An operantly conditioned looking task for assessing infant auditory processing ability

In this paper, we describe the design and evaluation of a gaze-driven interface for the assessment of rapid auditory processing abilities in infants aged 4 to 6 months. A cross-modal operant conditioning procedure is used to reinforce anticipatory eye movements in response to changes in a continuous auditory stream. Using this procedure, we hope to develop a clinical tool that will enable early identification of individuals at risk for language-based learning impairments. Some of the unique opportunities and challenges inherent to designing for infant-computer interaction are discussed.

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