Investigating The Use of Alexa: a Tool to Increase Independence?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the use of Alexa as a tool for increasing independence in adults with an autism spectrum condition.
IRAS ID
286634
Contact name
Ian Dale
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
National Autistic Society
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The National Autistic Society (NAS) provides individualised advice, guidance and support to thousands of autistic children and adults living in the community in the UK. The St Huberts service is a NAS supported living project in Hyndburn, Lancashire. It consists of 6 self-contained flats where adult service-users with autism and associated learning disabilities are supported by trained staff 24 hours a day. Person-centred support is offered to the service users around various aspects of daily living. The aim is to equip them with skills to ensure that they are happy, safe and secure in their own homes. Service-users have varying degrees of support needs and levels of independence.
This study will introduce the use of Amazon Alexa; a virtual assistant that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to prompt routines and tasks that could reduce the need for verbal prompts or visual scheduling in order to increase independence. The study will involve monitoring and evaluating the use of Alexa by gathering qualitative data from service-users, their parents / carers and staff. A thematic analysis will be carried out on the data. The study will begin on a relatively small scale of 1-2 service-users and then further participants will be recruited if the steering group considers it safe to proceed.REC name
Social Care REC
REC reference
20/IEC08/0036
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jan 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion