Eye Tracking Technologies to Characterize and Optimize Visual Attending in Down Syndrome

 描述(由申请人提供)：唐氏综合症(DS)是最常见的智力残疾的已知遗传来源，估计每1000名活产中就有一名发病率。这些孩子在进入学龄期时面临着独特的挑战，因为以前在支持性环境中与熟悉的伴侣进行交流的演讲往往不足以与不熟悉的伴侣进行学术交流。事实上，95%的接受调查的父母报告说，他们患有DS的孩子很难被他们的直接社交圈以外的人理解(Kumin，1994)。这对学业、社交和职业的成功有着重要的影响；语言技能有限的孩子在学业上落后于非残疾同龄人的风险很大，并经历着社会孤立。当儿童在交流中遇到挫折时，往往会出现次要问题，通常是以挑战性行为的形式出现。当这些行为涉及对他人的攻击性时，发展的所有方面都会进一步受到影响，当这些行为自我伤害时，会对健康产生重大影响，当这些行为需要广泛的行为管理计划时，会加剧服务成本。患有DS的儿童迫切需要沟通干预，为他们提供在整个上学期间取得成功的工具。一种干预形式被称为辅助增强和替代沟通(AAC)。在典型的临床应用中，辅助AAC系统使用图画书、向用户呈现图形符号的平板电脑，有时还使用文本或合成语音输出。由于AAC依靠视觉而不是声音/语言来获取交流信息，因此制定出患有DS的儿童如何从视觉AAC显示器中检查和提取信息是至关重要的。否则，就有实施与儿童技能和需求不相匹配的系统的风险，这种做法反过来又会导致对该系统的有限使用或放弃。目前的AAC设计很少考虑系统与用户的视觉处理技能之间的契合性，而且大多数都不了解人类视觉信息处理的经验知识。此外，人们对患有严重沟通障碍的DS患者的视觉处理知之甚少。本研究旨在通过对不同AAC显示器的视觉注意模式的表征及其对功能使用的影响来改进AAC显示器的设计。眼睛跟踪-在DS-Will中很少使用 揭示在行为研究中通常不被记录的注意力模式/过程。我们的三个阶段的计划将从主要在非社会性实验室条件下对视觉注意力的眼动跟踪研究开始。在下一阶段，我们将引入社交互动，并使用移动眼球跟踪技术记录凝视路径。在最后阶段，我们将转化实验室研究中获得的知识，以优化患有DS的个体在执行代表典型日常生活活动的任务时的功能沟通。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common known genetic origin of intellectual disability and has an estimated incidence of 1 in every 1000 live births. Such children face unique challenges as they enter into the school years, because the speech that was previously adequate for communication with familiar partners in supportive settings is often not sufficient for academic communication with unfamiliar partners. Indeed, 95% of parents surveyed reported that their children with DS had difficulty being understood by persons outside their immediate social circle (Kumin, 1994). This has significant implications for academic, social, and vocational success; children with limited language skills are at risk of falling behind nondisabled peers academically and experiencing social isolation. Secondary issues often arise when children experience frustration in communication, commonly in the form of challenging behaviors. All aspects of development are further compromised when these behaviors involve aggression toward others, have significant health implications when they are self-injurious, and exacerbate service costs when they necessitate extensive behavior management plans. Children with DS are in desperate need of communication interventions that provide them with the tools to succeed throughout the school years. One form of intervention is called aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). In typical clinical applications, aided AAC systems employ picture books, tablet-style computers that present the user with graphic symbols, and sometimes text or synthesized voice output. Because AAC relies on vision rather than sound/speech for access to the communication messages, it is critical to map out how children with DS examine and extract information from visual AAC displays. Otherwise there is the risk of implementing systems that are poorly matched to children's skills and needs, a practice that in turn results in limited use or abandonment of the system. Few current AAC designs consider the fit between the system and the visual processing skills of users, and most are uninformed by empirical knowledge about human visual information processing. Moreover, little is known about visual processing in persons with significant communication limitations associated with DS. This research aims to improve the design of AAC displays through characterization of visual attention patterns to different AAC displays and their effects on functional use. Eye tracking - rarely used in DS - will reveal attention patterns/processes that typically go unrecorded in behavioral research. Our three-phase program will begin with eye tracking studies of visual attention under largely non-social laboratory conditions. In the next phase, we will introduce social interactions and record gaze path using mobile eye tracking technology. In the final phase, we will translate the knowledge gained in the laboratory studies to optimize functional communication in individuals with DS in performing tasks that represent typical daily life activities.