The Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI) which is a part of Qatar Foundation (QF)’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University has made pathways with a special tool that helps diagnose children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dr. Fouad Alshaban, who is a senior scientist at the Neurological Disorders Research Center (NDRC) the organization that developed the tool, remarks that this is a major advancement in the field of autism.

The successful development of the eye-tracking screening tool by NDRC has led to QF signing an agreement with Argus Cognitive, in association with Rush University, Chicago, US, to enable the early diagnosis of ASD. The collaboration is expected to bring about a positive impact on the health of people with different learning disabilities in Qatar and other nations.

Coming to the tool, it employs machine learning and artificial intelligence in the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 and the entire test is supposed to last 45 minutes. Usually, the diagnosis of ASD relies on the experience of the doctor or the person testing the ASD individual to determine if the person falls on the autism spectrum. However, with this tool, the diagnosis doesn’t really rely on the person conducting the test.

Set in a room with three cameras that focus on the patient, the person doing the test and the overall view of the room respectively, the test gathers data using artificial intelligence and machine learning from the camera’s movements. The person conducting the test has to wear an eye-tracking tool to observe the expressions of the patient while interacting with them. At the end of the test, the tool decides if the patient is autistic or not.

Dr. Alshaban quoted, “Children are presented with visual stimuli that include short videos and photos, through a computer display connected to a remote eye-tracking device.” Another advantage is that the Argus diagnostic tool can be used on any child above one year of age to check if they have ASD.

Parents usually disregard the early signs of autism and this can delay the treatment of the disorder. Children usually get diagnosed as autistic once they turn five years or reach the age of school, where such learning disabilities come to the surface. The tool by Argus Cognitive will certainly help with diagnosis as early as one year of age. This certainly has created pathways for early diagnosis of autism and learning disabilities for children in Qatar.

Dr. Alshaban also commented how the team is also working on the establishment of the first ASD registry in Qatar for children aged 13 years and above. This comes resultant of a collaboration between QBRI, QF’s Renad Academy, Shafallah Center, Qatar Autism Families Association, and private centers that cater to ASD individuals’ needs.

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Source and inline image credit: Gulf Times