Punishing the Machine and Treating Autism: Sirica Therapeutics

Dr. Chettipally begins by explaining how his daughter Siri was the original inspiration behind the invention. He had observed that routine physical exercise helped Siri cope with her autism and decreased her levels of anxiety and hyperactivity. As a result, the idea of “Cognitive Sensorimotor Therapy” was born— a treatment that combines appropriate mental and physical challenges in a therapeutic context for patients with autism spectrum disorder.

Today, the Sirica Therapeutics prototype is a combined exercise machine, virtual reality headset, and machine learning software. All of these elements make the user feel as if they are operating a vehicle that is moving through different terrains. The program also responds to user motion and effort in order to identify and address deficiencies. The ultimate goal is to utilize neuroplasticity to enhance both cognitive and motor function. This device is currently in the pre-seed funding round.

Dr. Chettipally shares his vision for this new therapy to be incorporated into clinical practice. Due to initial high costs of production, he expects the device to be first available in clinics where patients are already receiving other forms of therapy for autism. As the technology becomes more widely adopted, costs of production will decrease, making the device more accessible for patients to buy or lease for their own homes. In terms of market size and potential, we discuss the current prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (1/44 births) and the fact that there are few other long-term therapy options for adults.

Finally, we discuss Dr. Chettipally’s other entrepreneurial ventures. He is the founder of InnovatorMD, a company that provides a large online community and educational resources for physician innovators. He is also the author of “Punish the Machine: The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.”