Featured Post from University of Delaware

Research finds video games improve mobility for children with autism

Mar 25, 2024

3 min


University of Delaware professor Anjana Bhat has a long history of finding creative ways to keep autistic children engaged with the added benefit of improving their flexibility and gross motor skills. She’s used dance and play in the past but is now testing video games to see if they’re a viable intervention to promote movement in this population.


Bhat and her team in the Move to 2 Learn Innovation Lab at UD's STAR Campus have been using Ring Fit on Nintendo Switch to help children with autism get their daily dose of exercise.


“Children love video games, and they’re fun,” said Bhat, professor of physical therapy in UD's College of Health Sciences. “But there’s also a lot of evidence that video games with an exercise component have positive effects on cognition, social interactions and general physical activity levels.”


She added that children with autism have a predilection for technology with a love of computers and robots, but exergaming hasn’t been studied in this population.


“Technologies that have been tested and studied in children with autism mainly target sedentary functions that look at improvement in executive function and decision-making, but not necessarily exergaming,” Bhat said. “Exergaming has been studied in older populations and healthy children, but not so much in children with autism, so this study is unique.”


After testing the intervention on a dozen children with autism over eight weeks, the consensus is that it works.


“I’ve never seen anything grab their attention so much. Across the board, this tool is far more engaging than any other tool we’ve used before, including music and movement, yoga, general exercise, and outdoor play, which do not always work for every child,” Bhat said. “With exergaming and the variety of content that exists, most children remain engaged, and that’s what’s so unusual about this intervention compared to past interventions.”


Games like tennis, volleyball, badminton, golf, sword fighting and bowling focus on the upper extremities, while soccer focuses on the lower extremities. Bhat receives accurate measures of improvement in a child’s ability through accelerometers in the video game controllers.


“This is one place where children with autism shine,” Bhat said. “Their visual learning and sensory enhancements help them excel. This gives them a sense of self-efficacy and self-assurance that — they’re good at this,” she said. “It also gives them a sense of connection to the community because they can make friends and feel empowered. Video games are a great equalizer.”


Bhat’s innovative pilot study was funded through a $50,000 award from the donor-created Maggie E. Neumann Health Sciences Research Fund, which targets research and innovation that aims to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Equipped with data from this study, Bhat hopes to expand access to the intervention and test it in the community. It’s already available at D-Fit Plus, an inclusive fitness center in New Castle that aims to help those with special needs explore fitness to build social skills and confidence, grow cognition, and manage stress.


“It’s relatively low cost,” Bhat said. “Another advantage of this intervention is that you don’t need a highly skilled person present to work the intervention because the game leads the activity, making it accessible if embedded in the community.”


This also provides a social outlet for the child’s parents.


“Community settings bring a sense of connection for the child’s parents, who are always looking for community-based activities, and many environments aren’t suitable for children with autism,” Bhat said. “Many environments are too noisy or distracting. Exergaming removes those barriers and allows the child to engage with the game and maybe another partner.”


Bhat’s previously published research has shown that 80% of people with autism face motor challenges. Her research is so compelling that she’s made a case to change the definition of autism to include motor impairments so those on the spectrum can get the proper physical therapy or gross motor interventions that could dramatically improve their quality of life.

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from University of Delaware

1 min

Colorado wildfires will have severe mental health impact on residents and firefighters

The historic wildfire season in Colorado includes some of the largest in its history, leading to firefighter burnout and resource shortages. University of Delaware epidemiologist Jennifer Horney says that first responders, as well as Colorado residents, will be at risk for both physical and mental health impacts of the fires. "The fires, and the expected flash floods and mud slides to follow, will also be a test of a reduced focus on, and investment in, federal disaster response and hazard mitigation," said Horney, professor and director of UD's epidemiology program. In addition to research on the impacts of natural disasters on public health, Horney also studies linkages between disaster planning and the actions communities and individuals take to prepare, respond and recover. To set up an interview, visit her ExpertFile profile and click on the "contact" button. Reporters can also email MediaRelations@udel.edu.

1 min

How AI will transform the economy: Predicting the next breakthroughs

AI is already revolutionizing the world around us. University of Delaware experts are at the forefront of this innovation, researching and inventing new ways to use AI in everyday life. Below are a number of UD experts who can discuss these topics and the breakthroughs being made.  AI meets the edge – Weisong Shi, Alumni Distinguished Professor and Chair of Computer and Information Sciences, explains how AI and edge computing will transform everything from self-driving cars to real-time healthcare. AI’s energy appetite – Steven Hegedus, Professor, dives into the massive energy demands of AI, with expertise in photonics and chip-level signal processing. Building AI from the hardware – Sunita Chandrasekaran, Associate Professor and leader of the First State AI Institute, focuses on AI hardware innovations shaping the future of computing. Email mediarelations@udel.edu to speak to any of these experts. 

4 min

Tariffs fuel global sourcing shakeup for fashion in the U.S.

Be prepared to see more Made in Vietnam or Made in Bangladesh labels on clothing in the coming years. That’s because U.S. fashion companies are rethinking their global sourcing strategies and operations in response to the Trump administration’s trade policies and tariffs, according to new research by the University of Delaware's Sheng Lu. Lu, professor and graduate director in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies, partners with the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), on an annual survey of executives at the top 25 U.S. fashion brands, retailers, importers and wholesalers doing business globally. Members include well-known names like Levi’s, Macy’s, Ralph Lauren and Under Armour, among others. The report covers business challenges and outlook, sourcing practices and views on trade policy. “We wear more than just clothes; we wear the global economy, the supply chain and the public policies that jointly make fashion and affordable clothing available to American families,” Lu said. “We want to know where these companies source their products and what factors matter to them the most. It’s a classic question and it evolves each year.” This year’s report, released on July 31, shows tariffs and protectionist policies are the top business challenge for companies, with nearly half reporting declining sales and more than 20% saying they have had to lay off employees. This was followed closely by uncertainty around inflation and the economy, increasing sourcing and production costs, and changes in trade policies from other countries. In response, more than 80% of companies said they will diversify the countries from which they source their products, focusing on vendors in Asian countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Indonesia. Despite the push for “Made in USA” garments, only 17% of respondents plan to increase sourcing from the U.S. Lu shared his findings in the following Q&A: What surprised you about the survey results? Two things surprised me. First, contrary to common perception, the results do not indicate that the tariff policy so far has effectively supported or encouraged more textile and apparel production in the U.S. This actually makes sense. U.S. mills are as uncertain about the tariff rates as our trading partners are. A U.S. company may manufacture the clothes here, but use yarns, fabrics and zippers from other countries. When tariffs drive up the cost of these raw materials, it reduces the price competitiveness of apparel “Made in the USA.” Many domestic factories are in a “wait and see” mode, holding back on making critical investments to expand production due to the lack of a clear policy signal. Second, I was struck by the wide-ranging impact of the tariffs, which has gone far beyond what I originally imagined. Tariffs have not only increased U.S. fashion companies’ sourcing costs but have also affected their product development, shipping and overall supply chain management. Nearly 70% of the survey respondents said they have delayed or canceled some sourcing orders due to tariff hikes. Should consumers be prepared for less variety in clothing or shortages? Later this year, we may see fewer clothing items from our favorite brands on store shelves — especially during the holiday shopping season — and many of those items may come with a higher price tag. That said, fashion companies are doing what they can to avoid passing on tariff costs across the board, as they recognize that consumers are price sensitive. Many surveyed U.S. fashion companies say they intend to strengthen relationships with key vendors as a strategic move, and there is a growing public call for U.S. companies to provide more support and resources to their suppliers in developing countries. Sustainability is a huge issue in the fashion industry, as millions of tons of textiles end up in landfills every year. Companies say they are spending less on sustainability efforts. What would you tell companies about their sustainability efforts? Our survey suggests that sustainability can open up new business opportunities for U.S. fashion companies. Respondents said that when sourcing clothing made from sustainable fibers — like recycled, organic, biodegradable and regenerative materials — they are more likely to rely on a U.S. sourcing base or suppliers in the Western Hemisphere. In other words, even if apparel “Made in the USA” or nearby cannot always compete on price with lower-cost Asian suppliers, there is a better chance to compete on sustainability. Based on what I’ve learned from our Gen Z students — who expect better quality and more sustainable products if they have to pay more, and are critical consumers for many brands and retailers — it is unwise to hold back on investments in sustainability. What do you see as the biggest takeaway from the survey? One key takeaway is that the $4 trillion fashion and apparel business today is truly “made anywhere in the world and sold anywhere in the world.” In such a highly global and interconnected industry, everyone is a stakeholder — meaning there are no real winners in a tariff war. The study is also a powerful reminder that fashion is far more than just creating stylish clothing. Today’s fashion industry is deeply intertwined with sustainability, international relations, trade policy and technology. I hope the findings will be timely, informative and useful to fashion companies, policymakers, suppliers and fellow researchers. I plan to incorporate the insights, as well as the valuable industry connections developed through my long term partnership with USFIA, in my classroom, giving UD students fresh, real-world perspectives on the often “unfashionable” but essential side of the industry. Reporters interested in speaking with Lu can contact him directly by visiting his profile and clicking on the contact button. UD's media relations team can be reached via email.

View all posts
Powered by