Virtual humans for ASD intervention: a brief scoping review

Area of Science:

• Technology and Medicine
• Psychology and Neuroscience

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by social-communicative and behavioral deficits.
• Research is increasingly utilizing technology for ASD diagnosis and treatment.
• Virtual reality (VR) offers a realistic platform for interventions, featuring virtual agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review virtual human features in VR applications for ASD.
• To highlight key research areas using virtual humans for ASD diagnosis and treatment.
• To analyze the clinical and technological implications of current research.

Main Methods:

• A literature review of 11 selected studies.
• Analysis and summarization of study findings into 7 main categories.
• Focus on virtual agent features, including responsiveness and conversational abilities.

Main Results:

• Virtual humans with human-like appearances are common in social skills interventions for ASD.
• Responsiveness in virtual agents enhances user interaction realism.
• Three methods exist for creating realistic virtual human conversations.

Conclusions:

• Virtual humans are a promising tool for ASD diagnosis and treatment.
• Further research can refine virtual human capabilities for improved clinical outcomes.
• Technological advancements in VR can enhance social-communicative interventions for ASD.