Vulnerable populations, such as patients with mental illnesses, are known to be overly influenced during disasters and pandemics. However, little is known about how people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions in the world with a prevalence of 1%, are affected by health-related disasters, particularly the current Covid-19 pandemic. We investigated how individuals with ASD responded to Covid-19 in terms of comprehension and adherence to implemented measures; changes in their behavioral problems; and how the anxiety levels of their caregivers relate to these behavioral changes. Our sample consisted of 50 individuals with ASD (30 male and 20 female; ages ranged from 3 to 14). The majority of our participants had trouble grasping what Covid-19 is and the measurements it necessitates. They also encountered difficulties in implementing pandemic-related social distance and hygiene regulations. During this time, the majority of students stopped receiving special education. In terms of increased stereo-types, aggression, hypersensitivity, behavioral problems, and sleep and appetite changes, we observed a Covid-19-related clinical presentation that resembled PTSD in individuals with ASD. Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) subscales differed significantly before and after the pandemic conditions. There were differences among the caregivers’ anxiety levels between the current behavioral problem levels to the behavioral problem levels prior to the pandemic. The difference in ABC total score, and specifically the lethargy/social withdrawal subscale score, predicted the anxiety score of the parents. Our findings suggest that the Covid-19 period poses unique challenges for people with ASD and their caregivers, emphasizing the importance of targeted, distance special education interventions and other support services for this population.

The capacity to capture diversity in the usage of commercial technologies by autistic children influence future learning and assist in the creation of new technologies. The survey data was gathered from parents (n =304) in the United States, and it contains information on people of varying ages and abilities. In our study, we discovered that the pattern of access and use was similar across age groups, but better reading and language ability was associated with the use of more devices and interfaces. The reported fear of technology was associated with a greater amount of time spent utilizing technology. Autistic youngsters make extensive use of mainstream technology for a wide variety of leisure activities. According to the findings, technologies created with therapeutic objectives in mind may need to attain a high level of design excellence in order to engage people.

Digitalization is a fundamental process that begun several decades ago, but which got a significant acceleration by Industry 4.0 and now directly affects all the process and industrial industries. It is anticipated to enable the Korean industry to improve its production efficiency and its sustainability. In particular, in the energy-intensive industries, such as the steel industry, digitalization concerns the application of the related technologies to the production processes, focusing on two main often overlapping directions: Advanced tools for the optimization of the production chain and specific technologies for low-carbon and sustainable production. Furthermore, the fast development of technology in the steel industry demands the continual updating of the skills of the industrial personnel. This article, the case study of Korean businesses, presents the backdrop of digitalization and several key concepts in the Korean iron and steel sector. The effect of digitalization on the steel sector personnel is examined along with the anticipated economic changes.