New app is a major breakthrough for children with autism.

As many parents are painfully aware, social interaction can be extremely difficult for a child with autism.

But now, Samsung has developed an app that can teach kids with autism to make eye contact while speaking – opening up a new world of engagement for families.

The app, called Look At Me, allows autistic children to play a series of games, challenges and tests designed to improve their ability to make eye contact, and enhance their social skills.

One challenge requires kids to practice forming certain facial expressions (“Expression of the Day”), while another prompts them to practice drawing facial features over existing photos. Each challenge delivers points based on a child’s performance.

The “Look At Me” application.

According to a survey of parents conducted by Samsung, the app helped roughly 60% of the 20 children who used it over eight weeks. Samsung recommends that the child use the Look At Me app for 15 to 20 minutes a day in order to benefit.

As part of the project, Autism Speaks Canada recently partnered with Samsung Canada to offer 200 Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablets preloaded with the Look At Me app to families with autistic children.

Although results and success rates are not conclusive, this is an exciting break-through for families of children living with autism.