From "Attention Arousal" to "Sustained Attention": Reconstruction of Design Logic for Interactive Interfaces of Children with Autism

Main Article Content

B. Xia
S. Y. Liu

Abstract

Children with autism generally face difficulties in attention arousal and insufficient sustained attention, making effective human–computer interaction a critical challenge in digital intervention systems. Interactive interfaces have become an important carrier for educational and rehabilitation activities, but existing designs still suffer from poor stimulus adaptability and disconnected transitions between attention arousal and sustained attention. Based on attention theory and universal design theory, combined with the cognitive characteristics of children with autism, this study reconstructs the interface design logic from “attention arousal” to “sustained attention”. By analyzing existing design cases, identifying core problems, establishing design principles and phased strategies, and validating the proposed framework through prototype development and controlled experiments, the effectiveness of the reconstructed logic is confirmed. The proposed approach provides practical guidance for interactive interface design for children with autism while offering a systematic reference for intelligent human–computer interaction and multimodal sensing systems in digital rehabilitation scenarios, thereby supporting the development of adaptive assistive technologies for special-needs populations.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Xia, B., & Liu, S. Y. (2026). From "Attention Arousal" to "Sustained Attention": Reconstruction of Design Logic for Interactive Interfaces of Children with Autism. Advanced Electromagnetics, 15(3), 6491–6498. https://doi.org/10.7716/aem.v15i3.3715
Section
Research Articles

References

M. Li, Y. Lin, T. Bao, Q. Zhao, Y. Wang, M. Li, et al., “Inclusive education of elementary students with autism spectrum disorders in Shanghai, China: From the teachers’ perspective,” BioScience Trends, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 142-150, 2022, doi: 10.5582/bst.2022.01104.

View Article

Y. Li, S. Li, X. Lin, B. Sun, and Q. Song, “Promoting Health and Well-Being: Environment Design of Rehabilitation Centers for Autistic Children Under the Theory of Restorative Environment,” Buildings, vol. 15, no. 21, pp. 3932, 2025, doi: 10.3390/buildings15213932.

View Article

K. Zhang, J. Chen, and Z. Yang, “Use of human–computer interactive games for the dynamic assessment of language skills of children with autism spectrum disorder,” British Journal of Educational Technology, vol. 55, no. 5, pp. 2383-2402, 2024, doi: 10.1111/bjet.13438.

View Article

R. Canete, S. López, and M. E. Peralta, “KEYme: Multifunctional smart toy for children with autism spectrum disorder,” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 4010, 2021, doi: 10.3390/su13074010.

View Article

A. Duquette, F. Michaud, and H. Mercier, “Exploring the use of a mobile robot as an imitation agent with children with low-functioning autism,” Autonomous Robots, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 147-157, 2008, doi: 10.1007/s10514-007-9056-5.

View Article

Z. Zheng, H. Zhao, A. R. Swanson, A. S. Weitlauf, Z. E. Warren, and N. Sarkar, “Design, development, and evaluation of a noninvasive autonomous robot-mediated joint attention intervention system for young children with ASD,” IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 125-135, 2017, doi: 10.1109/THMS.2017.2776865.

View Article

G. Nie, A. Ullal, Z. Zheng, A. R. Swanson, A. S. Weitlauf, Z. E. Warren, et al., “An immersive computer-mediated caregiver-child interaction system for young children with autism spectrum disorder,” IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, vol. 29, pp. 884-893, 2021, doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2021.3077480.

View Article

J. Lin, J. Li, Y. She, L. Lin, H. Wu, E. Zhang, et al., “Using a social robot for children with autism: A therapistrobot interactive model,” Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds, vol. 33, no. 5, pp. e2109, 2022, doi: 10.1002/cav.2109.

View Article

S. S. Yun, J. S. Choi, S. K. Park, G. Y. Bong, and H. J. Yoo, “Social skills training for children with autism spectrum disorder using a robotic behavioral intervention system,” Autism Research, vol. 10, no. 7, pp. 1306-1323, 2017, doi: 10.1002/aur.1778.

View Article

H. J. Cai and F. Q. Kong, “Interface Design of Rehabilitation Products for Special Children,” Art and Design (Theory), vol. 2, no. 12, pp. 125-126, 2011, doi: 10.16824/j.cnki.issn1008-2832.2011.12.033.

View Article

F. Ke, J. Moon, and Z. Sokolikj, “Virtual reality–based social skills training for children with autism spectrum disorder,” Journal of Special Education Technology, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 49-62, 2022, doi: 10.1177/0162643420945603.

View Article

G. Zantinge, S. V. Rijn, L. Stockmann, and H. Swaab, “Physiological Arousal and Emotion Regulation Strategies in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders,” 2017; 47(2):2648-2657, doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3181-6.

View Article

L. L. Cheong, M. J. Y. Kee, and P. L. Chen, “How attentional resources of the same or across sensory modalities and task load affect cognitive performance? A multi-sensory integration study,” Journal of Cognitive Psychology, vol. 35, no. 8, pp. 812-820, 2023, doi: 10.1080/20445911.2023.2249627.

View Article

Y. H. Zhao and Y. Zeng, “Discussion on Product Design to Promote Communication of Children with Autism,” Industrial Design, vol. (04), pp. 61-62, 2020, doi: CNKI:SUN:GYSH.0.2020-04-038.

J. Zhang, J. B. Zhang, Y. Li, et al., “An Effective Path to Promote Work Motivation: From the Perspective of Self-Determination Theory,” Advances in Psychological Science, vol. 18, no. 05, pp. 752-759, 2010, doi: CNKI:SUN:XLXD.0.2010-05-007.

X. Chen, “An Intervention Study on Enhancing Positive and Active Communication Behaviors of Children with Level 3 Autism Based on Self-Determination Theory,” Sichuan Normal University, 2019, doi: 10.27347/d.cnki.gssdu.2019.000115.

View Article

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.