Edify – ABA Therapy

Project Description

Edify Project is a unified software tool developed by Dignify z.u. (non-profit organization) in cooperation with the University of Hradec Králové, which optimizes and upgrades Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for clients with an autism spectrum disorder.

Edify integrates software tools for analysis and interactive training and step-by-step improvement of cognitive functions and social competencies of clients with special needs. Edify could be used as analytics and diagnostic for parents and special educational needs teachers.

The tablet application part is designed for iOS devices and online servers, and it can provide training and data collecting. In addition to this, Edify application can run a standardized diagnostic test. Particular concepts are developed based on adequate research activities and verified by specialists from the fields of physiotherapy, psychology, and special education.

Data received on online servers will be analyzed or accessed by parents and specialists with long-term statistics. We want to use intelligent diagnostic tools using artificial neural networks and/or expert systems to support the definition of diagnosis and prediction of critical conditions (seizure possibilities). Edify is a very useful tool for parents and teachers.

This tool and our unique concept of supporting ABA Therapy could be beneficial on a European scale. It can make therapy sessions easier, simplify the training of new therapists, or unify therapy in each state of the EU. A specialist could use the data about the effectiveness and detailed statistics from therapy sessions for future research and improving the methodology and supporting people with autistic spectrum disorders.

Detailed information

Technical description

From a technical point of view, Edify is a tablet application with extensible training modules and a Cloud platform (Linux) for lectors and parents. The online platform will also be available on PC, and it can be used for processing and analyzing data obtained from tablets.

Tablet applications can be used individually or with an assistance of a lector. Users can train and improve their skills with easily accessible applications. Edify application is focussed on the most fundamental skills.

Users’ results will be synchronized with an online server, where they can be analyzed or accessed by parents and specialists with long-term statistics. Therefore, Edify can be easily used as an education instrument by parents or special educational needs teachers.

Perspectives

In the future, we would like to use intelligent diagnostic tools using artificial neural networks and/or expert systems to support the definition of diagnoses of a person with special needs. On top of that, Edify can be used for more precise prediction of mental state fluctuation and seizure possibilities.

Edify can make the work of lectors and parents much easier. For people with special needs, the most important attribute of our application is that it can be very beneficial for their involvement in everyday life.

Project supervisor