Eye-tracking Technology for Severe Communication Disability

IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo"

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Communication Disabilities

Treatments: Behavioral: AAC; Behavioral: AAC + Eye Tracking

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05808478

EYETRACK01

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this project is to develop an Augmentative and Alternative Communication intervention through the use of Eye tracker system.

Full description

The term "complex communication needs" includes all patients who present severe disturbances in speech and language production and/or in comprehension, in relation to oral or written communication modalities. The main purpose of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is to promote the best possible communication for people with complex communication needs, through the use of techniques, methods and tools aimed not at replacing pre-existing communication methods but at increasing skills of natural communication through the enhancement of present skills. The Eye tracker system, thanks to allows the recording and analysis of eye movements, could be used successfully to support communication in patients with severe communication disability.

The goal of this study is to develop an efficacy Augmentative and Alternative Communication intervention using eye-tracking technology for patients with severe communication disability.

The secondary objective was to examine the psychosocial impact of technology for AAC on parents' perspectives and quality of life.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• aged between 3 and 17 years affected by neuropsychiatric pathology presenting complex communication needs
• Control of eye motility and visual fixation
• ability to maintain position in front of the monitor
• availability of at least one member of the family nucleus to participate in the therapeutic process
• cognitive skills appropriate to the task such as being able to recognize images and being able to memorize procedures necessary to use the various basic functions

Exclusion criteria

• age not between 3 and 17 years
• difficulty in controlling ocular motility and visual fixation
• the unavailability of at least one member of the family nucleus to participate in the therapeutic process
• impaired cognitive skills on the task such as being able to recognize pictures and being able to memorize procedures necessary to use various basic functions

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental Group (EG)

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group will undergo treatment with innovative high-tech tools, such as Eye Tracking, for communication purposes. The duration of the treatment will be six months, twice a week, with sessions of 45 minutes.

Treatment:

Behavioral: AAC + Eye Tracking

Control Group (CG)

Active Comparator group

Description:

The control group will undergo conventional AAC treatment, with low-tech tools, such as PECS or sign language. The duration of the treatment will be six months, twice a week, with sessions of 45 minutes.

Treatment:

Behavioral: AAC