Special toys for autistic kids

Researchers have developed a new toy which they claim will help autistic children learn positive playing skills.

Researchers have developed a new toy which they claim will help autistic children learn positive playing skills.

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A team at Victoria University, led by Helen Andreae, says that their new responsive, mechanised toy, called 'Auti', will help autistic children develop speaking, touching, and collaborating skills.

It shuts down in response to any negative behaviour such as hitting or screaming, but quickly responds to the slightest positive interaction such as speaking gently or stroking. Each sensor can be adjusted to respond appropriately to a child's individual characteristics.

"Autistic children find it difficult to play. They have great difficulty using their imagination to develop even the simplest fictional scenarios and have even further difficulties playing with other children because they often don't understand how they should control their voice and body.

"This can scare other children away when they are trying to make friends. I have had an awareness of autism for a long time, through family discussions and through observing the autistic child of a friend. In developing my design challenge, I thought a toy which could help families dealing with autism," said Andreae.

Andreae says the toy is currently a prototype, so she has only allowed children of friends and family to play with it to avoid damage.