David Farrell-Shaw is sitting in his bright, clean new office, behind a clutter-free desk, explaining how he came to his current job.

“Before my son was diagnosed I didn’t have any understanding of autism. I thought it was kids rocking back and forward on the floor. But once you become a parent you have to learn very quickly. I didn’t think I’d end up doing this job, but I wanted to get involved.”

Farrell-Shaw is general manager of Specialisterne Scotland, a company which specializes in IT support.

Just outside, a 21-year-old Danish man is enthralling camera crews with his demonstrations of a Lego robot. It may seem an unlikely combination of circumstances, but the two events are intimately connected and say much about the way the company operates. Because Specialisterne is the first company in the world that actively recruits employees with autism.

Young children with autism can be identified by listening to the noises they make, say US scientists.

Research suggests the babbling of infants with autism differs from that of children without it. The differences were spotted with 86% accuracy using automated vocal analysis technology.