AI in Mental Health: Empowering Autistic Youth with Decreased Sound Tolerance

Kids Brain Health Foundation has received a $500K grant from TD Bank Group, through the TD Ready Commitment, to develop an AI-powered app that can filter distressing sounds, empowering autistic youth to engage in everyday activities.

“It’s very overwhelming, often distracting and causes panic attacks,” said Sam, a 15-year-old autistic youth. She is one of the 60,000 autistic young people in Canada who live with decreased sound tolerance or DST. The condition ranges from painful perception to discomfort or fear of certain sounds.

Dr. Sheila Laredo, Chair of the Kids Brain Health Foundation and a medical specialist, said that while DST is common in autism, it also affects youth with other neurodevelopmental disabilities. "We've seen how ongoing stress from overwhelming noises impacts young people's mental health and well-being," Dr. Laredo said. "The Foundation is grateful for TD’s support in improving current solutions, which can sometimes fall short—either blocking all sounds, including those essential for safety, or not blocking enough noise to provide real relief."

Personalized app for youth

Kids Brain Health Network-funded researchers at Simon Fraser University, Dr. Elina Birmingham and Dr. Siamak Arzanpour, are leading a team to develop an app that lets users select specific noises they want to turn down, mask or remove.

“Our app elevates current options for autistic youth with DST and provides an accessible solution for coping with the condition,” said Dr. Birmingham, project co-lead and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education. The goal is to develop a user-friendly app compatible with mobile devices and headphones that youth can use for daily activities, like going to school or engaging with friends.

The AI part of the app monitors the environment and detects noises in real time. Dr. Arzanpour, project co-lead and Professor in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, said that testing revealed that the system’s selective filtration improved the users’ comfort levels. “They reported that our algorithm was attractive because it allowed them to be aware of their surroundings while receiving relief from distressing sounds.”

Empowerment and mental health

The app has enormous potential to empower youth with DST. “When the app is made available on a mass scale to people across the country, it could be life-changing,” said Michelle, parent of an autistic son and advisor of the research team.

“We’re so proud to support the Kids Brain Health Foundation with the creation and continued advancement of this incredible tool, which is already making a huge difference in the lives of youth living with DST,” said Adrienne Wood, Pacific Region Community Engagement Manager, TD Bank Group. “Through the TD Ready Commitment, our corporate citizenship platform, we’re investing in health organizations focused on increasing access to better health outcomes through technology and artificial intelligence.”

The TD Ready Commitment, in collaboration with Kids Brain Health Foundation and Kids Brain Health Network, is investing in the project to ensure that more youth can benefit from the app. By allowing users to customize environmental sounds, the app will help them engage more confidently at home, in school, and social and recreational settings.

Increasing access to solutions

The $500,000 donation from TD Ready Commitment will fund the ongoing development of the app’s AI algorithm and support its expansion.

Over the next two years, the project team will work alongside youth and families to enhance the app’s functionality. Planned improvements include compatibility with a broader range of headphone brands and mobile device operating systems. Thanks to the TD Ready Commitment grant, a version of the app will be free for two years after its launch.

Kids Brain Health Network, which had previously invested $600,000 in the project to take this breakthrough technology from theory to proof of concept, has committed an additional $100K for app development. "Teaming up with TD advances our mission of transforming the lives of children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The app exemplifies our commitment to translating science into solutions that directly address the needs of families," said CEO Geoff Pradella. The Network will continue to provide strategic expertise and foster partnerships for scaling the app across underserved populations in Canada.