Some previous studies have focused on using physiological signals to detect stress in individuals with ASD through wearable devices, yet few have focused on how to design such solutions. Wearable technology may be a valuable tool to aid parents and caregivers in monitoring the emotional states of individuals with ASD who are at high risk of experiencing very stressful situations. However, effective wearable devices for individuals with ASD may need to differ from solutions for those without ASD. People with ASD often have sensory sensitivity and may, therefore, not tolerate certain types of accessories and experience discomfort when using them. We used the Scopus, PubMed, WoS, and IEEE-Xplore databases to search for studies published from 2014 to 2024 to answer four research questions related to wearable solutions for individuals with ASD, physiological parameters, and techniques/processes used for stress detection. Our review found 31 articles; not all studies considered individuals with ASD, and some were beyond the scope of this review. Most of the studies reviewed are based on cardiac activity for stress monitoring using photoplethysmography (PPG) and electrocardiography (ECG). However, limitations include small sample sizes, variability in study conditions, and the need for customization in stress detection algorithms. In addition, there is a need to customize the stress threshold due to the device’s high individual variability and sensitivity. The potential of wearable solutions for stress monitoring in ASD is evident, but challenges include the need for user-friendly and unobtrusive designs and integrating these technologies into comprehensive care plans.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in social interaction and expressing and understanding emotions. Based on this, robots for children with ASD have been proposed. However, few studies have been conducted about how to design a social robot for children with ASD. Non-experimental studies have been carried out to evaluate social robots; however, the general methodology that should be used to design a social robot is not clear. This study proposes a design path for a social robot for emotional communication for children with ASD following a user-centered design approach. This design path was applied to a case study and evaluated by a group of experts in psychology, human–robot interaction, and human–computer interaction from Chile and Colombia, as well as parents of children with ASD. Our results show that following the proposed design path for a social robot to communicate emotions for children with ASD is favorable.

Research on wearable solutions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been conducted to detect stress. However, studies on stress detection for an individual with ASD have been limited, especially on how it should design for individuals with ASD. Wearable solutions may be a tool for parents and caregivers for emotional monitoring for individuals with ASD who have a high risk of experiencing very stressful. However, wearable solutions for individuals with ASD may differ from those without ASD. Individuals with ASD have sensory sensitiveness; therefore, they do not tolerate any accessory type or discomfort to use. We used the Scopus, PubMed, WoS, and IEEE-Xplore databases to answer different research questions related to wearable solutions for individuals with ASD, physiological parameters, and algorithms of artificial intelligence used for stress detection studies found from 2013 to 2023. Our review found 34 articles; not all the studies considered individuals with ASD or were out of the scope.

In education and training, Mixed Reality (MR) is a thriving technology leveraged to enhance engagement and collaboration, and to maximize learning outcomes. However, there is no consensus among researchers on how to evaluate these systems, causing fragmentation in the methodological approaches and the aspects addressed in the appraisal of educational MR. This constraint limits cross-study comparisons and hampers the consolidation of design guidelines that incorporate the students’ perception into the creation of MR systems. This systematic literature review analyzes User eXperience (UX) evaluation methods applied in educational MR over the past five years. Main findings indicate a lack of a theoretical UX model specific to educational MR, an overreliance on self-reported questionnaires, limited use of physiological measurements, and scarce integration of educational theories into MR studies. Additionally, heuristic evaluation and early-stage qualitative techniques (i.e., Wizard of Oz, Think Aloud) remain underutilized. Although the HoloLens series dominates MR research, its continuity is unclear as of the search date, considering Microsoft discontinued its development toolkit. Other headsets and novel displays found in literature (i.e., projector-based, HTC Vive) remain understudied. Addressing these challenges will enhance the role of MR in education through the generation of new instruments tailored to evaluate this technology from the user’s perspective, thus promoting evaluation consistency and encouraging the integration of learning outcomes. This review highlights gaps in standardized evaluation instruments and proposes methodological recommendations for future appraisal of MR in the context of education programs. This paper contributes practical recommendations for educators to align the development of MR systems to the ever-changing needs of students, thereby promoting the design of student-centered MR systems.