In a pilot study, scientists have demonstrated that the Computerised Assessment of Motor Imitation (CAMI) in children with autism spectrum disorder can be automatically evaluated using a 2D camera. The aim of this study was to make the assessment method more accessible and scalable by using ‘off-the-shelf’ 2D Cameras instead of 3D depth cameras.
Children with autism often face difficulties in motor imitation. Previously performed research has indicated the effectiveness and credibility of the CAMI algorithm using 3D cameras. However, to make CAMI accessible and affordable for home and clinic settings, this study uses more scalable 2D cameras.
Forty children (23 with ASD and 17 neurotypical) performed a brief task in which they imitated the dance movements of a model. These movements were simultaneously recorded using Kinect 3D (Xbox motion tracking technology) and a 2D camera. The scores from both methods were then compared.
It was found that the motor imitation scores from the 2D CAMI method were significantly correlated with scores obtained from the Kinect 3D Computerised Assessment of Motor Imitation method.
