Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Gaze-Performance Link in Children with ASD through Dual-Level Visual Guidance in MR-DMT

2025-10-04

AI Summary

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly exhibit visuomotor integration deficits during mixed-reality dance/movement therapy (MR-DMT), resulting in gaze–action decoupling and impaired imitation learning. To address this, we propose a two-tiered visual guidance system: a perception tier that directs gaze fixation, and a transformation tier that explicitly models the “gaze→action” mapping. Integrated with eye-tracking, real-time MR rendering, and dynamic visual feedback, the system establishes a closed-loop intervention framework. Experimental results demonstrate significantly enhanced gaze–performance coupling strength (p < 0.01), improved imitation accuracy, and greater learning retention in ASD children. The core contribution lies in the first application of a perception–transformation dual-tier guidance mechanism to MR-DMT—establishing a quantifiable, scalable, and mechanism-driven paradigm for personalized neurodevelopmental intervention.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor Fusion
• Computer Vision: Motion & Tracking
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Adaptive Behavior

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Applied ML and AI for Web-based mobile applications
• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: User privacy protection in personalized systems

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is marked by action imitation deficits stemming from visuomotor integration impairments, posing challenges to imitation-based learning, such as dance movement therapy in mixed reality (MR-DMT). Previous gaze-guiding interventions in ASD have mainly focused on optimizing gaze in isolation, neglecting the crucial "gaze-performance link". This study investigates enhancing this link in MR-DMT for children with ASD. Initially, we experimentally confirmed the weak link: longer gaze durations didn't translate to better performance. Then, we proposed and validated a novel dual-level visual guidance system that operates on both perceptual and transformational levels: not only directing attention to task-relevant areas but also explicitly scaffolding the translation from gaze perception to performance execution. Our results demonstrate its effectiveness in boosting the gaze-performance link, laying key foundations for more precisely tailored and effective MR-DMT interventions for ASD.

Problem

• Enhancing gaze-performance link in ASD children
• Addressing visuomotor integration deficits in imitation
• Developing dual-level visual guidance for MR-DMT therapy

Innovation

• Dual-level visual guidance system for ASD
• Operates on perceptual and transformational levels
• Scaffolds gaze perception to performance execution