A qualitative study investigating caregiver perspectives of an artificial intelligence assistive device to support daily activities in families with children with autism spectrum disorder
Caregivers view an AI home-hub as a welcome guide to autism supports, giving clinicians a low-cost tool families will actually use.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Perry et al. (2026) asked caregivers what they think about an AI home-hub device.
The team ran small group chats and one-on-one talks.
All families had a child with autism and wanted help with daily routines.
What they found
Parents liked the idea of a smart speaker that guides them to services.
They said it could lower stress and keep track of chores, meds, and appointments.
No one reported fear; they saw the tool as a friendly navigator, not a spy.
How this fits with other research
Yagafarova et al. (2025) went further and tested an AI coach. Their system gave live cues to new therapists and raised procedural fidelity.
Beaudoin et al. (2021) used robot or wrist buzz prompts in clinic. Kids moved faster between tasks, showing tech can smooth transitions.
Dai et al. (2021) asked parents about online parent training. Like Perry, caregivers welcomed digital help, but they still wanted a human touch.
Rojahn et al. (2012) warned that robot studies were weak. Perry’s work does not clash; it simply asks families what they want before trials start.
Why it matters
You now have green-light data: families will invite an AI navigator into their homes.
Start small: pair a voice assistant with your parent training handouts. Let it read reminders or play task analyses. Track if stress drops and routines run smoother.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families report diverse challenges in adaptive functioning. Artificial intelligence (AI)-assistive devices can offer innovative solutions to support adaptive functioning by offering real time assistance and capacity to adapt to heterogenous needs. This qualitative study utilised an AI-assistive device, the Pixi Home-Hub, to explore caregiver perspectives, experiences and needs related to the broader potential of AI to support adaptive functioning in their daily lives. Criterion purposive sampling recruited 10 caregivers of children with ASD. Two focus groups were conducted to discuss how an AI-assistive device, the Pixi Home-Hub, could support their child and families adaptive functioning. Content analysis was utilised to interpret the data. Independent coding by a second reviewer, analytical memos and peer review were employed to promote rigour. Three key themes emerged from the data: (1) Caregiver experiences of their child's adaptive functioning in daily activities and areas for growth, (2) Caregiver experiences of balancing their child's support needs with their own, and (3) Access and barriers to integrating AI technology into everyday use. Caregivers believed that AI-technology can play a role in supporting their family's adaptive functioning activities and proposed using AI-assistive devices as a digital support navigator to facilitate greater access to health and government supports.
Digital Health, 2026 · doi:10.1177/20552076251411228