May 25, 2008 Children with autism and ADHD may soon get anxiety
relief from a novel “deep-pressure” vest developed by Brian
Mullen at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The vest,
which can also be used for adults with mental illness, delivers
a “portable hug” called deep pressure touch stimulation (DPTS).
“People with developmental disorders and mental illness are
often overwhelmed in everyday environments such as school and
the workplace, and solutions available to families and mental
health professionals are limited,” says Mullen, a doctoral
student of mechanical engineering. “This is an alternative
therapy that can safely and discreetly provide the treatment
they need to function in mainstream society.” To market the
vest, Mullen has created a concept business called Therapeutic
Systems, which recently won the $50,000 grand prize in the UMass
Amherst Technology Innovation Challenge, a competition for the
best entrepreneurial technology business plan produced by
students, recent alumni and faculty adv