The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD), a social organization located in Macaíba, Rio Grande do Norte, has had a project approved by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in the Universal Call, one of the agency's most competitive selection processes. The initiative involves the development of intelligent systems and interventions based on serious games and neurofeedback to support the early diagnosis and cognitive training of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The approved funding amounts to R$ 226,000.
The project, entitled “Development of Intelligent Systems and Intervention with Serious Games and Neurofeedback for Diagnosis and Cognitive Training in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder”, is coordinated by professor-researcher Denis Delisle-Rodriguez, with the participation of professor-researcher Gabriel Vasiljevic and neuropsychologist preceptors Caroline Leôncio, Samantha Maranhão and Luana Metta, all from ISD.
The proposal seeks to create a low-cost system for diagnosing ASD using advances in artificial intelligence, while exploring playful therapeutic alternatives—such as games and brain-computer interfaces—to stimulate cognitive skills, especially attention and verbal communication, in children with autism.
The project also involves a network of ten researchers, three of whom are international: Hugo Quintero (University of Connecticut, USA), Paul Constable (Flinders University of South Australia, Australia), and Tom Chau (University of Toronto, Canada). In Brazil, the ISD researchers are joined by Professors Monilly Melo (UFCG) and Kely Pereira (UFES), and Professors Anibal Atencio (UFES) and Alan Floriano (IFPR).
According to Denis Delisle-Rodriguez, project coordinator, "the approved amount will allow us to consolidate the research infrastructure and the collaboration network with national and international research groups, advancing technological solutions that benefit children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and fostering knowledge on topics of great interest to students in the ISD Neuroengineering Graduate Program and scientific initiation programs." Part of the investment will also support partner institutions in the consolidation phase.
Currently, the ISD group is developing brain-computer interfaces applied in laboratory tests, aimed at improving attention and verbal communication, supported by approaches such as music therapy. With the new funding, the expectation is to soon begin the first clinical interventions, in addition to advancing the development of technologies that aid in the early diagnosis of the disorder.
About ISD
The Santos Dumont Institute is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and includes the Edmond and Lily Safra International Neuroscience Institute and the Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center, both in Macaíba. ISD's mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.
