بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الرحيم الرحمن الله بسم

Improving Malaysian Autism Children Social Interaction Based on Vibratory Haptic Interface Usage

within Virtual 3-D Environment Supervisors:

Prof.Madya Dr.Haslina Arshad Prof.Dato’Dr.Halimah Badioze Zaman

Presenter by:Malik Mustafa Jawarneh

OUTLINES

•Introduction

•Research Background

•Problem statement

•Research Question

•Research objectives

•Scope of the study

•The Sketch of the System Architecture

•Justification of Data Glove

INTRODUCTION

Acoording to Centers for Disease Control and Prenvention (CDCP, 2007) autism

can be seen as a developmental disorder that affects a child’s perception of the world

and how the child learns from his or her own experiences. Autism remains an enigma

even though among the most complex disabilities. In addition, autism is the commonly

occurring form of a group of disorders identified as autism spectrum disorders

(ASD).Mostly, people who suffer from autism exhibit behaviours that are repeated over

and over again in very standard patterns. They seem to have difficulties making eye

contact and communicate with others in a socially acceptable manner. Many

individuals with autism get overwhelmed when in unpredictable situations or when

forced to interact with others (Shalom, & Faran, 2006). Due to the difficulties of

understanding and communicating among those with autism, the relationships between

them may seem difficult and suffer.

Autism can be seen as a highly variable neurodevelopment disorder that appears

during infancy or childhood and generally follows a steady course without remission.

(World Health Organization, 2007). Rogers (2009) indicates that overt symptoms

gradually begin after the age of six months and complete by age two or three years, and

tend to continue through adulthood, although often in more muted form. The following

are three kinds of autism which classified according to the characteristic triad of

symptoms: impairments in social interaction; impairments in communication; and

restricted interests and repetitive behavior. Other aspects, such as atypical eating, are

also common but are not essential for diagnosis.

Cont…………..

children with autism have a great deal in many fields all over the world. Furthermore, many approaches were created to treat autism children in order to enhance their ability. Rather than of tradition approaches, computer is considered as convenient teaching instruments among children with autism (e.g., Chen & Bernard-Opitz, 1993; Colby, 1973; Higgins & Boone, 1996; Panyan, 1984). There are various features that have an important role in aiding children with autism when using computers, such as multisensory interactions, controlled and structured environments, use of multilevel interactive functions, and especially individualized use and independence. Those functions were found effective for various computer-based interventions (e.g., Bernard-Opitz, 1989; Bernard-Opitz, Ross, & Tuttas, 1990; Chen & Bernard-Opitz, 1993; Panyan, 1984; Yamamoto & Miya, 1999). In addition, therapeutic computer games seem to be benefit for autism children, since their rules-based environments provide a safe, appealing vehicle for interventions to improve socialization. Such game was designed to improve the skills of autism children is the Collaborative Puzzle Game. The American Physiological Association APA (2000) design this game which is an interactive play system in order to (a) study social interactions and collaboration in boys with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and with typical development, and (b) test the feasibility of the system as an instrument for the rehabilitation of social abilities of boys with ASD. Although this game (Collaborative Puzzle Game) improves the social interaction among autism children, however this game still inadequate to provide convenient improvement for autism children.

Research Background

Recently, the concept of a virtual environment arises as a motivating area within the

computer world. Great influences were shown on the education of children with ASD

concerning development in virtual environments. These environments have major

affects among those children in term of providing them with safe and basic setting in

order to explore and control their own emotions and social behaviours, as opposed to

the chaos and confusion that children sometimes find in reality (Strickland, 2003). The

researchers who examine the effects of virtual environment on autism children

recommend that there is need to develop three dimensions games (Moor et al, 2005

Deepa Mathew, 2008). Thus, the researcher believes that using haptic interface

techniques in general and data gloves, which is the scope of this study, in particular

would be benefit to improve the skills among autism children. In addition, the

researcher is hopefully to add new contributions to the current literature concerning

creating such technique that expected to help those autism children.

Cont……….

It has been recognized, in Malaysian context, that children with learning as well as skills

disabilities which defined as those with a wide spectrum of different categories of disabilities has

a great interest among specialists. Such disabilities include children with mental retardation,

children with specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dyscalculia, children with

emotional and behavioral disorders which include children with autism and ADHD, children with

speech and language problems as well as children with motor difficulties such as dyspraxia (Lee

Lay Wah, 2007). Specifically, based on the properties of children with autism and the

difficulties that may face them in their daily life, autism can make affections on the basic human

behaviours, such as social interaction, ability to communicate ideas and feelings, imagination,

and establishment of relationships with others (National Research Council, 2002). Since the

children with autism show a range of behavioral deficits, they still lack enough abilities in the

development of language and communication, and social interactive abilities as a central

problem. Consequently, the focus of the current study is autism children and how to improve the

social interactions by using software program in general and haptic interface in particular.   

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Meanwhile, although computers are increasingly presented at the early stage of

education settings, however, some techniques are not utilized adequately in

teaching/learning process and improving the autism children’s skills. In other words,

there is no similar educational data glove been designed and developed for particular

learning disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Therefore, this

research is carried out to establish an educational data glove which can be a basic

electronic teaching and learning tools to help autism children. With this respect, the

advantages of computer in teaching, that are formed by computers and learning

methods, could emphasized practical learning, where teachers were trained to use

various teaching aids, namely educational data glove, integrate computer-based

technology into the educational curriculum in such a way improving the learning

process. This could be true for children, who received normal education. (Faaizah,

2010)

Cont……………

According to Williams (2000 ), people learn using all five senses whereas 83% through the sense of sight, 10% through the sense of hearing, 4 % through smell, 2 % through touch and finally 1% through taste. Based on Williams’ findings, it can be seen that there is no convenient techniques been used to improve people learning through using the sense of touch. Furthermore, this study is needed in order to bridge the gap of learning and improving social interaction through this sense. This is in line with Leonardo Bonanni & Cati Vaucelle (2006) who stated that the importance of touch to our psychological well-being is only beginning to be understood. Different kinds of tactile stimulation have been described crucial to the health and development of infants and children. Thus, since this on-going technique (Data Glove) is focused on children with autism, psychologists have shown that they can often improve the quality of life for many children with autism and help them to integrate more successfully into society using behavioral programs. For example, Vetere et al. (2005) suggested that the haptic interface (Data Glove) might benefit the children with autism who suffer impairment in social interaction. It also has come a long way with many interesting creative ideas and prototypes to help bring the sensation of touch feel more real and practical to use. In addition, the haptic interface (Data Glove) has many benefits, for instance, it is a way to help autism children to feel better mentally and physically, also could help them to learn or enhance their skills or even get innovative or just feel relaxed, and ultimately, help relieve body pain or stress and improve social interaction between those children (Deepa Mathew, 2008).

Cont……………

Finally, despite the huge numbers of studies done by (Dautenhahn, 1999 Werry & Dautenhahn

(1999); Dautenhahn & Werry (2000); Robins & Dautenhahn (2004); Moore et al. (2005) &

Gillette et al. (2007); Chamberlain 2009) on the techniques proposed on autism children area,

the effectiveness of these techniques still needs to be improved to help the autism children who

face impairment in social interaction in their daily life. The previous techniques had not included

and use the haptic interface which has vibration and 3 dimension within virtual environment to

assist those children in the social interaction problem. Accordingly, a study that aims to use one

of the haptic interface which has vibration and 3 dimension within virtual environment to help

autism children will be valuable. This fact has been clearly shown by many researchers (Deepa

Mathew, 2008; Vetere et al, 2005). Therefore, the current study would contribute to design and

develop a new approach using haptic interface that will help autism children to interact and

communicate effectively with society, patterns and friends. The research also wills development

vibration with haptic interface during 3d environment on autism children that will be

incorporated with computer program.

Cont……………

1.4 OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this study is to develop a prototype based on vibration with haptic interface during 3d environment with specific software for helping the autism children in social interaction. In other word this research tries to:

•Identify the requirements, equipments and technique needed in designing the proposed prototype.

•Incorporate vibration with haptic interface during 3d environment with computer programs to help Autism children in social interaction.

•Investigate the effects of using vibration with haptic interface during 3d environment technique with Autism children in social interaction.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This research tries to address the following questions: Q1. How can incorporate vibration with haptic interface during 3D environment with computer program to help autism children in social interaction?

Q2. What are the requirements, equipments and technique those need in designing the propose prototype?

Q3.What is the effects of using vibration with haptic interface during 3D environment techniques with autism children in social interaction? 

RESEARCH QUESTIONs

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this study is to develop a prototype based on vibration with

haptic interface during 3d environment with specific software for helping the autism

children in social interaction. In other word this research tries to:

•Incorporate vibration with haptic interface during 3d environment with computer

programs to help Autism children in social interaction.

•Identify the requirements, equipments and technique needed in designing the proposed

prototype.

•Investigate the effects of using vibration with haptic interface during 3d environment

technique with Autism children in social interaction.

This research will focus to help that autism in their daily life by using new technique.

The scope of this research list below:

•This research is focus only on mild autism children who have impairment in social

interactions in their daily life.

•This research is focus to improve social interaction that faces children with autism in

their class, classmate, teachers and parents.

•This research will incorporate vibration with haptic interface during 3d environment

techniques with computer program within virtual environment.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This part explains the framework that has been chosen to solve problem statement,

achieve objectives and answer research questions for this research. It includes

information about research design, the sampling of the study, data collection

instrument, data analysis procedures, validity, reliability and ethical and legal

consideration.In this study .a framework was used in order to (a) investigate a problem

that is little known, namely, autistic children have impairment in social interaction, and

(b) present a detailed explanation of a central problem. The central problem was

developing guider design and incorporate virtual 3-D environment (3D screen, glasses,

and vibratory haptic interface to simulate reality) with 3-D Sonic game to improve the

social interactions of autistic children. Currently, there is limited number of studies

which examine the effects of new techniques on improving the social interactions of

Malaysian autistic children.  

Cont……………In the current research, the framework used is considered as an agreeable method, excellently

chosen, described and accepted by the experts in information system research design. The

processes are illustrated in Figure 3.1

The Sketch of the System Architecture

The Sketch of the System of Sub - Architecture

Justification for wearhaptic and cyber Glove Devises

Wearable haptic devices have come a long way with many interesting creative ideas

and prototypes to help bring the sensation of touch feel more real and practical to use.

In addition, wearable haptics devices have good features such as it is a way to help

people to feel better mentally and physically, and limitations such as the high cost,

maintenance and usability,...,...etc. the wear haptic (Cyber Glove) is a high and

expensive devise, in the figure (1) shown schema which used in Justification the

limitations for Wearhaptic and CyberGlove Devise, these limitations discussed in

greater detail and shown in table 1 later .

figure (1) shown schema which used in Justification the limitations for Wearhaptic and CyberGlove Devise,

Table

•Limitations which did not enable the Autism children to use wearhaptic and CyberGlove devices:

Based on the above studies, it can be seen the major limitations of CyberGlove on the autism children in various matters, such matter, the CyberGlove within Virtual Environment cannot help the autism child to improve his social interaction with other members of the society and enhance the communication skill in a way that makes him better. It also cannot move into raise awareness and prevention realm where programs are being developed to raise understanding of issues concerning accessibility and full participation for children with autism, and to reduce the difficulties that face those children by teaching them pedestrian safety, the CyberGlove could determine if the user was making a fist but couldn't track their hand relative to their body.