This research explores how tangible interactive technology might offer opportunities for socialization and sensory regulation. We present a study carried out in an educational setting during leisure activities with a small group of children with autism who like music. We introduce Όλοι (pronounced Olly), a sonic textile Tangible User Interface (TUI) designed around the observations of five minimally verbal children with autism aged between 5-10 years. The TUI was tested for an average of 24 minutes once per week, over a period of five weeks in a specialized school based in North-East London, UK. We propose a methodological approach that embraces diversity and promotes designs that support repetitive movements and self-regulation to provide the children with a favorable environment and tools to socialize with peers. The findings show positive outcomes with regards to spontaneous social interactions between peers particularly when children interacted with or around Olly. These were observed in the form of eye-contact, turn-taking, sharing (of the space, the object and experience), and more complex social play dynamics like associative and cooperative play. We illustrate how the TUI was a positive stimulus of social behaviors and discuss design implications for novel technologies that aim to foster shared experiences between children with autism.

这项研究探索了有形的互动技术如何为社交和感官调节提供机会。我们介绍了在休闲活动期间与少数一群喜欢音乐的自闭症儿童一起在教育环境中进行的研究。我们介绍Όλοι（发音为Olly），这是一种声音纺织品有形用户界面（TUI），用于观察5位年龄在10至10岁之间的自闭症儿童的最小口语表达。在英国东北伦敦的一所专门学校中，在五个星期的时间里，TUI平均每周接受一次24分钟的测试。我们提出了一种方法论方法，该方法应包含多样性并促进设计以支持重复性运动和自我调节，从而为孩子提供一个与同伴社交的良好环境和工具。研究结果显示，在同伴之间自发的社交互动方面，尤其是当孩子与Olly或与Olly互动时，它们具有积极的成果。这些是通过目光接触，转弯，分享（空间，物体和体验）以及更复杂的社交游戏动态（如联合和合作游戏）观察到的。我们将说明TUI如何对社会行为产生积极的刺激作用，并讨论旨在促进自闭症儿童之间共享经验的新型技术的设计意义。