Biology subjects

Sahin, N. T.

Publications and source records attributed to Sahin, N. T..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2017

Cool Enough for School: Second Version of Google Glass Rated by Children Facing Challenges to Social Integration as Desirable to Wear at School

BackgroundOn July 18th, 2017, X, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. announced the successor to Google Glass. Glass Enterprise Edition could function as an assistive technology for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet its acceptability, desirability, and the willingness of children with ASD to wear it, are not known. The authors review key issues surrounding smartglasses and social communication, child development, and the school environment.\n\nMethodsThe smartglasses were evaluated by eight children with ASD, who ranged from moderately non-verbal to verbal, in the context of whether they would desire to wear it and use it as an assistive device each day at their respective schools. Children represented the full range of school ages (6 - 17yrs).\n\nResultsAll eight children responded that they would want to wear and use Glass Enterprise Edition at school. Additionally, all eight parents said their child had fun during the testing session, and six of eight parents said the experience went better than they had thought.\n\nConclusionThe results show that children with ASD are willing to use Glass Enterprise Edition in a school setting, highlighting its desirability and social acceptability in this population, as well as its future potential as an assistive technology.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2017

An Augmented Reality Social Communication Aid for Children and Adults with Autism: User and caregiver report of safety and lack of negative effects.

There is growing interest in the use of augmented reality (AR) to assist children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, little investigation has been conducted into the safety of devices for AR such as smartglasses. The objective of this report was to assess the safety and negative effects of the Brain Power Autism System (BPAS), a novel AR smartglasses-based social communication aid for people with ASD. A sequential series of 18 children and adults aged 4.4 to 21.5 years (mean 12.2 years) with clinically diagnosed ASD of varying severity used the BPAS. Users and caregivers were interviewed about perceived negative effects and design concerns. Most users were able to wear and use the BPAS (n=16/18, 89%), with most of them reporting no negative effects (n=14/16, 87.5%). Two users reported temporary negative effects: eye strain, dizziness, and nasal discomfort. Caregivers observed no negative effects in users (n=16/16, 100%). Most users (77.8%) and caregivers (88.9%) had no design concerns. This report found no major negative effects in using an AR smartglasses-based social communication aid across a wide age and severity range of people with ASD. Further research is needed to explore longer-term effects of using AR smartglasses in this population.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2017

But will they even wear it? Exploring the tolerability of social communication coaching smartglasses in children and adults with autism.

IntroductionAugmented reality smartglasses are an emerging technology that are under investigation as a social communication aid for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and as a research tool to aid with digital phenotyping. Tolerability of this wearable technology in people with ASD is an important area for research, especially as these individuals may experience sensory, cognitive, and attentional challenges.\n\nAimsThe aim of this study was to assess the tolerability and usability of a novel smartglasses system that has been designed as a social communication aid for children and adults with autism (the Brain Power Autism System; BPAS). BPAS runs on Google Glass Explorer Edition and other smartglasses, utilizes both augmented reality and affective artificial intelligence, and helps users learn key social and emotional skills.\n\nMethodTwenty-one children and adults with ASD across a spectrum of severity used BPAS for a coaching session. The users tolerability to the smartglasses was determined through caregiver report, and user being able to wear the smartglasses for one-minute (initial tolerability threshold), and for the entire duration of the coaching session (whole session tolerability threshold).\n\nResultsNineteen out of 21 users (90.5%) demonstrated tolerability on all three measures. Caregivers reported 21 out of 21 users (100%) as tolerating the experience, while study staff found only 19 out of 21 users managed to demonstrate initial tolerability (90.5%). Of the 19 users who demonstrated initial tolerability, all 19 were able to use the smartglasses for the entire session (whole session tolerability threshold) (n = 19 of 19, 100%). Caregivers reported that 19 out of 21 users (90.5%) successfully used BPAS, and users surpassed their caregivers expectations in 15 of 21 cases (71.4%). Users who could communicate reported BPAS as being comfortable (94.4%).\n\nDiscussionThis preliminary report suggests that BPAS is well tolerated and usable to a diverse age- and severity-range of people with ASD. This is encouraging as these devices are being developed as assistive technologies for people with ASD. Further research should focus on improving smartglasses design and exploring their efficacy in helping with social communication in children and adults with ASD.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2017

Preliminary Report on the Impact of Smartglasses-based Behavioral and Social Communication Aid on Hyperactivity in Children and Adults with Autism.

BackgroundPeople with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience symptoms related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. One-third of ASD cases may be complicated by the presence of ADHD. Individuals with dual diagnoses face greater barriers to accessing treatment for ADHD and respond less positively to primary pharmacologic interventions. Nonpharmacologic technology-aided tools for hyperactivity and inattention in people with ASD are being developed, although research into their efficacy and safety remains limited.\n\nObjectiveThe objective of this preliminary study was to describe the changes in ADHD-related symptoms in children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD after use of the Empowered Brain system, a behavioral and social communication aid for ASD running on augmented reality smartglasses.\n\nMethodsWe recruited 8 children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD (male to female ratio of 7:1, mean age 15 years, range 11.7-20.5 years) through a Web-based research signup form. The baseline score on the hyperactivity subscale of the Aberrant Behavioral Checklist (ABC-H), a measure of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, determined their classification into a high ADHD-related symptom group (n=4, ABC-H [≥]13) and a low ADHD-related symptom group (n=4, ABC-H <13). All participants received an intervention with Empowered Brain, where they used smartglasses-based social communication and behavioral modules while interacting with their caregiver. We then calculated caregiver-reported ABC-H scores at 24 and 48 hours after the session.\n\nResultsAll 8 participants were able to complete the intervention session. Postintervention ABC-H scores were lower for most participants at 24 hours (n=6, 75%) and for all participants at 48 hours (n=8, 100%). At 24 hours after the session, average participant ABC-H scores decreased by 54.9% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 20% in the low ADHD symptom group. At 48 hours after the session, ABC-H scores compared with baseline decreased by 56.4% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 66.3% in the low ADHD symptom group.\n\nConclusionsThis study provides initial evidence for the efficacy of the Empowered Brain system in reducing ADHD-related symptoms, such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD. This digital smartglasses intervention can potentially be targeted at a broader array of mental health conditions that exhibit transdiagnostic attentional and social communication deficits, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Further research is required to understand the clinical importance of these observed changes and to conduct longitudinal studies on this intervention with larger sample sizes.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2017

Standing balance assessment using a head-mounted wearable device

Background: The presence of accelerometers in smartphones has enabled low-cost balance assessment. Smartglasses, which contain an accelerometer similar to that of smartphones, could provide a safe and engaging platform for virtual and augmented reality balance rehabilitation; however, the validity of head-mounted measurement of balance using smartglasses has not been investigated.\n\nObjective: To perform preliminary validation of a smartglasses-based balance accelerometry measure (BAM) compared with previously validated waist-based BAM.\n\nMethods: 42 healthy individuals (26 male, 16 female; mean age {+/-} SD = 23.8 {+/-} 5.2 years) participated in the study. Following the BAM protocol, each subject performed two trials of six balance stances while accelerometer and gyroscope data were recorded from smartglasses (Google Glass). Test-retest reliability and correlation were determined relative to waist-based BAM as used in the NIH Standing Balance Toolbox.\n\nResults: Balance measurements obtained using a head-mounted wearable were highly correlated with those obtained through a waist-mounted accelerometer (Spearmans rank correlation coefficient = 0.85). Test-retest reliability was high (ICC = 0.85, 95% CI 0.81-0.88), and in good agreement with waist balance measurements (ICC = 0.84, 95% CI 0.80-0.88). Taking into account the total NPL magnitude improved inter-device correlation (0.90) while maintaining test-retest reliability (0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.90). All subjects successfully completed the study, demonstrating the feasibility of using a head-mounted wearable to assess balance in a healthy population.\n\nConclusion: Balance measurements derived from the smartglasses-based accelerometer were consistent with those obtained using a waist-mounted accelerometer. Given this and the potential for smartglasses in vestibular rehabilitation, the continued development and validation of balance assessment measurements obtained via smartglasses is warranted. This research was funded in part by Department of Defense/Defense Health Program (#W81XWH-14-C-0007, SBIR Phase II contract awarded to TIAX, LLC).

bioengineering↗