GuidemeCoach: mobile app to offer voice commands for Autism caregiving

Investment consultant Bob Solomon and Temple computer science Professor Dr. John Nosek want to democratize autism treatment, which is getting a lot of technology attention.

Conditions resulting from the developmental disorder can be greatly improved with training from caregivers who prompt and reinforce behavioral patterns. The problem is, it takes more than two years to train a certified behavior analyst, who defines the treatment plans, which are implemented by therapists, paraprofessionals and family members.

Autistic individuals may need constant care from family, friends and teachers, seven days per week, in order to improve. Yet at this time, the dearth of skilled caregivers has made such comprehensive care impossible.

“There’s over 70 million people in the world with autism, and not enough people trained to give quality care,” said Solomon.

To solve the shortage, Solomon and Nosek are developing software called GuideMeCoach, which would equip a layman with the skills necessary to treat autistic individuals, by delivering audio instruction to the caregiver through an earpiece that can be hooked up to any smartphone or tablet.

The caregiver simply follows the steps laid out by the software to instruct autistic individuals. No prior training required.

“I picked up the manual written for the parents of a child with autism, and I was overwhelmed. This is what I’m supposed to do as a parent?” said Nosek. “The question is, ‘how do I get the grandparents, how do I get the sibling to help out with this care, so that the child is constantly receiving care and doesn’t regress?’”

The pair aim to have a minimum viable product out by June. In the meantime, they’re working to identify children suited to test the software, while retrieving consent for them to use the service. In addition, they’ve met with staff at the Center for Autism and researchers at the University of Pennsylvania to gather feedback on the initial concept. Meetings have also been scheduled with Autism Speaks and Independence Blue Cross.

GuideMeCoach has received a grant from the Small Business Innovation Research program for $150,000, and is currently seeking seed money for the project. There is considerable industry knowledge that goes into doing this well, but the practical application of offering step-by-step instructions for basic care could have broader implications beyond Autism alone.

In addition to the training element, the software will allow caregivers to automatically collect data on the progress of the autistic individual.

Despite the early interest, there have been concerns that “individual caregivers will become automatons just listening to the computer,” said Solomon. But he is quick to point out that the GuideMeCoach tool incorporates human-to-human contact, while competitors in the space often connect users directly to a technological component.

“The users of GuideMeCoach are the caregivers. Competitors focus on connecting the autistic students with computers, which we believe is insufficient. Person to person contact is essential for socialization,” said Solomon.