Development of Tests to Evaluate the Sensory Abilities of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder using Touch and Force Sensors

An emerging line of research that attempts to reveal underlying mechanisms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) studies differences in sensory processing in individuals with ASD. In this paper, we introduce new methods to measure proprioceptive functions of children with ASD. The instruments use a low-cost Arduino board and shield to acquire data from force and touch sensors. Data are transferred to mobile devices and analyzed with cross-platform application development tools. The instruments were pilot tested with typically developing children to test for functionality and usability of the instruments. They will be used in a larger study with children with ASD.