ESG / Sustainability Report / 2022 ESG / Sustainability Report / 2022 VR TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH AN AUTISM SPECTRUM CONDITION 5000 GENOMES FOR VALLE D’AOSTA (3) (3) An integrated and innovative solution aimed at supporting young people suffering from autism With High Performance Computing and Machine Learning, we support genomic research for the spectrum disorder (ASD). creation of personalized medicine procedures. Recent research has looked into the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) techniques to treat ASD, The new Valle d’Aosta genomic and Big Data analysis center is integrated with the regional healthcare focusing on the possibility of using it and the clinical impacts for individuals with an ASC. system and aims to generate early diagnoses and personalized treatments for patients being treated Compared to classical interventions, those based on Brain-Computer Interaction (BCI) and VR respond at local hospitals. This represents the opportunity to create a research hub capable of attracting high to a series of characteristics specific to ASD: indeed, patients with ASD react better to visual learning potential to the area, which is able to grow the structure and improve regional healthcare. methods and learn to use computers very quickly. Engineering D. HUB, the technological partner, makes its experience and innovative technologies Digital Sustainability Furthermore, the structure of these treatments is perfectly linear and well organized, with repetitions available in both the infrastructure and the integration and analysis of data to create a high performance that make it possible to reinforce and consolidate learning, with immediate feedback. computing (HPC) infrastructure, a genomic screening structure and a holistic medical record for Lastly, these types of interventions focus on specific skills and training, and the therapist can adjust and patients. The project aims to sequence roughly 5,000 genomes over 5 years on patients suffering from modify the scenarios based on the patient’s individual needs. neurological, neurodegenerative and oncological diseases. In the process, the patient’s genomic profile The project uses a scenario-based learning platform for the creation, release, use and monitoring of is analyzed along with data from their medical history and about their lifestyle to define personalized treatment or training sessions. treatments, also with the aid of artificial intelligence solutions. Each session is tracked directly by the software, which monitors the results and a series of parameters (such as attention and stress levels) collected through webcams and processed by AI algorithms. Results: Patient DNA mapping; Personalized treatment pathways; Medical diagnostics support; New Digital Sustainability Furthermore, a Decision Support System will also be implemented that integrates the data gathered precision diagnostics methodologies; New genomic information analysis methodologies; The medium- during sessions with data managed by the Public Administration and the national and local healthcare and long-term goal is to apply the technological solution and the diagnostic-treatment approach system. developed to other illnesses Results: Improvement in the well-being of the person with an ASC; Improvement in the social context with which the person with an ASC interacts; Improvement of decision-making processes 72 Engineering © Engineering © 73