Project Info

Project Type:         Bachelor Graduation
Project Year:          2012
Project Duration:  1 semester
Project Client:       TU/e
Project Team:        Individual

Project Focus

  • Prototyping
  • User Testing
  • Concept development
  • Form development
autibuddyFor my bachelor graduation project I have been working on a tool for children with Autism; the AutiBuddy. Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encounter a wide variety of problems in their everyday life. One of these problems is that they often find it difficult to deal with the all the sensory stimuli the world around them provides them with. Often these stimuli can become overwhelming causing a lot of stress. The AutiBuddy is a conceptual tool that through the combination of smart modern technology and proven methodology is aimed to help children with an ASD to identify stress and tension that is building up and to empower them to take action.The head of the AutiBuddy is made of soft foam and can be used to fiddle with; something children with an ASD do increasingly when their stress levels and levels of tensions rise. A couple of sensors register when the child is fiddling with the head and can detect when the interval with which is fiddled and the strength of the movements and relay this data to the body in which additional electronics is embedded to analyse the data.Through the analyses the level of tension is determined and depending on the level of tension, the body of the AutiBuddy will work as an imaginary thermometer that indicates the tension level. This is based on the well-known and widely applied anger-thermometer. Depending on the level of tension, the head of the AutiBuddy will glow in a specific color. This color indicates that the child should perform a specific intervention strategy; while blue could for example mean it was agreed the child should be withdrawing oneself from the busy classroom, red could indicate the child would need to go to the teacher to ask for help.

Because the body of the AutiBuddy is placed on top of the table and works as a well visible tension thermometer, the direct environment of the child is also informed about the present tension level and take this into account when interaction with him or her.

Because the AutiBuddy registers and stores data throughout the day, it can be used by parents and caretakers to gain more insight in the emotional state of their child; When a child comes home and places the AutiBuddy on the supplied docking station where it is recharged, is immediately shows a quick overview of all the moments during which it registered stress and tension. The Autibuddy can also be connected to a computer and via a special tool an accurate graph of all these moments can be viewed to help parents and caretakers to identify the most stressful moments and to be able to think of possible interventions.

The ultimate goal of the AutiBuddy is to help the child to gain more insight in how and when tension and stress occur and how to deal with it.

Project Description

For my bachelor graduation project I have been working on a tool for children with Autism; the AutiBuddy. Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encounter a wide variety of problems in their everyday life. One of these problems is that they often find it difficult to deal with the all the sensory stimuli the world around them provides them with. Often these stimuli can become overwhelming causing a lot of stress. The AutiBuddy is a conceptual tool that through the combination of smart modern technology and proven methodology is aimed to help children with an ASD to identify stress and tension that is building up and to empower them to take action.The head of the AutiBuddy is made of soft foam and can be used to fiddle with; something children with an ASD do increasingly when their stress levels and levels of tensions rise. A couple of sensors register when the child is fiddling with the head and can detect when the interval with which is fiddled and the strength of the movements and relay this data to the body in which additional electronics is embedded to analyse the data.Through the analyses the level of tension is determined and depending on the level of tension, the body of the AutiBuddy will work as an imaginary thermometer that indicates the tension level. This is based on the well-known and widely applied anger-thermometer. Depending on the level of tension, the head of the AutiBuddy will glow in a specific color. This color indicates that the child should perform a specific intervention strategy; while blue could for example mean it was agreed the child should be withdrawing oneself from the busy classroom, red could indicate the child would need to go to the teacher to ask for help.

Because the body of the AutiBuddy is placed on top of the table and works as a well visible tension thermometer, the direct environment of the child is also informed about the present tension level and take this into account when interaction with him or her.

Because the AutiBuddy registers and stores data throughout the day, it can be used by parents and caretakers to gain more insight in the emotional state of their child; When a child comes home and places the AutiBuddy on the supplied docking station where it is recharged, is immediately shows a quick overview of all the moments during which it registered stress and tension. The Autibuddy can also be connected to a computer and via a special tool an accurate graph of all these moments can be viewed to help parents and caretakers to identify the most stressful moments and to be able to think of possible interventions.

The ultimate goal of the AutiBuddy is to help the child to gain more insight in how and when tension and stress occur and how to deal with it.

Project Info

Project Type:         Bachelor Graduation
Project Year:          2012
Project Duration:  1 semester
Project Client:       TU/e
Project Team:        Individual

Project Focus

  • Prototyping
  • User Testing
  • Concept development
  • Form development