A video game tool can accurately identify autism in children with 80% success rate
Science & tech | Learn about CAMI's use of motion-tracking technology to distinguish between autistic and non-autistic children, providing a quicker, low-cost diagnostic alternative.
A new movement-tracking video game tool might help doctors diagnose autistic children. Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behaviour.
The video game tool, named the Computerized Assessment of Motor Imitation, or CAMI, can distinguish autistic kids from their non-autistic peers with an 80 per cent success rate. CAMI uses motion-tracking technology to assess motor imitation skills.
A one-minute video game created by researchers at Nottingham Trent University and the Kennedy Krieger Institute can accurately distinguish between children with autism and those with ADHD or neurotypical development.
The research, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, analysed 183 children aged 7 to 13. The participants had to imitate a video avatar's dancing motions for one minute. After that, CAMI examined how well they imitated.
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With 80% accuracy, the tool was able to differentiate between children with autism and children who are neurotypical.
Social communication issues are frequently the focus of traditional understandings of autism. Notably, several studies have also demonstrated that sensory-motor issues are important in the disease and may even be the cause of some communication difficulties.
As quoted by Science Alert, Nottingham Trent University psychology researcher Bahar Tunçgenç, said, "CAMI taps into these sensory-motor difficulties, showing that they are not shared with children with ADHD."
Out of 183 children, 21 had a sole diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 35 had a sole diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). A total of 63 showed signs of both ASD and ADHD. Meanwhile, 65 were neurotypical, which means they had neither diagnosis.
'Tool could transform autism diagnoses'
As quoted by SciTech Daily, Dr Stewart Mostofsky, a pediatric neurologist and director of the Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research at Kennedy Krieger Institute and co-author of the study, said that the tool is a step forward in how we diagnose autism.
"Diagnosing autism can be challenging, especially when children have overlapping traits with other conditions like ADHD. If the condition is misdiagnosed, it can impact support and resources for the child," said Dr Mostofsky.
Dr Mostofsky added, "This tool could transform autism diagnoses worldwide. By identifying autism as precisely as possible, we can connect children to interventions that improve their quality of life and long-term outcomes. We want to see CAMI used widely in clinics to support diagnosis as an alternative that is quick, low-cost, and requires minimal set-up."
(With inputs from agencies)