Title : Early intervention for childhood developmental disorders guided by correct sensory input: An integration of neurodevelopmental theory and extended reality eye-tracking technology
Abstract:
Background and Objective: Early identification and intervention for childhood developmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD), depend on a deep understanding of sensory information processing mechanisms. Existing methods still have limitations in terms of ecological validity, objective quantification, and theoretical systematicity. This study aims to integrate two cutting-edge contributions: one proposing a technological system based on extended reality and eye-tracking (XREE-TT), and the other reconstructing sensory integration theory grounded in neurodevelopmental principles. The goal is to explore how their integration can form a closed loop for precision intervention, bridging theory and technology.
Theory and Methods: Both studies emphasize that "correct sensory input" is the foundational prerequisite for efficient brain processing and appropriate behavioral output. The second study reconstructs the four-tiered model of sensory integration development based on neurodevelopmental sequences (from bottom to top, from inside to outside), highlighting the decisive role of the vestibular system in gating sensory input. The first study, by integrating eye-tracking with extended reality (XR) and anchoring on visual processing (Gv) within the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) cognitive model, designs immersive and adaptive assessment and training tasks, enabling objective quantification and real-time feedback of visual attention.
Integration and Innovation: The two studies demonstrate strong complementarity: the sensory integration theory provides the XREE-TT system with a richer array of sensory dimensions (vestibular, tactile, proprioceptive) and a framework based on neurodevelopmental sequences. In turn, the XREE-TT system offers a high-tech means for visualizing, monitoring, and adaptively adjusting "correct sensory input" within sensory integration training. Their integration can form a synergistic system of "theory guiding technology, technology supporting theory," incorporating multimodal sensory training into XR environments and using eye-tracking to monitor multisensory integration effects in real time.
Conclusion and Significance: This study proposes that integrating neurodevelopmentally-grounded sensory integration theory with extended reality eye-tracking technology can establish a closed loop of precision intervention covering assessment, training, and monitoring. This integrated approach opens new possibilities for the early identification and intervention of ASD and other developmental disorders, potentially advancing the rehabilitation of children with special needs from an experience-based practice toward a personalized, multimodal pathway.
