An article co-authored by Project Professor Yukie Nagai has been published in Research in Autism. In collaboration with Dr. Makoto Wada and colleagues at the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, the study used VR experiments to investigate difficulties with tool use in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). When the hand and rod were invisible and the rod length varied between trials, participants with ASD showed lower reaching accuracy and stability than typically developing participants. These findings suggest difficulties incorporating tool information into body representations to guide movements.
- Koji Yano, Naomi Ishii, Itsuki Ichikawa, Misako Sano, Keiko Maida, Julien Jenvrin, Makoto Wada, and Yukie Nagai, “Difficulties in tool embodiment among individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A virtual reality study,” Research in Autism, 139:203022, January 2027.
[10.1016/j.reia.2026.203022]