PhD Student Wins Fellowship for Speech Visualization Tool for Children with ASD

10/27/2009 Tom Hord

PhD student Joshua Hailpern awarded for work on speech visualization tools for children with autistic spectrum disorders.

Written by Tom Hord

Joshua Hailpern, PhD student in Computer Science at the University of Illinois, has been chosen as one of eight awardees of the Dennis Weatherstone Pre-Doctoral Fellowship.  Hailpern was recognized for his work with Professor Karrie Karahalios on the development and evaluation of voice visualization tools for use with children affected by autism spectrum disorders.  The fellowship was awarded by Autism Speaks, the nation's largest organization dedicated to funding and facilitating autism research, and made possible by a grant by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex brain disorders that inhibit the ability to communicate and develop social relationships.  ASD are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States and are often accompanied by behavioral challenges.  The prevalence of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called autism a “national public health crisis whose cause and cure remain unknown.”

Hailpern’s work with Professor Karahalios focuses on the potential for user-generated sound visualizations to teach language skills.  They have developed software that enables a speaker to see a visual representation of his or her voice “painted” on a screen while speaking.  According to Karahalios, “This work aims at engaging children by giving them real-time feedback so they can ‘see’ their voice and what it can do.”  The resulting picture emulates volume and pitch changes, as well as when individual syllables occur.  

“Engagement is key, because someone has to want to use the software,” Karahalios added.  According to Hailpern’s proposal, this kind of interaction with the software can help to motivate children with ASD and may “help to eliminate some apprehension experienced by many children when interacting with humans.” 

When asked about Hailpern’s award, Professor Karahalios responded that she “…was happy to see this work recognized as well as research in neurobiology, genetics, immunology, and behavior.”  Future work with the software involves incorporating the visualizations into hand-held toys and into iPhone applications, Karahalios said.

For more information about Hailpern’s work with children with ASD, visit http://bit.ly/1YV6Bc or the Social Spaces research group website.

 
 


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This story was published October 27, 2009.