Congratulations to Dr. Gaddi Blumrosen, from the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Digital Medical Technologies, and the Department of Data Science, who has been awarded two research grants by Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.
Grant I – ADHD Diagnosis via Tablet
The first grant supports research into the diagnosis and severity assessment of attention-deficit disorders using a home-based tablet environment. The project introduces a novel approach: collecting behavioral data from patients’ everyday tablet use and applying machine-learning tools to identify and evaluate ADHD symptoms without requiring a clinical visit. The research is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Alexandra Saad, an occupational therapist at the University of Haifa.
Grant II – AI Assessment of Alexithymia
The grant funds research into the assessment of alexithymia the difficulty in feeling, expressing, or identifying emotions , using artificial intelligence. The methodology combines multi-channel integrative analysis of real-world video footage with advanced machine learning to support the diagnosis of autism and alexithymia. This is a joint grant awarded to HIT and Ariel University, with Dr. Hila Gvirts, a researcher in behavioral sciences and a neuroscientist at Ariel University, as co-researcher.
“If autism or attention disorders are detected early, treatment can begin at an earlier stage and that can genuinely improve clinical outcomes.”
Dr. Gadi Blumrosen
In his own words, Dr. Blumrosen explains the motivation behind both projects: “In the modern era, large portions of the population fall somewhere on the spectrum of ADHD and autism. Diagnosing these conditions currently requires a visit to a neurologist or a psychiatrist, who in most cases, are not immediately available. In other cases, the prescribed treatment is imprecise and can even cause side effects. If autism or attention disorders are detected early, treatment can begin at an earlier stage and the clinical picture can be meaningfully improved. This is what drove us to develop breakthrough technologies that enable patients to be monitored and evaluated in their home environment objectively and without the need for frequent medical visits.”
Dr. Blumrosen added: In collaboration with the University of Haifa, we’ve developed an application capable of detecting attention disorders in students. We observed students as they used a tablet naturally, in their daily lives, and the data collected can reveal whether they are receiving optimal treatment, or whether intervention is warranted based on early detection.”
Mala Braslavsky, Director of the Research and Innovation Authority at HIT, underscored the institutional path that made these awards possible: “These research projects are the direct result of collaborations that began through HIT’s internal support fund, where the initial connections were formed, and the groundwork was laid. This is an excellent example of the unique approach we have developed, one in which the Research Authority enables and funds an initial collaborative infrastructure that matures into a successful application for a competitive research grant.”
