 7 (The Discussion) ) Many autistic people have difficulty expressing their emotions. This can lead to increased anxiety, depression, anger and physical health problems. Studies show that adults with autism are more likely to experience depression than their peers. Imagine a future where technology can help people control their emotions and warn them before they become overwhelmed. A growing number of technology solutions aimed at helping people manage their emotions are being developed for people with autism. And some autistic people are adapting technology like digital heart rate monitors to monitor their stress levels. Many studies have used wearable technology such as smart watches, virtual reality (VR) or brain-computer interface (BCI) to help autistic people manage their emotions. BCIs are a direct link between the brain’s electrical activity and an external device, typically a computer or robotic hand. Talking to the Community Before our research, however, no one asked the autistic community for their opinion on how useful the technology was. Poor usability is a long-term problem for autistic users of this technology because developers lack awareness of their needs. A recent study found that only 10 percent of wearable technologies for autistic people address their needs, while 90 percent see deficits that require correcting autistic behaviors. Our recent research explored the autistic community’s perceptions of any technology they have previously used to manage their emotions and their perceptions of what they want from technology. 34 individuals with autism and their partners (family, health and social care professionals and college staff) participated in focus groups. We have provided information on how to use emotional control technology. For example, smartwatches that recognize signs of physiological stress and prompt users to initiate coping techniques. We found that the autistic community was very interested in using technology to help them manage their emotions, but it was often expensive, difficult to use without training, and not tailored to their needs. Our focus group results showed that wearable technologies can be especially useful for autistic people if they are involved in the design process. A Life with Autism participant shared how her daughter overcomes emotional challenges: She looks absolutely beautiful and is behaving perfectly. Unless otherwise. She hides it well, stress and everything we don’t get a clue! Sometimes the leak can lead to a big explosion. Meanwhile, care workers spoke of how important it is to understand how autistic people feel: You want to step in before the behavior starts. Before it gets worse. We can go in early to provide a calming, distracting distraction. It’s an outing for other people. Give them their own place. Another care worker said: We know there might be a pattern, but we can’t see it. The participants told us that technology can make all the difference. An autistic relative said: I want something he can control, tell people what he feels. Something app somehow interacts with color so it chooses an image that expresses the mood and people know without it being a big song and dance. Some autistic participants felt that there was a lack of support for people with high IQs. One told us: You almost feel like you are walking between two worlds. You are not very serious. So you’re probably not at that point on the spectrum where you need a lot of support. Help Me, Don’t Fix Me Most research about autism is based on outdated theories, such as the idea that medical conditions can be cured or cured. Recent discoveries in the neurodiversity movement have called for autism research to focus on empowering autistic people and their unique communication styles rather than trying to fix them. Autistic participants agreed that technology designs should promote independence rather than trying to hide autism. Many participants were reluctant to use technology, especially in community care settings, because they lacked confidence in their ability to use the technology. Other barriers include cost or lack of understanding of existing technology. Our study results emphasize the importance of strategies that take into account individual life goals. Although large sums of money are being spent on developing new technologies, researchers and healthcare organizations alike have not considered how to implement them in practice. As one autistic person said: If you’re going to do something for someone, ask them what they want. Don’t just spew something and go here is what I did. The amount of paper where people say they’ve done something for people with learning disabilities. Have you ever been tempted? Have you ever used it with anyone?” Technology companies need to create their products alongside the autistic community. Products should aim to adapt the environment to individual needs rather than trying to change the person. Autism is simply a different way of looking at it. This new approach not only helps to develop useful technology-based support strategies, but also for everyone. It helps to create an environment for people (the discussion) PY PY 08071010 NNNN

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