Numerous children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit abnormal eye gaze pattern in communication and social interaction. In this study, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of the hide-and-seek virtual reality system (HSVRS) in improving gaze fixation abilities in children with ASD. Our hypothesis is that engaging in a…

Sensory differences are nearly universal in autism, but their genetic origins are poorly understood. Here, we tested how individuals with an autism-linked genotype, 16p.11.2 deletion ("16p"), attend to visual information in immersive, real-world photospheres. We monitored participants' (N = 44) gaze while they actively explored 360°…

Today, the global prevalence of autism is high and continues to increase dramatically. Effective support and interventions are therefore warranted. Augmented reality (AR), one of the recent modalities of immersive technology, is gaining traction in autism interventions. However, there is currently a lack of reviews on the use of AR in children…

This study presents a strengths-based framework for designing virtual reality experiences tailored to the needs and abilities of autistic individuals. Recognizing the potential of virtual reality to provide engaging and immersive learning environments, the framework aligns the strengths and preferences of autistic users with the affordances of…

Background: People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties recognizing emotions. Studies showed that virtual reality (VR) and computerized training programs might be used as potential tools for enhancing emotion recognition in such people. However, some inconsistencies were observed between the studies. Objective: In the current…

This systematic literature review discusses the use of spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR) as a training and therapy intervention for autistic individuals. The authors emphasize the need for an evidence-based framework with guidelines and design considerations to help developers and educators tailor SVVR to the diverse needs of autistic…

The purpose of this single-case experimental design (SCED) study is to investigate how adaptive prompts in virtual reality (VR)-based social skills training affect the social skills performance of autistic children. Adaptive prompts are driven by autistic children's emotional states. To integrate adaptive prompts in VR-based training, we conducted…

Autistic children's social skills do not always align with those of their neurotypical peers and research suggests that this can negatively impact quality of life. This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of extended reality (XR) interventions in helping autistic children to enhance their social skills. Five electronic databases were…

This exploratory study, framed by the Contextual Model of Learning, sought to define the personal context of autistic visitors and their families attending a sensory-friendly natural history museum event as a science learning experience. The study focused on the motivations and expectations for visiting the museum, as well as how the inclusion of…

Research suggests that virtual reality (VR) technologies can promote learning opportunities for individuals with autism in safe and controllable training scenarios. However, substantial challenges exist concerning the development and deployment of fully immersive VR systems in real-world settings. Video-based virtual reality is an emerging…

Extended reality (XR) such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has been heralded as a particularly promising technology for autistic people. However, prior studies have centered around curing or ameliorating deficits and impairments and are typically conducted by non-disabled and non-autistic researchers. Using co-design and a…

This review synthesizes the literature base evaluating the effects of behavior analytic interventions delivered via augmented reality (AR) technology for individuals with autism. We also conducted a quality review. We identified 14 studies with a majority of the studies (n = 11; 79%) utilizing single-case research design. Of the 14 studies, three…

Autistic children have differences in their movements which impact their functional performance. Virtual-reality enables researchers to study movement in safe, engaging environments. We used motion-capture to measure how 7-13-year-old autistic and neurotypical children make whole-body movements in a virtual-reality task. Although children in both…

In this scoping review on 34 studies, we examined the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). IVR was mostly used in connection with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for assessment of and intervention in social skills, and in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for assessment of executive…

Autistic people often experience difficulties navigating face-to-face social interactions. Historically, the empirical literature has characterised these difficulties as cognitive 'deficits' in social information processing. However, the empirical basis for such claims is lacking, with most studies failing to capture the complexity of social…