scholarly journals An Immersive Virtual Reality Platform for Assessing Spatial Navigation Memory in Predementia Screening: Feasibility and Usability Study

10.2196/13887 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. e13887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Ijaz ◽  
Naseem Ahmadpour ◽  
Sharon L Naismith ◽  
Rafael A Calvo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Spatial Navigation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Administrative Costs ◽  
Memory Assessment ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Usability Requirements ◽  
Screening Platform

Background Traditional methods for assessing memory are expensive and have high administrative costs. Memory assessment is important for establishing cognitive impairment in cases such as detecting dementia in older adults. Virtual reality (VR) technology can assist in establishing better quality outcome in such crucial screening by supporting the well-being of individuals and offering them an engaging, cognitively challenging task that is not stressful. However, unmet user needs can compromise the validity of the outcome. Therefore, screening technology for older adults must address their specific design and usability requirements. Objective This study aimed to design and evaluate the feasibility of an immersive VR platform to assess spatial navigation memory in older adults and establish its compatibility by comparing the outcome to a standard screening platform on a personal computer (PC). Methods VR-CogAssess is a platform integrating an Oculus Rift head-mounted display and immersive photorealistic imagery. In a pilot study with healthy older adults (N=42; mean age 73.22 years, SD 9.26), a landmark recall test was conducted, and assessment on the VR-CogAssess was compared against a standard PC (SPC) setup. Results Results showed that participants in VR were significantly more engaged (P=.003), achieved higher landmark recall scores (P=.004), made less navigational mistakes (P=.04), and reported a higher level of presence (P=.002) than those in SPC setup. In addition, participants in VR indicated no significantly higher stress than SPC setup (P=.87). Conclusions The study findings suggest immersive VR is feasible and compatible with SPC counterpart for spatial navigation memory assessment. The study provides a set of design guidelines for creating similar platforms in the future.

scholarly journals An Immersive Virtual Reality Platform for Assessing Spatial Navigation Memory in Predementia Screening: Feasibility and Usability Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Ijaz ◽  
Naseem Ahmadpour ◽  
Sharon L Naismith ◽  
Rafael A Calvo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Spatial Navigation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Administrative Costs ◽  
Memory Assessment ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Usability Requirements ◽  
Screening Platform

BACKGROUND Traditional methods for assessing memory are expensive and have high administrative costs. Memory assessment is important for establishing cognitive impairment in cases such as detecting dementia in older adults. Virtual reality (VR) technology can assist in establishing better quality outcome in such crucial screening by supporting the well-being of individuals and offering them an engaging, cognitively challenging task that is not stressful. However, unmet user needs can compromise the validity of the outcome. Therefore, screening technology for older adults must address their specific design and usability requirements. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to design and evaluate the feasibility of an immersive VR platform to assess spatial navigation memory in older adults and establish its compatibility by comparing the outcome to a standard screening platform on a personal computer (PC). METHODS VR-CogAssess is a platform integrating an Oculus Rift head-mounted display and immersive photorealistic imagery. In a pilot study with healthy older adults (N=42; mean age 73.22 years, SD 9.26), a landmark recall test was conducted, and assessment on the VR-CogAssess was compared against a standard PC (SPC) setup. RESULTS Results showed that participants in VR were significantly more engaged (P=.003), achieved higher landmark recall scores (P=.004), made less navigational mistakes (P=.04), and reported a higher level of presence (P=.002) than those in SPC setup. In addition, participants in VR indicated no significantly higher stress than SPC setup (P=.87). CONCLUSIONS The study findings suggest immersive VR is feasible and compatible with SPC counterpart for spatial navigation memory assessment. The study provides a set of design guidelines for creating similar platforms in the future.

scholarly journals Virtual Reality Representations of Nature to Improve Well-Being amongst Older Adults: a Rapid Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josca Van Houwelingen-Snippe ◽  
Somaya Ben Allouch ◽  
Thomas J. L. Van Rompay
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Intervention Strategy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Representations Of Nature

Abstract Poor well-being amongst older adults poses a serious health concern. Simultaneously, research shows that contact with nature can improve various facets of well-being, including physical, social, and mental well-being. However, nature is not always accessible for older adults due to mobility restrictions and related care needs that come with age. A promising strategy aims at bringing nature inside through pervasive technologies. However, so far, there is little academic understanding of essential nature characteristics, psychological processes involved, and means for implementation in practice. The current study used a three-folded rapid review to assess current understanding and strategies used for improving well-being for older adults through virtual reality representations of nature. Searches were performed across three databases, followed-up by content-based evaluation of abstracts. In total, a set of 25 relevant articles was identified. Only three studies specifically focus on digital nature as an intervention strategy for improving well-being amongst older adults. Although these studies provide useful starting points for the design and (technological) development of such environments, they do not generate understanding of how specific characteristics of virtual nature representations impact social well-being measures in particular, and of the underlying psychological processes involved. We conclude that follow-up research is warranted to close the gap between insights and findings from nature research, gerontology, health research, and human-technology interaction.

Immersive Virtual Reality for Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Vero Vanden Abeele ◽  
Brenda Schraepen ◽  
Hanne Huygelier ◽  
Celine Gillebert ◽  
Kathrin Gerling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Design Recommendations ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Positive Experiences

Despite the proliferation of research on immersive virtual reality (IVR) technologies for older adults, comprehensive guidelines on designing immersive and engaging VR for older adults remain sparse. Therefore, we first compounded 67 guidelines based on published literature. Next, to empirically ground these design recommendations, we provided 37 older adults of diverse ages, education levels, and cognitive abilities with a first VR experience. Analyzing interviews with the 37 older adults via the Laddering method, we found that they generally reported positive experiences with their first VR exposure. With these deepened insights, we reflect on, nuance, and contextualize existing design guidelines, and formulate points to bear in mind when designing accessible and engaging VR experiences for older persons.

scholarly journals Perceived Sensations in Architectural Spaces through Immersive Virtual Reality

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-81
Author(s):  
Hugo C. Gomez-Tone ◽  
Jorge Martin-Gutierrez ◽  
John Bustamante-Escapa ◽  
Paola Bustamante-Escapa ◽  
Betty K. Valencia-Anci
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Group Of Seven ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Real Scale ◽  
Architectural Spaces

To design architectural spaces that not only respond to the basic needs of users, but also seek their emotional well-being, it is necessary for the architecture students to have a special sensitivity and be aware of the different sensations that their designs should and can evoke. To achieve this competence without exploring real spaces, Immersive Virtual Reality technology offers an important contribution to the field of architecture. The purpose of this research is to determine if the sensations perceived in virtual architectural spaces by students are similar to the real ones and to determine the characteristics of this technology that allow a better perception of sensations. Six architectural modules were designed to be walked through and experienced at real scale using a Head Mounted Display by 22 students of the first and fifth year of studies of Architecture career in Peru. An ad-hoc questionnaire allowed to know the perceived sensations and the benefits of the tool. The results obtained showed that the perception of sensations of the fifth year students is a little closer to those expressed by a group of seven experts compared to that of the first year students and that the students consider the characteristics of accessibility, real scale of the space and the possibility of going through and looking at the space in all directions are those that have given more realism to the experience and therefore better perception of the space, while the characteristics of natural light and shadows, construction materials and external environment have been less valued in the realism of the experience. It is concluded that the sensory experimentation in architectural spaces modelled realistically in virtual environments allows the perception of sensations very similar to those that the architect seeks to convey initially.

Older Adults’ Experiences and Perceptions of Immersive Virtual Reality: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Healy ◽  
Aisling Flynn ◽  
Owen Conlan ◽  
Jenny McSharry ◽  
Jane Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Thematic Synthesis ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Barriers To Use ◽  
Key Steps

BACKGROUND Immersive virtual reality (IVR) can be defined as fully computer-generated environments that are displayed through a head-mounted display. Existing research suggests that key features of IVR can assist older adults in their everyday lives–providing opportunities in health promotion and tackling social isolation and loneliness. There has been a surge in the number of qualitative studies exploring older adults’ experiences and perceptions of IVR. However, there has been no systematic synthesis of these studies to inform the design of new, more accessible IVR technologies. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to systematically review and synthesize qualitative studies exploring older adults’ experiences and perceptions of IVR. METHODS A systematic review and thematic synthesis was conducted following the ENTREQ guidelines. Two reviewers completed title and abstract screening, full-text screening, data extraction and quality appraisal. Thematic synthesis is derived from the qualitative method, thematic analysis. It involves three key steps: initial coding and grouping of these codes, the formation of descriptive themes from these codes and finally, going beyond the data to form novel insights and theories known as analytical themes. Confidence in the evidence was assessed using the GRADE-CERQual approach. RESULTS Thirteen studies were included in the final synthesis, consisting of 224 participants ranging across nine countries and five continents. Confidence in the evidence ranged from high to moderate. Four descriptive themes were generated: (1) facilitating IVR interactions, (2) experiencing unique features of IVR, (3) perceptions of IVR and (4) accounts of agency in IVR. The findings from the descriptive themes suggested that there are several improvements that need to be made to existing IVR devices to greater facilitate older adults’ use of this technology. However, despite this, older adults’ responses to IVR were generally positive. Three analytical themes were then generated: (1) tolerating the bad to experience the good, (2) buying in to IVR: don’t judge a book by its cover and (3) “it proves to me I can do it”. The analytical themes illustrated that older adults were willing to tolerate discomforts that accompany existing IVR technologies to experience features such as immersive social networking experiences, there was a discrepancy between older adults’ perceptions of IVR prior to use–which were generally negative–and after use–which were generally positive–and, IVR provided a platform for older adults to access certain activities and environments more easily than in the real world due to limitations caused by ageing. CONCLUSIONS This review highlights the need to overcome initial negative views of IVR and perceived barriers to use by emphasizing the unique ability of IVR to increase older adults’ agency through features such as presence, immersion, and embodiment, which in turn offer new opportunities to take part in meaningful activities tailored to their needs and preferences. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.1177%2F16094069211009682

Technology and the Older Adults: Designing a Usable Interface

1997 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 437-441
Author(s):  
Robert A. Glaser ◽  
Donald L. Fisher ◽  
Alan Schell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Remote Control ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Younger Adults

New technologies are being introduced with little regard for potentially unique users such as older adults. As a consequence, such users frequently have trouble operating the controls for these new technologies. As a way around these problems, we asked whether a general set of design guidelines could be generated which would improve older adults' performance on existing audio remote controls. In a series of three experiments, we were able to show that older adults did have much more difficulty operating existing remote controls than younger adults, that a common problem lay behind most of those errors, and that general guidelines for the design of audio remote control interfaces emerged which when implemented led to large improvements in performance. The guidelines can be generalized to the much larger set of remote controls, thereby potentially increasing the independence and well being of many older adults.

scholarly journals The Influence of Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Displays on Balance Outcomes and Training Paradigms: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooya Soltani ◽  
Renato Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Display Type ◽  
Functional Balance ◽  
Head Mounted Display ◽  
Vr Training ◽  
And Training

Background: Falls are the leading causes of (non)fatal injuries in older adults. Recent research has developed interventions that aim to improve balance in older adults using virtual reality (VR).Purpose: We aimed to investigate the validity, reliability, safety, feasibility, and efficacy of head mounted display (HMD) systems for assessing and training balance in older adults.Methods: We searched EBSCOhost, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases until 1 September 2020 to find studies that used HMD systems for assessing or training balance. The methodological quality was assessed using a modified version of Downs and Black. We also appraised the risk of bias using Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-randomized Studies (RoBANS).Results: A total of 19 articles (637 participants) were included for review. Despite heterogenous age ranges and clinical conditions across studies, VR HMD systems were valid to assess balance and could be useful for fall prevention and for improving postural control and gait patterns. These systems also have the capacity to differentiate healthy and balance-impaired individuals. During VR versions of traditional balance tests, older adults generally acquire a cautious behavior and take more time to complete the tasks.Conclusion: VR HMD systems can offer ecologically valid scenarios to assess and train functional balance and can be used alone or in addition to other interventions. New norms and protocols should be defined according to participants' age, health status, and severity of their illness when using VR HMD systems for balance assessment and training. For safe and feasible training, attention must be given to display type, VR elements and scenarios, duration of exposure, and system usability. Due to high risk of bias and overall poor quality of the studies, further research is needed on the effectiveness of HMD VR training in older adults.

scholarly journals Increasing quality of life for older adults living in collective dwellings using virtual reality: a feasibility study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Krieger
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Virtual Tourism ◽  
Study Results

The number of older adults living in collective dwellings is increasing. It is important to research effective strategies to maintain and enhance quality of life for older adults living in collective dwellings. Meaningful leisure, such as the ability to travel, is associated with increases in quality of life for older adults. Unfortunately, many older adults, especially those living in collective dwellings, face barriers to travel. Virtual reality (VR) may help older adults living in collective dwellings overcome barriers to travel. The present study examined whether older adults living in collective dwellings tolerated and enjoyed immersive VR, and whether six weeks of virtual tourism affected their quality of life, social engagement, and loneliness. Fourteen older adults living in retirement homes in Toronto participated in this study. Results suggested that participants tolerated immersive VR without experiencing cybersickness, and that they were happier, more excited, and less anxious immediately following VR exposure. Levels of social engagement increased following the six-week virtual tourism program. These quantitative findings were further supported by qualitative interviews. No changes in quality of life or loneliness were found. Limitations include a lack of a control group and small sample size. Addressing these limitations will help to isolate the effects of the virtual tourism program on indices of well-being.

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