Umwelten is an encyclopedia of neurodiversity — covering autism, ADHD, sensory processing, and the science, practice, and people shaping how we understand neurological difference. The name comes from biologist Jakob von Uexküll's concept of the perceptual world unique to each organism. Read more about why →
This wiki is a work in progress. New pages are being added regularly, existing pages are being refined, and some links may point to content that hasn't been written yet. If you'd like to contribute an idea, a correction, or a reference, you can do that here.
Browse by hub
The Senses
Deep-dives into each sensory domain — auditory, visual, tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, interoceptive, and multi-modal.
The Science
Research summaries, theoretical frameworks, evidence gaps. From genetics to predictive processing.
Practice & Strategies
What actually helps, with honest evidence assessment. Observed patterns and daily-life strategies.
Approaches & Interventions
Ayres SI, Snoezelen, sensory diets, self-regulation frameworks, and the evidence base for each.
Assessment
Tools for understanding sensory profiles — Dunn Sensory Profile, SPM-2, SEQ, MAIA, and more.
People & Ideas
Key figures and organisations. Their contributions, their critics, their contested territories.
Contested Territory
ABA, PBS, polyvagal theory. Where the evidence disagrees with practice, and why the debate matters.
AI & Neurodiversity
The intersection of AI systems and neurodivergent minds — tools, risks, and open questions.
Contribute
Submit an idea, a reference, a correction, or an observation. Every submission is reviewed before it enters the wiki.
Key starting points
- Sensory processing in autism and intellectual disability — the conceptual entry point
- Predictive processing and autism — the leading mechanistic framework
- Evolutionary origins of neurodivergence — deep history meets genomics
- Prikkelverwerking glossary (NL ↔ EN) — Dutch ↔ English vocabulary
- De Sensatie van een Goed Leven (SGL) — the research project at the root of everything
- Prikkelbalans — Stimulus balance — the core practice framework