Assistive Technology

There is a difference between augmented reality and virtual reality, the latter being a tool that completely obscures vision. Unlike other solutions in which the player is looking down at a tablet or phone, our heads-up solution encourages social interaction, which keeps the player hands-free and engaged with the world around them.

Players do not wear the glasses all day — they use Empowered Brain with a partner (Autism Power staff) for sessions about 10 minutes long. The person’s progress is tracked automatically, providing real-time, analytical results that demonstrate how the player is improving by the day.

Autism Power uses augmented reality and artificial intelligence on a smartglasses device that rests gently on the user’s head. We have created one-of-a-kind apps customized to vocational training and employment specific to our greenhouse. In addition to these apps that help people build specific job skills, we use Empowered Brain.

Based on years of research and clinical testing by doctors and neuroscientists from Harvard and MIT, Empowered Brain is the world’s first wearable system that teaches individuals with autism, ADHD, and other social-emotional challenges to learn the life skills crucial for happy self-sufficiency.

Empowered Brain features a suite of interactive, augmented-reality games (or game-like apps) that teach the following skills:

Whole-body listening
Face-directed gaze and eye contact
Conversation skills
Transitions: Becoming familiar with new locations
Developing connections and fostering relationships