STTR Phase I: Creating a virtual reality clinic to serve individuals with autism

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Approximately 3.5 million American children and adults have a diagnosis of autism. ASD is considered a lifelong pervasive disorder and, without proper treatment, individuals with ASD may have challenges functioning in society. The cost to treat an individual with autism is approximately $50,000 per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in all 50 states, both public and private insurance companies are mandated to pay for applied behavior analysis therapy delivered by board-certified analysts. However, since the typical model for delivering therapy is either home-based or clinic-based, many specific populations of U.S. citizens cannot access therapy. Patients who live in remote areas, do not have access to transportation, or need treatment outside of normal work hours are unable to access treatment. Parents of children diagnosed with ASD have additional challenges of facing long wait times and lack of input for the behavior analyst’s treatment plan. While tele-health treatment has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, speaking by phone or by screen doesn't provide the same social-skills therapy as in-person interactions. To solve these challenges, this project will create a Virtual Reality (VR) Autism Clinic: an immersive virtual reality environment where certified therapists would provide real-time treatment rooted in the research of applied behavior analysis. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop software that incorporates tenets of applied behavior analysis as a simulation tool for individuals with ASD to improve their social skills. The project will develop an interactive and immersive software system specifically designed to meet the research-based requirements of applied behaver analysis. This system will include mechanisms for practitioners to provide live feedback and will incorporate methods that leverage the motivation of individuals diagnosed with autism. The inability to access therapy because of location, lack of transportation, or scheduling issues may be significantly reduced by the envisioned end product. The anticipated technical result of the proposed project is a remote virtual reality platform that simulates and achieves in-person social-skills therapy results. The envisioned virtual autism clinic would enable ASD-affected individuals to learn, connect, and engage with others in a transformative, scalable, secure, and technically-advanced solution.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.