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Innovative one-minute video game boasts 80% success rate in diagnosing autism

A new one-minute video game is able to accurately and efficiently identify children with an autism diagnosis from those who have ADHD or are neurotypical. 

    Top view of special kid with autism among another and pieces of multicolored puzzle on wooden background
    Autism can be difficult to distinguish from ADHD even by expert clinicians

    Developed by researchers at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Nottingham Trent University, the tool, called the Computerized Assessment of Motor Imitation (CAMI), uses motion-tracking technology to detect differences in motor imitation skills.

    In the study, 183 children, ages 7–13, were asked to copy the dance-like movements of a video avatar for 1 minute, while their imitation performance was measured using CAMI.CAMI was able to correctly identify children with autism vs neurotypical children with a 80% success rate – importantly, CAMI also differentiated autism from ADHD with 70% accuracy.

    Researchers say that this is a particular challenge given that ADHD and autism often co-occur, and it can be hard to distinguish the diagnoses even by expert clinicians.

    Dr. Stewart Mostofsky, a pediatric neurologist and director of the Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research at Kennedy Krieger Institute and co-author of the study, says this tool is a step forward in how we diagnose autism.

    “Diagnosing autism can be challenging, especially when children have overlapping traits with other conditions like ADHD. If the condition is misdiagnosed, it can impact support and provision for the child. CAMI.” said Dr. Mostofsky.

    CAMI challenges traditional approaches to autism that focus on social communication disorders, instead tapping into the difficulties autistic individuals often face in trying to copy or mimic movements. Current methods in diagnosing autism are often time-consuming and require highly trained clinicians.

    Dr. Bahar Tunçgenç, senior author of the study and an expert researching social development at Nottingham Trent University Psychology, said: “Traditionally, autism is viewed as a disorder of social-communicative functioning. However, we have growing knowledge that autistic people have sensory-motor difficulties, like motor imitation, which may have knock-on effects on how they develop social interactions and communication skills in childhood. CAMI taps into these sensory-motor difficulties, showing that they are not shared with children with ADHD.

    “What really makes CAMI so exciting is its simplicity. Video games are already so popular. It’s fun for kids and delivers fast results that are easy to interpret for clinicians. My hope is for CAMI to eventually be used in clinical practices everywhere.”

    With further development, CAMI could be adapted for younger children and those with more severe developmental challenges, broadening its impact. Researchers hope CAMI’s success inspires new ways to simplify and improve diagnostic tools for other conditions as well.

    “This tool has the potential to transform autism diagnosis worldwide,” said. Dr. Mostofsky. “By identifying autism as precisely as possible, we can connect children to interventions that improve their quality of life and long-term outcomes. We want to see CAMI used widely in clinics to support diagnosis and treatment provisions as an alternative that is quick, low-cost and requires minimal set-up.”

     

    Watch CAMI in action

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      About Nottingham Trent University 

      Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been named UK ‘University of the Year’ five times in six years, (Times Higher Education Awards 2017, The Guardian University Awards 2019, The Times and Sunday Times 2018 and 2023, Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023) and is consistently one of the top performing modern universities in the UK.

      It is the 3rd best modern university in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023). Students have voted NTU 1st in the UK for student employability (Uni Compare 2025)

      NTU is the 5th largest UK institution by student numbers, with over 40,000 students and more than 4,400 staff located across six campuses. It has an international student population of almost 7,000 and an NTU community representing over 160 countries.

      NTU owns two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for outstanding achievements in research (2015, 2021). The first recognises NTU’s research on the safety and security of global citizens. The second was awarded for research in science, engineering, arts and humanities to investigate and restore cultural objects, buildings and heritage. The Research Excellence Framework (2021) classed 83% of NTU’s research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent.

      NTU was awarded GOLD in the national 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment, as it was in 2019.

      NTU is a top 10 for sport (British Universities and Colleges Sport league table 2023).  
      NTU is the most environmentally sustainable university in the UK and second in the world (UI Green Metric University World Rankings, 2023).

      About Kennedy Krieger Institute 

      Kennedy Krieger Institute, an internationally known, non-profit organization located in the greater Baltimore/Washington, D.C. region, transforms the lives of more than 27,000 individuals a year through inpatient and outpatient medical, behavioral health and wellness therapies, home and community services, school-based programs, training and education for professionals and advocacy.

      Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders or injuries that impact the nervous system, ranging from mild to severe. The Institute is home to a team of investigators who contribute to the understanding of how disorders develop, while at the same time pioneer new interventions and methods of early diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Visit www.kennedykrieger.org/ for more information about Kennedy Krieger.

    Published on 28 January 2025
    • Category: Press office; Research; School of Social Sciences