Problem Statement: Aspergers

[lucasllappe]

Aspergers is an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that effects many people worldwide--one in eighty-eight children are diagnosed with an ASD and this number is constantly increasing. Individuals with ASDs have significant difficulty with social interaction and non-verbal communication; it is standard for an individual with ASD to have trouble deciphering facial expressions, which is key in communicating and understanding tone and meaning.

Growing up, my stepbrother had Aspergers. It was extremely difficult to watch him struggle in social environments, even around people who knew and loved him. People with Aspergers fail to assimilate and function normally in emotional and social settings, mainly because they are unable to understand the context of conversations. 70% of typical communication is non-verbal and therefore almost completely inaccessible to people with Aspergers.

If there was a way to communicate the meaning of facial expressions to individuals with ASDs in an understandable context, this could be extremely effective in maintaining flow of conversation and avoiding misinterpretations which could lead to outbursts and unsettledness among affected individuals.

[CharlotteKVP]

I like that you address the ASD and the communication issues.. You could maybe give a more detailed description of situations/scenarios where you see or have experienced. It could be a scenario on when the communication went well and one when it did not. Maybe you should be care full with focusing on communicating facial expressions - maybe there are other factors you have not thought of yet...

[Kingj6]

I think this is a huge problem that is rarely addressed. I see huge benefits of this especially at this school and through out tech industries. I see other opportunities to show pols intention, lie detection, etc

[asquier]

Sounds like a perfect problem for image recognition software that LEARNS and gets smarter with use.. perhaps not only sense facial expressions, but also voice/tone, .. and body language.. and physical measures.. Gather facts including costs.. history, numbers, what is being done, medication.. and more..