- Project Convey created a video chat prototype that helps people with autism make more meaningful connections online.
- The chat translates emotions into emojis that people with autism can easily understand: emojis that convey meaning.
- The research presented at Project Convey is available in the hope that one day all video chat platforms will implement these tools.
People on the autism spectrum often have difficulties interpreting nonverbal social cuessuch as facial expressions and tone of voice, a problem that becomes even more challenging when there is a screen between them.
That is why Cox embarked on Project Convey, a joint effort to create a prototype of video chat that helps people with autism make more meaningful connections online.
“Everyone deserves a genuine human connection, and the increased use of video chat has made it even more of a challenge for people on the autism spectrum to obtain this,” said Dr. Michelle Dean, autism expert and Project Convey consultant. . “As the research shows, people with autism prefer emojis, so the video prototype gives these people a tool they already understand to help them connect.”
The prototype analyzes facial expressions, words and tone of voice to interpret
Using voice and facial recognition technology, the prototype analyzes facial expressionswords and tone of voice to interpret and assign meaning to video chat interactions, instantly translating them into emoji that people with autism can easily understand: emojis that convey meaning.
“We see this as just the beginning,” said Rachel Negretti, senior director of brand strategy at Cox. “Our goal was to show that it is possible to make video chat inclusive for people on the autism spectrum. Our hope is that one day every video chat platform will either have a tool like this or be inspired to create one.”
The video prototype and research presented at Project Convey are available in the hope that one day all video chat platforms will implement these tools.
At Cox, the organization New Growth and Development is exploring ways to integrate this technology in its products to continue fulfilling its commitment to serving customers of diverse abilities.
AUTISM IN MEXICO
In Mexico, autism spectrum disorders affect one in 115 children. To help minors to develop their language and to have basic social interaction, the first 18 months of life, said Diana Patricia Guízar Sánchez, academic of the Faculty of Medicine (FM) of the UNAM.
The specialist explained that according to studies by the foundation autism speaksthe cases diagnosed in our country are mainly caused by inherited genetic factorsalthough they can also be related to congenital infections grouped in the TORCH profile (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes).
“The ideal is to make the diagnosis before three years of life; the best scenario is at 18 months to stimulate language, psychomotor development and activities of daily living”, said the also coordinator of Educational Research of Medical Specialties, in the Postgraduate Unit of this house of studies.
“Also, they have repetitive routines or stereotyped behaviors, but they can go to school. The spectrum name allows us to include a greater number of children who have symptoms that were not previously taken into account,” added the also Science teacher.
Parents should be alert to the following signs
These disorders are due to alterations in the formation of the brain, which is formed since the baby is in the mother’s womb. Also, the first two years of life are a stage in which good neurological progress should be monitored from social, emotional, motor (fine and gross) and language development.
Parents should be alert to the following signs:
- If after three months the babies do not fixate their gaze
- If they don’t turn to where there is noise, or if around six months they don’t respond to games like smiling at their parents when they come or go.
“They are so subtle that sometimes they are not detected.”
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