Progress in rehabilitation equipment for autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social interaction deficits, verbal and non-verbal communication difficulties, and restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. ASD has a high morbidity and disability rate. Finding treatment approaches for autism is challenging due to the complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the disorder. Currently, therapeutic approaches include behavioral and pharmacological interventions, and some clinical research focuses on developing equipment for autism rehabilitation. Autism rehabilitation equipment can generally be categorized into social robots, virtual reality systems, physical stimulation devices, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, each with different application scenarios and rehabilitation mechanisms. This article summarizes existing equipment and reviews the status of research and development in the field of autism rehabilitation, discussing the principles of the equipment and potential neural mechanisms to find breakthroughs in the treatment of ASD. • Autism is a major global public health issue that affects individuals throughout their lifetime. • There are no effective treatments for autism, with most interventions focusing on behavioral rehabilitation training. • Technologies such as social robots, VR, and AAC have been applied to autism rehabilitation equipment. • The use of various rehabilitation equipment is expanding the resources available for autism rehabilitation.