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AutismoLab is an extended-reality (XR) therapy platform that lets children with autism practise real-life situations — like a flight, from check-in to landing — in calm, controlled virtual environments, while clinicians guide, adapt and measure every session.
The challenge
Noise, crowds, announcements, confined seats, strangers. A first flight — or a first day anywhere new — can become something the whole family has to get through, rather than enjoy.
Real-world settings are loud, crowded and full of surprises that are hard to prepare for.
You can’t take a child to an airport ten times before the real journey. Chances to rehearse are rare and costly.
Without session data, therapists and families are left guessing what works and what to try next.
The platform
AutismoLab combines virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) with structured, measurable, therapist-guided exposure. Children rehearse situations step by step, safely, as many times as they need — until the unknown becomes familiar.
Scenarios that clinicians tailor to each child’s goals, sensitivities and pace.
Immersive journeys — like a full flight from check-in to landing — practised in a safe space.
Interactive experiences built around the areas that matter most in daily life.
Launch simulation events and follow the session through a live view of what the child sees.
Session data turns every rehearsal into insight you can track over time.
Shape the next step on evidence from the last one — instead of guessing.
For clinicians
The AutismoLab clinician dashboard brings the whole session into one place, so the therapist stays in control while the child explores.
How it works
Every session is structured, repeatable and guided by a professional.
The therapist sets goals and chooses a scenario adapted to the child.
The child practises the situation in XR, at their own pace, in a safe space.
Through the live view, the therapist adjusts the session as it happens.
Session data shows what is working and shapes the next rehearsal.
Who it’s for
Add measurable, repeatable XR sessions to your therapy programme.
Prepare students for new routines, places and transitions.
Help your child rehearse life’s big moments before they happen.
Give travellers with autism a way to prepare for the journey.
Flagship experience
It began with one question: what if a child with autism could live the flight before the flight? The answer became a real aircraft cabin at Mada Center, built with the support of Qatar Airways and combined with XR experiences that walk each child through the whole journey.
Every journey, step by step
What I am most proud of is that a mother could watch her son sit in a real aircraft seat, calm, wearing a headset, practising a journey his family thought he would never take.
Research
The flight simulation experience has been studied by researchers in Qatar. Early findings are encouraging — and they also point to where the next scenarios should go.
A pilot study with five autistic children found that VR may trigger positive emotions and support experiential learning, and that the simulation offered an accurate aviation experience.
Read on IEEE Xplore (opens in a new tab)Expanded findings suggest VR can help children feel more at ease and emotionally prepared for travel-related stress, and call for more varied and complex scenarios.
Read on Nafath (opens in a new tab)These are pilot studies with small samples. AutismoLab supports — and does not replace — professional assessment and therapy.
Recognition
The founder
Founder, AutismoLab
Akram started his career with his hands on machines — as an aircraft mechanic on the Airbus A320 family at Tunisair Technics, where precision is a requirement, not a preference.
He retrained as a designer, earned a Master’s in Space Design and delivered more than 50 interior and product projects before founding the immersive-tech studio Creatrea in 2019. With his team, he spent three years at Mada Center designing the Flight Journey Simulation Lab — the project that became AutismoLab. He is also the founder of MindBridge XR.
“Even when you can’t reach your own dream yet, you can build someone else’s.”
News
From a question asked at Mada Center to a real aircraft cabin, national press coverage, and a startup pitching on the world’s biggest stages.
Read the story (opens in a new tab)FAQ
Short, plain answers about AutismoLab. Can’t find what you need? Get in touch.
AutismoLab is an extended-reality (XR) platform for professionals who work with children with autism. Using virtual and augmented reality, children rehearse real-life situations step by step in a calm, safe space, while the therapist guides the session and tracks progress.
Therapists, clinics, schools and special-needs centres. Families can take part through their child’s therapist, and airlines, airports and public venues can use it to help travellers and visitors with autism prepare.
No. AutismoLab is a tool for professionals. It supports — and does not replace — professional assessment and therapy.
A real aircraft cabin at Mada – Qatar Assistive Technology Center, built with the support of Qatar Airways and launched in July 2022. With XR, children practise every step of a flight — check-in, boarding, take-off and landing — before travelling for real.
AutismoLab was incubated from 2022 at the Digital Incubation Center (DIC) of Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and graduated from its Idea Camp programme. The flight lab was developed at Mada Center with the support of Qatar Airways.
Use the contact form on this page or email hello@autismolab.com. You can write to us in English or Arabic.
Get in touch
Book a demo, explore a pilot programme or partner with us. Tell us a little about you and we’ll get back to you.
