The Autism Speaks-Innovative Technology for Autism Initiative (AS-ITA) was created to enhance and accelerate the pace of autism research and treatment by promoting collaboration among technologists, designers, engineers, and various stake holders in the autism community (researchers, clinicians, educators, individuals with autism, and their families). Its primary mission is to adapt and promote the use of available technologies, and spur the development of new technologies, in an interdisciplinary and creative way to facilitate applied research that directly impacts the growing needs of those with autism.


Examples of existing and possible technologies that ITA supports include:

• Assistive technologies, such as communication aids that provide a voice for those who cannot speak, activity prompters that provide cues for completing day-to-day tasks, and wearable bio-sensors that provide information necessary for individuals with autism to self-regulate behavior;
• Educational products, such as computerized games that teach math, reading, writing, and social skills;
• Rehabilitation technologies, such as virtual reality environments that could improve body awareness and motor planning, and sociable robots and virtual peers that help promote social skills development;
• Data capture and telecommunication technologies that make it easier for assistance networks (parents, specialists, doctors, teachers) to share information and produce consistent evaluations and interventions for persons with autism;
• Tools that aid in the search to understand autism better, such as lab equipment, informatics, and assessment tools.

To enable its mission, ITA has established the following programmatic areas: multi-year grants, fast track bridge grants, educational programs, and events that bring researchers together.

The ITA Initiative exists to:

1. Promote collaborations and disseminate research through symposia and workshops at national and international autism and technology conferences;
2. Actively recruit new investigators to the field through student outreach programs (university courses, internships, conference workshops, student design competitions);
3. Team technology developers with autism experts (caregivers, educators, professionals, and persons with autism) to guide research and ensure acceptability and utility;
4. Establish standards of excellence and rigorous evaluation processes of new technologies;
5. Help technology developers interface with industry to bring products to market;

To learn more about our available Innovative Technology grants, please visit our Open Grants and How To Apply page.

January 2008 – Autism Speaks' Innovative Technology for Autism (ITA) Initiative is pleased to announce that it has awarded more than $400,000 in new research grants to develop innovative assistive, educational, therapeutic and diagnostic technologies for persons with autism; View them here: 2007 Innovative Technology for Autism (ITA) Grants.

View past Innovative Technology grants abstracts here.


Check back soon for further updates:
For ITA Researchers page coming soon!