Arshya Vahabzadeh

Toward an immune-mediated subtype of autism spectrum disorder.

A role for immunological involvement in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has long been hypothesized. This review includes four sections describing (1) evidence for a relationship between familial autoimmune disorders and ASD; (2) results from post-mortem and neuroimaging studies that investigated aspects of neuroinflammation in ASD; (3) findings from animal model work in ASD involving inflammatory processes; and (4) outcomes from trials of anti-inflammatory/immune-modulating drugs in ASD that have appeared in the literature. Following each section, ideas are provided for future research, suggesting paths forward in the continuing effort to define the role of immune factors and inflammation in the pathophysiology of a subtype of ASD. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Neuroimmunology in Health And Disease.

Feasibility of an Autism-Focused Augmented Reality Smartglasses System for Social Communication and Behavioral Coaching

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder with a rapidly rising prevalence, currently affecting 1 in 68 children, and over 3.5 million people in the United States. Current ASD interventions are primarily based on in-person behavioral therapies that are both costly and difficult to access. These interventions aim to address some of the fundamental deficits that clinically characterize ASD, including deficits in social communication, and the presence of stereotypies, and other autism-related behaviors. Current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches seldom rely on quantitative data measures of symptomatology, severity, or condition trajectory. Methods Given the current situation, we report on the Brain Power System (BPS), a digital behavioral aid with quantitative data gathering and reporting features. The BPS includes customized smartglasses, providing targeted personalized coaching experiences through a family of gamified augmented-reality applications utilizing artificial intelligence. These applications provide children and adults with coaching for emotion recognition, face directed gaze, eye contact, and behavioral self-regulation. This preliminary case report, part of a larger set of upcoming research reports, explores the feasibility of the BPS to provide coaching in two boys with clinically diagnosed ASD, aged 8 and 9u2009years. Results The coaching intervention was found to be well tolerated and rated as being both engaging and fun. Both males could easily use the system, and no technical problems were noted. During the intervention, caregivers reported improved non-verbal communication, eye contact, and social engagement during the intervention. Both boys demonstrated decreased symptoms of ASD, as measured by the aberrant behavior checklist at 24-h post-intervention. Specifically, both cases demonstrated improvements in irritability, lethargy, stereotypy, hyperactivity/non-compliance, and inappropriate speech. Conclusion Smartglasses using augmented reality may have an important future role in helping address the therapeutic needs of children with ASD. Quantitative data gathering from such sensor-rich systems may allow for digital phenotyping and the refinement of social communication constructs of the research domain criteria. This report provides evidence for the feasibility, usability, and tolerability of one such specialized smartglasses system.

An Augmented Reality Social Communication Aid for Children and Adults with Autism: User and caregiver report of safety and lack of negative effects.

There is growing interest in the use of augmented reality (AR) to assist children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, little investigation has been conducted into the safety of devices for AR such as smartglasses. The objective of this report was to assess the safety and negative effects of the Brain Power Autism System (BPAS), a novel AR smartglasses-based social communication aid for people with ASD. A sequential series of 18 children and adults aged 4.4 to 21.5 years (mean 12.2 years) with clinically diagnosed ASD of varying severity used the BPAS. Users and caregivers were interviewed about perceived negative effects and design concerns. Most users were able to wear and use the BPAS (n=16/18, 89%), with most of them reporting no negative effects (n=14/16, 87.5%). Two users reported temporary negative effects: eye strain, dizziness, and nasal discomfort. Caregivers observed no negative effects in users (n=16/16, 100%). Most users (77.8%) and caregivers (88.9%) had no design concerns. This report found no major negative effects in using an AR smartglasses-based social communication aid across a wide age and severity range of people with ASD. Further research is needed to explore longer-term effects of using AR smartglasses in this population.Background: Interest has been growing in the use of augmented reality (AR) based social communication interventions in ASD, yet little is known about their safety or negative effects, particularly in head-worn digital smartglasses. Research to understand the safety of smartglasses in people with ASD is crucial given that these individuals may have altered sensory sensitivity, impaired verbal and non-verbal communication, and may experience extreme distress in response to changes in routine or environment.nnMethods: A sequential series of 18 children and adults (mean age 12.2-years-old, range 4.4-21.5-years-old) with clinically diagnosed ASD were given the opportunity to use the BPAS to learn emotion recognition, face-directed gaze, and managing transitions. Users and caregivers were interviewed about perceived negative effects of using BPAS, and had an opportunity to highlight any hardware or software design issues.nnObjective: The objective of this report was to assess the safety and negative effects of the Brain Power Autism System (BPAS), a novel AR smartglasses-based social communication aid for children and adults with ASD. BPAS uses emotion-based artificial intelligence and a smartglasses hardware platform that keeps users engaged in the social world by keeping users looking heads-up, unlike tablet- or phone-based apps.nnResults: The majority of users were able to wear and use the BPAS (n=16, 89%). Caregivers reported no perceived negative effects in users during or after use of the BPAS. Three users each reported one temporary negative effect, these were eye strain, dizziness, and nasal discomfort due to the smartglasses nose stabilizers. Most users and caregivers did not have any design concerns regarding the smartglasses hardware or software (users 77.8%, caregivers 88.9%). The only reported design concern was that the smartglasses became warm to the touch during extended use.nnConclusions: It is important to conduct research to understand the feasibility and safety associated with new emerging technologies for vulnerable populations such as ASD. This report found no significant negative effects in using an AR smartglasses based social communication aid across a wide age range of children and adults with ASD. Further research is needed to explore the efficacy and longer term effects of such novel interventions.

Neural targets in the study and treatment of social cognition in autism spectrum disorder.

The purpose of this chapter is to present results from recent research on social cognition in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The clinical phenomenology and neuroanatomical circuitry of ASD are first briefly described. The neuropharmacology of social cognition in animal models of ASD and humans is then addressed. Next, preclinical and clinical research on the neurohormone oxytocin is reviewed. This is followed by a presentation of results from preclinical and clinical studies on the excitatory amino acid glutamate. Finally, the role of neuroinflammation in ASD is addressed from the perspectives of preclinical neuroscience and research involving humans with ASD.

Case Study of a Digital Augmented Reality Intervention for Autism in School Classrooms: Associated With Improved Social Communication, Cognition, and Motivation via Educator and Parent Assessment

Background: Impairment in social communication is the primary deficit in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are efficacious interventions to address social communication deficits, yet their delivery is hampered by the lack of human and time resources. Emerging assistive technologies, such as smartglasses, may be able to help augment the social communication interventions currently provided by human educators and therapists. While emerging research suggests assistive socio-emotional coaching smartglasses can be effective and usable in research settings, they have yet to be studied amidst the complex social, physical, and time-constrained environment of the school classroom. This structured case study reports on the feasibility and efficacy of 16 intervention sessions of the Empowered Brain Face2Face module, a smartglasses-based social communication intervention. Methods: A 13-year-old fully-verbal adolescent male student with a diagnosis of ASD received a total of 16 smartglasses-aided intervention sessions over a two-week period. Interventions occurred twice-daily during school days and were facilitated by school professionals in a middle school in Massachusetts, USA. Outcomes were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale 2 (SRS-2), a commonly used validated measure of social communication in children with ASD, by the participant’s parent, paraprofessional, and two teachers. Difficulties in usability during the study were recorded through observation notes. Results: The participant completed the three-week study (one pre-intervention week (baseline) and two intervention weeks) without any observations of adverse effects or usability concerns. The parent and three educators completed the SRS-2 for the baseline and intervention weeks, and results demonstrated significant improvement in social communication after the intervention relative to baseline. The parent, special education teacher, and general education teacher noted marked reductions in SRS-2 total T score, with improvement in SRS-2 social communication, social motivation, social cognition, and restricted interests and repetitive behavior subscales. Conclusion: Smartglasses are a novel assistive technology that can help facilitate social communication and behavioral coaching for students with ASD. The use of the Face2Face module by educators over a two-week period was associated with improvements in social communication. This study supports the use of this novel technology to deliver assistive social communication and behavioral coaching in schools.

Cool Enough for School: Second Version of Google Glass Rated by Children Facing Challenges to Social Integration as Desirable to Wear at School

Background On July 18th, 2017, X, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. announced the successor to Google Glass. Glass Enterprise Edition could function as an assistive technology for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet its acceptability, desirability, and the willingness of children with ASD to wear it, are not known. The authors review key issues surrounding smartglasses and social communication, child development, and the school environment. Methods The smartglasses were evaluated by eight children with ASD, who ranged from moderately non-verbal to verbal, in the context of whether they would desire to wear it and use it as an assistive device each day at their respective schools. Children represented the full range of school ages (6 – 17yrs). Results All eight children responded that they would want to wear and use Glass Enterprise Edition at school. Additionally, all eight parents said their child had fun during the testing session, and six of eight parents said the experience went better than they had thought. Conclusion The results show that children with ASD are willing to use Glass Enterprise Edition in a school setting, highlighting its desirability and social acceptability in this population, as well as its future potential as an assistive technology.

Safety and Lack of Negative Effects of Wearable Augmented-Reality Social Communication Aid for Children and Adults with Autism

There is a growing interest in the use of augmented reality (AR) to assist children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, little investigation has been conducted into the safety of AR devices, such as smartglasses. The objective of this report was to assess the safety and potential negative effects of the Empowered Brain system, a novel AR smartglasses-based social communication aid for people with ASD. The version of the Empowered Brain in this report utilized Google Glass (Google, Mountain View, CA, USA) as its hardware platform. A sequential series of 18 children and adults, aged 4.4 to 21.5 years (mean 12.2 years), with clinically diagnosed ASD of varying severity used the system. Users and caregivers were interviewed about the perceived negative effects and design concerns. Most users were able to wear and use the Empowered Brain (n = 16/18, 89%), with most of them reporting no negative effects (n = 14/16, 87.5%). Caregivers observed no negative effects in users (n = 16/16, 100%). Most users (77.8%) and caregivers (88.9%) had no design concerns. This report found no major negative effects in using an AR smartglasses-based social communication aid across a wide age and severity range of people with ASD. Further research is needed to explore longer-term effects of using AR smartglasses in this population.

Improvement of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms in School-Aged Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults With Autism via a Digital Smartglasses-Based Socioemotional Coaching Aid: An Efficacy Study

Introduction People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD) related symptoms, including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. One third of ASD cases may be complicated by the presence of ADHD. These dually diagnosed individuals face greater barriers to accessing treatment for ADHD, and respond less positively to primary pharmacological interventions. Non-pharmacological technology-aided tools for hyperactivity and inattention in people with ASD are being developed, although research into their efficacy and safety remains limited. This preliminary study describes the changes to ADHD-related symptoms in children and adolescents with ASD after use of the Empowered Brain system, a behavioral and social communication aid for ASD running on augmented reality smartglasses. Methods Eight children and adults with ASD (M:F ratio of 7:1, mean age 15 years, range 11.7-20.5 years) were recruited through a web-based research signup form. The baseline score on the hyperactivity subscale of the Aberrant Behavioral Checklist (ABC-H), a measure of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, determined their classification into a high ADHD-related symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H ≥ 13) and a low ADHD-related symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H < 13). All participants received an intervention with Empowered Brain, where they used smartglasses-based social communication and behavioral modules while interacting with their caregiver. Caregiver-reported ABC-H scores were then calculated at 24- and 48-hours post-session. Results All eight participants were able to complete the intervention session. ABC-H scores were lower post-intervention for most participants at 24 hours (n = 6, 75%), and for all participants at 48 hours (n = 8, 100%). At 24-hours post-session, average ABC-H scores decreased by 54.4% in high ADHD symptom group and by 20% in the low ADHD symptom group. At 48-hours post-session ABC-H scores compared to baseline decreased by 56.4% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 66.3% in the low ADHD symptom group. Conclusion This study provides initial evidence for the efficacy of the Empowered Brain in reducing ADHD-related symptoms, such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, in school-aged children and adolescents with ASD. There is potential to use this digital smartglasses intervention to target a broader array of mental health conditions that exhibit transdiagnostic attentional and social communication deficits, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Further research is required to understand clinical importance of these observed changes, and to conduct longitudinal studies on this intervention with larger sample sizes.IntroductionnPeople with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, and a third of people on the spectrum may be diagnosed with attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD). These individuals often face barriers to having their ADHD symptoms treated. Non-pharmacological technology-aided tools for hyperactivity and inattention in people with ASD are being developed, although research into their efficacy and safety remains limited. This preliminary report describes the impact on hyperactivity symptoms in children and adults with ASD after use of the Brain Power Autism System (BPAS), a behavioral and social communication aid for ASD based on augmented-reality smartglasses. nnMethodsnEight children and adults with ASD were recruited through a web-based research signup form. Four of these participants had a history of ADHD. The baseline score on the hyperactivity subscale of the aberrant behavioral checklist (ABC-H) determined their classification into a high ADHD symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H ≥ 13) and a low ADHD symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H < 13). All participants attended a coaching session with BPAS, where they used BPAS social communication and behavioral apps while interacting with their caregiver. Caregiver-reported ABC-H scores were calculated at 24- and 48-hours post-session. nnResultsnMean ABC-H scores were lower in both low and high ADHD groups at 24- and 48-hours post-session. At 24-hours post-session, average ABC-H scores decreased by 54.4% in high ADHD symptom group and by 20% in the low ADHD symptom group. At 48-hours post-session ABC-H scores compared to baseline decreased by 56.4% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 66.3% in the low ADHD symptom group. nnConclusionnThe use of BPAS, a novel smartglasses-based behavioral and social communication aid for children and adults with ASD, was associated with reduced short-term symptoms of hyperactivity. While on the one hand, there may be a placebo effect to novel technology, on the other hand, people with ASD may react negatively to transitions or new experiences. The effects are likely to be temporary, and further research is required to understand clinical importance of these observed changes. Future research should focus on longer-term monitoring, and involve a larger sample size.Background: People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience symptoms related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. One-third of ASD cases may be complicated by the presence of ADHD. Individuals with dual diagnoses face greater barriers to accessing treatment for ADHD and respond less positively to primary pharmacologic interventions. Nonpharmacologic technology-aided tools for hyperactivity and inattention in people with ASD are being developed, although research into their efficacy and safety remains limited.nObjective: The objective of this preliminary study was to describe the changes in ADHD-related symptoms in children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD after use of the Empowered Brain system, a behavioral and social communication aid for ASD running on augmented reality smartglasses.nMethods: We recruited 8 children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD (male to female ratio of 7:1, mean age 15 years, range 11.7-20.5 years) through a Web-based research signup form. The baseline score on the hyperactivity subscale of the Aberrant Behavioral Checklist (ABC-H), a measure of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, determined their classification into a high ADHD-related symptom group (n=4, ABC-H ≥13) and a low ADHD-related symptom group (n=4, ABC-H <13). All participants received an intervention with Empowered Brain, where they used smartglasses-based social communication and behavioral modules while interacting with their caregiver. We then calculated caregiver-reported ABC-H scores at 24 and 48 hours after the session.nResults: All 8 participants were able to complete the intervention session. Postintervention ABC-H scores were lower for most participants at 24 hours (n=6, 75%) and for all participants at 48 hours (n=8, 100%). At 24 hours after the session, average participant ABC-H scores decreased by 54.9% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 20% in the low ADHD symptom group. At 48 hours after the session, ABC-H scores compared with baseline decreased by 56.4% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 66.3% in the low ADHD symptom group.nConclusions: This study provides initial evidence for the efficacy of the Empowered Brain system in reducing ADHD-related symptoms, such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD. This digital smartglasses intervention can potentially be targeted at a broader array of mental health conditions that exhibit transdiagnostic attentional and social communication deficits, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Further research is required to understand the clinical importance of these observed changes and to conduct longitudinal studies on this intervention with larger sample sizes.

Improvement of ADHD symptoms in School Age Children and Adolescents with Autism via a Digital Smartglasses-based Socio-emotional Coaching Aid

Introduction People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD) related symptoms, including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. One third of ASD cases may be complicated by the presence of ADHD. These dually diagnosed individuals face greater barriers to accessing treatment for ADHD, and respond less positively to primary pharmacological interventions. Non-pharmacological technology-aided tools for hyperactivity and inattention in people with ASD are being developed, although research into their efficacy and safety remains limited. This preliminary study describes the changes to ADHD-related symptoms in children and adolescents with ASD after use of the Empowered Brain system, a behavioral and social communication aid for ASD running on augmented reality smartglasses. Methods Eight children and adults with ASD (M:F ratio of 7:1, mean age 15 years, range 11.7-20.5 years) were recruited through a web-based research signup form. The baseline score on the hyperactivity subscale of the Aberrant Behavioral Checklist (ABC-H), a measure of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, determined their classification into a high ADHD-related symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H ≥ 13) and a low ADHD-related symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H < 13). All participants received an intervention with Empowered Brain, where they used smartglasses-based social communication and behavioral modules while interacting with their caregiver. Caregiver-reported ABC-H scores were then calculated at 24- and 48-hours post-session. Results All eight participants were able to complete the intervention session. ABC-H scores were lower post-intervention for most participants at 24 hours (n = 6, 75%), and for all participants at 48 hours (n = 8, 100%). At 24-hours post-session, average ABC-H scores decreased by 54.4% in high ADHD symptom group and by 20% in the low ADHD symptom group. At 48-hours post-session ABC-H scores compared to baseline decreased by 56.4% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 66.3% in the low ADHD symptom group. Conclusion This study provides initial evidence for the efficacy of the Empowered Brain in reducing ADHD-related symptoms, such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, in school-aged children and adolescents with ASD. There is potential to use this digital smartglasses intervention to target a broader array of mental health conditions that exhibit transdiagnostic attentional and social communication deficits, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Further research is required to understand clinical importance of these observed changes, and to conduct longitudinal studies on this intervention with larger sample sizes.IntroductionnPeople with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, and a third of people on the spectrum may be diagnosed with attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD). These individuals often face barriers to having their ADHD symptoms treated. Non-pharmacological technology-aided tools for hyperactivity and inattention in people with ASD are being developed, although research into their efficacy and safety remains limited. This preliminary report describes the impact on hyperactivity symptoms in children and adults with ASD after use of the Brain Power Autism System (BPAS), a behavioral and social communication aid for ASD based on augmented-reality smartglasses. nnMethodsnEight children and adults with ASD were recruited through a web-based research signup form. Four of these participants had a history of ADHD. The baseline score on the hyperactivity subscale of the aberrant behavioral checklist (ABC-H) determined their classification into a high ADHD symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H ≥ 13) and a low ADHD symptom group (n = 4, ABC-H < 13). All participants attended a coaching session with BPAS, where they used BPAS social communication and behavioral apps while interacting with their caregiver. Caregiver-reported ABC-H scores were calculated at 24- and 48-hours post-session. nnResultsnMean ABC-H scores were lower in both low and high ADHD groups at 24- and 48-hours post-session. At 24-hours post-session, average ABC-H scores decreased by 54.4% in high ADHD symptom group and by 20% in the low ADHD symptom group. At 48-hours post-session ABC-H scores compared to baseline decreased by 56.4% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 66.3% in the low ADHD symptom group. nnConclusionnThe use of BPAS, a novel smartglasses-based behavioral and social communication aid for children and adults with ASD, was associated with reduced short-term symptoms of hyperactivity. While on the one hand, there may be a placebo effect to novel technology, on the other hand, people with ASD may react negatively to transitions or new experiences. The effects are likely to be temporary, and further research is required to understand clinical importance of these observed changes. Future research should focus on longer-term monitoring, and involve a larger sample size.Background: People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) commonly experience symptoms related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. One-third of ASD cases may be complicated by the presence of ADHD. Individuals with dual diagnoses face greater barriers to accessing treatment for ADHD and respond less positively to primary pharmacologic interventions. Nonpharmacologic technology-aided tools for hyperactivity and inattention in people with ASD are being developed, although research into their efficacy and safety remains limited.nObjective: The objective of this preliminary study was to describe the changes in ADHD-related symptoms in children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD after use of the Empowered Brain system, a behavioral and social communication aid for ASD running on augmented reality smartglasses.nMethods: We recruited 8 children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD (male to female ratio of 7:1, mean age 15 years, range 11.7-20.5 years) through a Web-based research signup form. The baseline score on the hyperactivity subscale of the Aberrant Behavioral Checklist (ABC-H), a measure of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, determined their classification into a high ADHD-related symptom group (n=4, ABC-H ≥13) and a low ADHD-related symptom group (n=4, ABC-H <13). All participants received an intervention with Empowered Brain, where they used smartglasses-based social communication and behavioral modules while interacting with their caregiver. We then calculated caregiver-reported ABC-H scores at 24 and 48 hours after the session.nResults: All 8 participants were able to complete the intervention session. Postintervention ABC-H scores were lower for most participants at 24 hours (n=6, 75%) and for all participants at 48 hours (n=8, 100%). At 24 hours after the session, average participant ABC-H scores decreased by 54.9% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 20% in the low ADHD symptom group. At 48 hours after the session, ABC-H scores compared with baseline decreased by 56.4% in the high ADHD symptom group and by 66.3% in the low ADHD symptom group.nConclusions: This study provides initial evidence for the efficacy of the Empowered Brain system in reducing ADHD-related symptoms, such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, in school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults with ASD. This digital smartglasses intervention can potentially be targeted at a broader array of mental health conditions that exhibit transdiagnostic attentional and social communication deficits, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Further research is required to understand the clinical importance of these observed changes and to conduct longitudinal studies on this intervention with larger sample sizes.

Improved Socio-Emotional and Behavioral Functioning in Students with Autism Following School-Based Smartglasses Intervention: Multi-Stage Feasibility and Controlled Efficacy Study

Background: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) commonly demonstrate prominent social communication deficits, symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and chronic irritability. These challenges hinder academic progress and frequently persist despite educational, behavioral, and medical interventions. An assistive smartglasses technology may aid these individuals, especially if the technology is efficacious in ecologically-valid school settings. This study explored the feasibility and efficacy of Empowered Brain, a computerized smartglasses intervention designed as a socio-emotional behavioral aid for students with ASD. Methods: This two-part six-week study involved four school children with ASD from a public elementary school. The study incorporated an initial three-week feasibility stage followed by a three-week controlled longitudinal efficacy stage. Both stages involved the use of a twice-daily socio-emotional intervention with the smartglasses. Educators completed pre-intervention and post-intervention Aberrant Behavioral Checklist (ABC) ratings at the start of the feasibility stage, and weekly during the efficacy stage. Primary outcome measures were improvements in the ABC subscales of irritability, hyperactivity, and social withdrawal. Results: Students in both feasibility and efficacy stages demonstrated improvements (decreases) in irritability, hyperactivity, and social withdrawal compared to a baseline period and control periods, respectively. Participants in the controlled efficacy stage demonstrated decreased ABC subscale scores of 90% for irritability, 41.6% for hyperactivity, and 45.6% for social withdrawal. An intervention exposure-response improvement in irritability and hyperactivity was found during the efficacy stage. Educators rated the technology as superior or vastly superior compared to other assistive technologies. Conclusion: A substantial number of school children with ASD demonstrate chronic and impairing cognitive and behavioral challenges. This study provides evidence that Empowered Brain, a smartglasses-based socio-emotional aid for autism, is both feasible and efficacious in improving symptoms of social withdrawal, irritability, and hyperactivity in students with autism. The improvement is demonstrated as part of a longitudinal school-based intervention. Further studies involving larger samples and incorporation of randomized controlled trial methodology are underway to further elucidate the impact of this technology.