Understanding attention in infants and toddlers with autism using mobile eye tracking
Official title: Atypical Development in Infants and Toddlers: Computational Attentional Signatures through Mobile Eye Tracking
Funded at Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-10996194 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how babies and toddlers with autism see and pay attention to things around them, using special eye-tracking technology, to help doctors better understand and diagnose autism in a friendly and easy way.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | December 7, 2023 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $754,007 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH135568-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10996194 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants and toddlers aged 2 years who are at risk for autism spectrum disorder, particularly those with a first-degree relative diagnosed with ASD.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 11 years or do not have a family history of autism may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how infants and toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) process visual information by using mobile eye tracking technology. The study aims to identify specific attentional patterns that could serve as biomarkers for diagnosing and understanding ASD. By observing how children look at and interact with their environment, researchers hope to develop automated assessments that can be used in clinical settings. The approach is designed to be non-invasive and accessible, allowing for a better understanding of developmental differences in young children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved diagnostic tools and treatment strategies for children with autism spectrum disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using eye tracking as a tool for understanding attentional processes in children with autism, indicating that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shic, Frederick — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Shic, Frederick
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.