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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 1 in every 100 children worldwide, yet many families face lengthy waits for professional assessment and intervention services, often missing the critical window for early support. To address this challenge, researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed "ASD Super Agent," Asia's first integrated AI platform for autism support.

By integrating three core functions—early screening, personalized intervention and continuous family follow-up—the HKUST team hopes this innovative research will help parents identify potential autism risks earlier, access evidence-based professional recommendations and take advantage of the critical window for early intervention, providing families with immediate and comprehensive support.

Led by Kani Chen, a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics at HKUST, the research team visited special education institutions, child development centers and psychiatric hospitals across Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and Beijing during the development of ASD Super Agent. The team also engaged with nearly 500 parents of children with autism.

The researchers found that many families face lengthy assessment waiting times, high treatment costs and fragmented information regarding intervention services. Consequently, the HKUST team developed ASD Super Agent specifically for parents and caregivers, transforming AI research into a practical autism support tool that offers one-stop assistance from risk assessment to home-based training recommendations.

Chen said, "Many families struggle to access timely assessment and sustained support for children with autism.

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