In July 2014, the NLM Family Foundation and The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University co-sponsored a special one-day workshop, “Harnessing Technology to Improve the Lives of People with Autism” at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the potential of adaptive technology to open up for persons with autism new avenues for acquiring knowledge, improving social communication, and achieving a greater degree of independence and control over their lives. Topics included an introduction to personal health informatics and personalizing autism technology, examination of the use of avatars to engage individuals in learning how to control intended movements and speech production, employment opportunities and vocational training programs for those with ASD, consideration of the potential of the iPad and other mobile technologies to support communication and inclusion, and a computational behavioral science approach to developing innovative technologies to enhance research and practice with individuals on the spectrum.
A summary of the presentations and discussions which took place at the workshop can be viewed on the Foundation’s website: http://www.nlmfoundation.org/documents/NLMFFBrandeis2014TechnologyandAutism.pdf
