A Singapore charity has been trialling wristwatch-style technology that predicts meltdowns.
Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities (THKMC) has trialled the wearable technology on autistic children under seven who have global development and speech and language delays.
A child wearing the wristwatch-style technology trialled in Singapore
The trial ended in September after the charity worked with Hong Kong-based education tech firm Bridge AI to introduce it into classrooms.
THKMC runs six centres that offer early intervention programmes for around 700 infants and children. It trialled the device, known as Pelios, in these settings.
‘Useful in alerting teachers’
In a statement, the charity said: “The device can be a useful tool in alerting teachers when children are at risk of a meltdown.”
Victor Wong is the founder of Bridge AI. He maintains that the device’s accuracy for predicting meltdowns can rise from the current 70 to 80 per cent through “ongoing data analysis”.
Wong said THKMC uses desensitising techniques to allow students to adjust to wearing the device “at their own pace”.
Physical clues
The device measures physical cues that suggest a child might be about to have a meltdown, including heartbeat, sweat and arm movement.
The project originated from Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) open innovation platform, which connects organisations with global solution providers.
In September 2022, IMDA, Singapore’s National Council of Social Service, and THKMC partnered to develop a challenge statement.
Bridge AI won the challenge and gained funding to bring its solution to life.
Trial flopped
It is not the first trial of wristwatch-style technology designed to give teaching and support staff warning of a meltdown.
UK charity Autism Together, based in the Wirral, in north-west England, ran a trial of similar wristwatch-style technology in 2018.
But the trial flopped. The charity could only get two of the nine people it wanted to take part to tolerate wearing the device.
A 2018 Stanford University study of the Google Superpower Glass concluded that the device helped autistic children with “facial engagement” and “emotion recognition”. The children also showed “significant improvement” in social skills.
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Published: 24 November 2024
