Motivation
Motor and balance difficulties affect an estimated 50–85% of autistic children, limiting independence and participation. Home-based AI and computer vision systems allow children with autism to receive consistent, personalized OT at home, reinforcing skills beyond the clinic. This approach increases therapy accessibility, continuity, and effectiveness while reducing the burden on families and professionals.
Research
EmpowerOT uses computer vision and AI to analyze children’s gross-motor movements from video-based motion capture and therapist-labelled data, providing real-time corrective feedback through a fine-tuned language model. The system should be co-designed with therapists to ensure clinical accuracy and ethical usability.
Impact
EmpowerOT enables a “virtual OT at home” guiding children through exercises, tracking progress, and offering personalized feedback, making therapy continuous, inclusive, and empowering for autistic children and their families.
