Researchers in B.C. and Alberta are working on a new video game to help children with neurodevelopmental disabilities like autism and are looking for volunteers.
Researchers from Victoria, Surrey and Calgary have developed Dino Island to help improve attention, memory and other mental functions.
The program consists of five games designed to deliver therapeutic benefits.
The creators of Dino Island hope to leverage the popularity of video games to develop attention and executive functions in children. The game, according to principal investigator Sarah Macoun of the University of Victoria, is a treatment program that kids will stick with long enough to make it effective and doesn’t require a clinical expert to deliver it.
“It uses a hybrid approach that combines the appeal of tablet-based gaming with the effectiveness of an in-person interventionist child structure,” Macoun said.
“It also has a self-adjusting design that enables the intervention to automatically stay at the appropriate difficulty level for each child.”
Macoun said between seven and 14 per cent of children live with developmental disorders and cognitive challenges.
Families who want to take part in the video game study can register online. Those interested in taking part can register here.