SoporTEA

SoporTEA is an AI platform that facilitates access to diagnosis, therapy and digital support for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, improving the quality of life of children and their families.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a global problem affecting about 1% of the world's population, according to a 2018 study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In some local communities, the magnitude of the problem can be significant. Access to early diagnosis, therapies, and companionship is critical to the development and well-being of children with ASD and their families. However, in some communities, access to these services may be limited due to factors such as lack of trained professionals, lack of adequate infrastructure, and lack of financial resources.

In Peru, it is estimated that approximately 1.5% of children have ASD, according to a study conducted by the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in 2019. This means that the problem of access to services for children with ASD and their families is significant. A study conducted by the Peruvian Ministry of Health in 2020 indicates that only 17% of children with ASD receive early treatment, leaving a significant gap in access to services for these children. In addition, families of children with ASD may face financial and emotional problems due to the need to provide ongoing care and attention to their children. A study conducted by the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in 2021 indicates that 66% of families of children with ASD in Peru experience a high level of stress and emotional burden due to the need to provide continuous care and attention to their children.

It is important to mention that this problem is constantly growing, as more and more people are being diagnosed with ASD late. Access to services for children with ASD and their families has become increasingly crucial to improve their quality of life and provide them with the necessary tools for their development.

The solution we offer is to design an artificial intelligence platform accessible to all people with free services for a comprehensive accompaniment to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using technological tools for therapies, as well as for support and transmitting information to caregivers. For this purpose, specialists in the field of ASD will be available to provide verified and updated information on ASD, as well as programming experts to disseminate and equip the diagnosis and therapy accompaniment service on the platform. The services that will be offered range from diagnosis, the development of a personalized plan based on the patients' needs, remote digital art therapies using Midjourney, cryptographic therapies, Scratch for the particular design of interactive content based on the diagnosis per child, iHelp in order to enhance the development of the children's language, among other tools that will be useful to understand and improve emotions. 

In this way, it is expected that SoporTEA will provide its services in a completely digital way, and thus, follow the pace of each diagnosed child and improve its accessibility in areas of Peru where there are no specialized centers for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

SoporTEA's target audience are children with suspected or a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Peru who, according to the National Plan for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, 78% of people served with ASD were between the ages of 0 and 11 years old in 2017, while by 2019, the Ministry of Health (MINSA) reported that 90.6% of people diagnosed with ASD are under 11 years old. Currently, they do not have easy access to diagnostic services, therapies and adequate accompaniment for ASD, as specialized centers are scarce and not available for all economies. Thus, the SoporASD platform is proposed so that the centrality of Lima will not be a problem for people from the provinces, as they will be able to access personalized therapies with comprehensive support from anywhere in the country free of charge.

Our team is composed of multidisciplinary students in the different areas of engineering, social sciences and administration, so the proposed solution was analyzed from the different points of view of each of the members. Mainly the experience of two of our members in projects related to the treatment of autism spectrum syndrome, allowed us to better understand the problem and the repercussions it has on those affected and their families.

In addition, the experience in the social perspective, time management and problem approach of our members allowed us to perform in a more optimal way the management of objectives in predetermined times. Finally, the development perspective of our colleagues allowed us to understand the resources we have and the path to follow with the proposed solution.

Our team researched global and national statistics on people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to quantitatively define the population. After that, we reviewed and read the constitutional and international frameworks regarding disability in the world and especially autism. Finally, we reviewed theses and papers related to the problems of people diagnosed with ASD. In this phase, we also reviewed the proposals for solutions that had previously been made in relation to autism and the national organizations working on aspects of autism in Peru.

With the above in consideration, we proceeded to interview different family members who had children diagnosed with ASD. We asked them to tell us about their daily care work, the diagnosis and therapy process and, finally, the difficulties and opportunities they saw with their children with ASD at school, in the medical field and in community life. We had another interview process with ASD specialists. In this way, the archival work and the interviews have allowed us to involve in different phases and counteract the information obtained from official media and to go deeper into the difficulties of everyday life. On the other hand, part of the team has had technological innovation projects regarding ASD diagnosis and therapies.

SoporTEA es una solución innovadora para el tratamiento y diagnóstico de niños con Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) por varias razones. Primero, combinamos el uso de inteligencia artificial (IA) con acceso a servicios de diagnóstico, terapia y acompañamiento, brindando un enfoque único para abordar esta condición. Esto permite una personalización de las terapias adaptadas a las necesidades individuales de cada niño con TEA, mejorando la eficacia de las terapias. Según un estudio realizado por la Universidad de Harvard en 2019, se ha demostrado que el uso de la IA en el tratamiento del TEA tiene un impacto positivo en el desarrollo cognitivo y socioemocional de los niños con TEA.

En segundo lugar, nuestra plataforma también proporciona un enfoque innovador para acceder a estos servicios, ya que permite que las familias accedan a ellos de forma remota, lo que elimina las barreras geográficas y de tiempo que a menudo enfrentan cuando buscan servicios de este tipo. Según un estudio realizado por el Instituto Nacional de Salud Mental de EE. UU. en 2020, se ha demostrado que el acceso a servicios de salud mental remotos es efectivo para mejorar los síntomas en niños con TEA.

En tercer lugar, estamos trabajando en el desarrollo de terapias digitales basadas en IA, lo que nos permite brindar servicios de terapia de manera automatizada y a un precio más bajo, lo que significa que es más accesible para las familias. Según un estudio realizado por la Universidad de Oxford en 2018, el uso de terapias digitales basadas en IA ha demostrado ser eficaz para mejorar los síntomas en niños con TEA.

En cuarto lugar, se está implementando el uso de diagnósticos digitales que utilizan IA, lo que permite una evaluación más precisa y rápida de los niños con TEA, lo que ayuda a los profesionales de la salud a establecer un diagnóstico temprano.

Actualmente, SoporTEA aún no tiene alianzas formales con otras organizaciones, pero estamos en conversaciones con centros de neurodivergencia y asociaciones de padres con TEA. Nuestra intención es colaborar con estas organizaciones para mejorar el acceso a servicios de diagnóstico, terapéuticos y de apoyo para niños con TEA. Estamos trabajando en establecer acuerdos para utilizar sus instalaciones y recursos para llevar a cabo nuestros servicios, y también estamos trabajando en establecer alianzas para promover nuestros servicios a las familias que podrían derivar de ellos.

Además, estamos en conversaciones con expertos en TEA e IA para desarrollar terapias digitales basadas en IA. Estamos trabajando con ellos para garantizar que nuestras soluciones se basen en evidencia científica y sean efectivas para mejorar la calidad de vida de los niños con TEA y sus familias. Estamos utilizando el conocimiento y la experiencia de estos expertos para desarrollar terapias personalizadas, adaptadas a las necesidades individuales de cada niño con TEA, y para mejorar continuamente nuestros servicios a medida que evoluciona la tecnología de IA.

Products and services:

1. Early and early diagnoses of ASD using artificial intelligence: Soportea uses artificial intelligence algorithms to detect symptoms of ASD early and accurately, enabling healthcare professionals to provide early and effective treatment.
2. Personalized therapies and digital accompaniment for children with ASD: We offer personalized therapy programs and digital accompaniment to assist in the development and improvement of social, cognitive and behavioral skills of children with ASD, through technology and artificial intelligence.
3. Support and resources for families of children with ASD: We provide resources and support for families of children with ASD to help them better understand the disorder and provide them with tools to better manage the needs of their children.

How do we do it?

• We provide these products and services through an easy-to-use and accessible online platform, allowing parents and healthcare professionals to access these services quickly and efficiently.
• We also offer customer service and technical support to help customers navigate and use our platform effectively.

Why do we do it?

• Parents of children with ASD and healthcare professionals want and need our services because of the lack of access to early diagnostic and treatment services for children with ASD in some communities.
• In addition, families of children with ASD may face financial and emotional challenges due to the need to provide ongoing care and attention to their children.
• Our platform is an easy-to-use and accessible solution that helps improve the quality of life for these children and their families by providing early and accurate diagnosis, personalized therapies and digital companionship, as well as resources and support for families.

SoporTEA has several paths to financial sustainability. First, we will seek to obtain sustained donations and grants from government and private sources to fund our research and development, as well as to cover operating costs. In addition, we also plan to sell our products and services directly to end customers, such as parents of children with ASD and healthcare professionals, which will allow us to generate regular and sustainable income. Finally, we consider raising investment capital as we grow our startup, to help us scale our platform and reach a wider audience.

1. Sustained donations and grants: We will seek to raise funds from governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as individuals interested in supporting our cause. According to a study conducted by the Autism Speaks Foundation, the average cost of an accurate diagnosis and early treatment of ASD is between $40,000 and $60,000 per child. However, in developing countries, such as Peru, this cost can be even higher due to the lack of access to specialized services and trained professionals. With our AI platform, we seek to reduce this cost and provide free services to low-income families.
2. Sale of products or services: We will offer diagnostic services, therapy and personalized accompaniment through our AI platform for children with ASD and their families. In addition, we will offer a free option and a paid option for our services. In the free option, users will be able to access free diagnostics and educational information about ASD. In the paid option, users will be able to access additional services such as personalized therapies, progress monitoring, educational and training materials for parents and family members, as well as support materials for therapists and healthcare professionals working with children with ASD.
3. Investment capital: We will raise investment capital from investors interested in supporting our cause and scaling our platform to reach a wider audience. According to a study conducted by the Autism Research Institute, the global autism market is estimated at $1.5 billion and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 15% through 2027. By raising investment capital, we can take advantage of this market opportunity and reach a wider audience to improve the quality of life for children with ASD and their families.