A scientific study published in the journal Nature concludes that big data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are going to boost the diagnosis of cases with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), since they help to break down the variables in detail of cases that form a very heterogeneous population and with many differences between them.
According to this study, big data allows to classify large samples with multiple parameters instead of smaller and homogeneous groups as has been done until now. In this way, psychiatrists and researchers will be able to take into account all genetic, neural, cognitive and behavioral factors to establish much more precise diagnoses of potential cases of ASD.
The number of cases is not known exactly
The detection and diagnosis of ASD until now presented great difficulties. In fact, the Autism Confederation of Spain admits that it does not know with certainty the number of cases that exist in our country, although in recent years it has found that the cases detected and diagnosed have increased, thanks, in part, to “greater precision of diagnostic procedures and instruments ”. For this reason, technologies such as big data , data virtualization and artificial intelligence, which allow categorizing and taking into account all the variables involved in cases, can be of enormous help, not only for diagnosis, but also to improve the quality of life of people with this disorder.
Ali Rebaie, a data anthropologist and expert on artificial intelligence, big data, and other technologies such as data virtualization, points out some ways these technologies can help people with autism. Such as intelligent and early diagnosis, which can have a huge positive impact on children’s development. This is what the Nature study tells us, which alludes to the fact that these technologies that handle a large amount of multivariate data can help speed up and make diagnoses more precise.
Rebaie also talks about prediction with neuroscience and AI, since the data provided by the brain images offered by MRIs could be fed into machine learning algorithms to be able to analyze future images and predict other cases; or real-time behavior analysis , which they would allow greater control of the activities carried out by the patients. With the help of a wearable that monitors data on the individual’s heart rate, anxiety levels, exercise or sleep patterns, data virtualization would allow access to this information for research and analysis in real time. In this way, professionals could make better decisions based on the analysis of data behavior.
Robots based on data, or machines that are capable of learning, interpreting and recognizing the behavioral signals of a child with autism, helping to predict affective states and the methods to better connect with them; and intelligent voice assistants that have artificial intelligence, which may also soon be included in devices that can have natural conversations with patients to especially improve the speech capacity of people with autism, are other options that he highlights the expert anthropologist.
All these uses show how the technological innovations mentioned could have a very important role in the future of health. An example of this, says the Galician company Denodo, is data virtualization, which allows data access and treatment in a unified, simplified and integrated way in real time. “And also with the guarantee of the security and privacy of personal data, a crucial aspect taking into account the confidentiality of this information.”
