Neel Kumar

An Adaptive Speech Assistant for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Started July 10, 2023

Abstract or project description

The difficulties that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encounter daily stem from shortcomings in communication in social settings. Most other projects, such as Virtual Learning Environments and different forms of therapy, require the individual to be high functioning and be able to speak well.The proposed system hopes to fine-tune assistive communicative technologies for those with autism by providing computer aid and personalized systems to augment communications. Generative and adaptable computing techniques will best suit each user and filter information from speech to help interpret language that is complex and ambiguous. Processing the right information and adding visual aids will alleviate struggles pertaining to the interpretation of complex speech, abstract topics, and complex emotions. Users found the application intuitive and easy to navigate due to its large pictures, worlds, and simple layout which addressed the issues of steep learning curves in other applications. However, testers suggested that incorporating brighter colors, colorful and more diverse images, and support for more complex grammar could further improve this application’s effectiveness for helping users with ASD. Hopefully, this research can be a foundation for further expansion of assistive technologies that are more adaptable and generative to assist those with ASD and other disorders that entail communicative strife. Not only does this open the door for more support and comprehension, but it also provides people with ASD with the required tools to navigate social interactions, ultimately playing a pivotal role in enhancing their overall quality of life.