My Mermaid

What it does

My Mermaid application improves social communication skills in preschool-aged children (4-6 years old) diagnosed with mild ASD to help them integrate in their school communities .
Development and User-Centered Design:
- Designed based on a comprehensive user experience (UX) survey completed by 2,536 autistic individuals and healthcare professionals.
- Built using the Flutter framework for a seamless and intuitive user interface (UI) across various devices.
- Offers a positive reinforcement list using Paired Stimulus Preference Assessment.
- Secure user account management and data storage facilitated by Firebase integration.
- Development platform: Android Studio.
- Gemini API Integration: Leveraging Gemini's advanced capabilities to enhance the application's functionalities (e.g., AI text-to-speech algorithm for improved accessibility).
Efficacy and Inclusivity:
- A rigorously conducted 12-week study involving 300 participants demonstrated a statistically significant improvement (p-value = 0.0001) in social communication skills compared to a control group.
- The application's effectiveness is not influenced by gender or socioeconomic background, fostering inclusivity within the autistic community.
App Features:
- Improves social skills in autistic children regardless of gender or socioeconomic background
- Provides personalized positive reinforcement based on individual preferences
- Virtual format minimizes parental involvement and streamlines therapy for professionals