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© 2021 The authors, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and IOS Press.
This article is published online with Open Access by IOS Press and distributed under the terms
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doi:10.3233/SHTI210086
A Customized Smart Home and Interior
Design Concept Co-Designed with and for
People with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sandra Lisa LATTACHERa,b,1, Lukas WOHOFSKYa,b, Philip SCHARF a,b and Daniela
KRAINERa,b
a
Research Unit Active & Assisted Living at Carinthia University of Applied Sciences,
Klagenfurt, Austria
b
Institute for Applied Research on Ageing, Villach, Austria
Abstract. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses increased over the last
decades, as reviews show comparing prevalence rates reported from different
studies. Due to different effects of the disorder, personal support is required and
provided by formal and/or informal caregivers in various activities of daily living.
With the help of a customized smart home and interior design concept the aim is to
enable people with ASD to live a more independent and self-reliant life. Following
a participatory research approach, the end users are involved in the context of use
and requirements definition, concept development, and later also in the
implementation, and evaluation process. The solution shall assist end users in
performing activities of daily living. The outcome of the work at hand is a set of
modular functionalities (sensors, actuators, interior design solutions) to be
integrated in a living environment specifically designed for people with ASD.
Keywords. Autism Spectrum Disorder, Smart Home, User-Centered Design,
Stakeholder Analysis, Participatory Research, Assistive Technologies.
1. Introduction
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder with a wide variation in
the type and severity of symptoms. Referring to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM-V), there are two main symptom complexes: difficulties with
communication and social interactions, and restricted repetitive behavior, activities, or
interests. Due to different effects of the disorder, individual support is required and
provided by formal and/or informal caregivers in various activities of daily living (ADL)
[1]. Although many assistive technologies for people with ASD can be found in literature
[2], the field of home automation in combination with an interior design concept for
people with ASD is, to the authors’ knowledge, non-existent yet. Considering the whole
path from initial user requirements to system design specifications, a concept of a
customized smart home and interior design for assisted living is developed. This holistic
approach is tailored to the needs of autistic people, aimed at increasing independency
and self-reliance scalable to multifaceted life realities and diverse home environments.
1
Corresponding Author: Sandra Lisa Lattacher, Research Unit Active & Assisted Living at Carinthia
University of Applied Sciences, Klagenfurt, Austria, [email protected]
S.L. Lattacher et al. / A Customized Smart Home and Interior Design Concept 37
2. Methods
Following a participatory research approach, the end users of the system (people with
ASD, formal/informal caregivers) and associated stakeholders (architects, health
professionals) were involved in the context of use and requirements definition, and the
concept development based on DIN EN ISO 9241-210 [3]. Qualitative methods included
individual remote focus groups targeting at various aspects of the users’ life like daily
routines, challenges and scenarios where smart gadgets and furnishings could support
independent living. In addition, the experience of architects with the design of residential
spaces and with following autism friendly design guidelines were obtained. Quantitative
methods encompassed questionnaires, which were targeting at special sensitivity of
individuals to thermal, acoustical, visual, and indoor air conditions.
3. Results
As a collective output, the most critical environmental factors that could trigger stress
and tension were identified and corresponding technical, architectural, or combined
solutions have been conceptualized, followed by a stakeholder validation of importance
and usefulness and evaluation regarding feasibility and priority. The outcome is a set of
modular functionalities, which covers solutions like crowd warnings, transition spaces
or room condition regulation realized through sensors, actuators, and interior design
components. [4]
4. Discussion
Through the continuous involvement, engagement, and participation of users we expect
a sustainable, economic, and societal solution specifically designed for people with ASD
and caregivers to support autonomous living. We facilitate the flow back of benefits to
the end users that are in the center of our research. As a next step, the sensor technology
and architectural components will be implemented, integrated, and tested in a demo
apartment in a lab setting.
The research leading to these results is co-financed by the European Regional
Development Fund under the framework of INTERREG IT-AT (SENSHOME project).
References
[1] I. Kamp-Becker and S. Bölte, Autismus, 2. Auflage. München Basel: Ernst Reinhardt, 2014.
[2] M. H. Black et al., ‘The use of wearable technology to measure and support abilities, disabilities and
functional skills in autistic youth: a scoping review’, Scand. J. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry Psychol., vol.
8, pp. 48–69, 2020, doi: 10.21307/sjcapp-2020-006.
[3] ISO 9241-210, ‘Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Part 210: Human-centred design for
interactive systems’. 2019.
[4] S. L. Lattacher, ‘Participatory Research in the Development of a Smart Home Environment for People
on the Autism Spectrum - Barriers, Methods and Opportunities during a Pandemic’, presented at the 2nd
International Workshop on Indoor Comfort, online, Dec. 09, 2020, Accessed: Mar. 11, 2021. [Online].
Available: https://forschung.fh-kaernten.at/aal/en/senshome/workshop-indoor-comfort/.
