"Distracts others, has trouble paying attention and finds it difficult to follow instructions"—these are just some common observations parents, teachers and workplaces often make about people who are neurodivergent. University of South Australia researcher Dr. Susannah Emery wants to challenge these views around neurodevelopmental differences such as attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and dyslexia and help people understand neurodiversity from the inside.
Dr. Emery, Lecturer of Game Design and Digital Media at UniSA, is leading the development of a short video game designed to explore living as someone who is neurodivergent in a world that's designed for neurotypical people. The game—Life Resounding—takes players into the mind of someone who is neurodivergent, challenging them to carry out everyday tasks such as concentrate in the classroom or work in an open plan office.
The game then "hijacks" the player's ability to stay focused by forcing them to gaze out the window or grow agitated when rubbish that should be in the bin keeps appearing on the floor. Dr. Emery, Life Resounding's game and environment designer, says the game provides an understanding of neurodiversity from the perspective of people who experience different ways of interacting with the world.
"I think it's important to understand neurodiversity from the inside," Dr. Emery says. "When most people think about neurodiversity, they think about the medical diagnostic criteria for thing.
