scholarly journals Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy of Virtual Reality Training for Older Adults and People With Disabilities: Single-Arm Pre-Post Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pui Hing Chau ◽  
Yan Yan Jojo Kwok ◽  
Mee Kie Maggie Chan ◽  
Ka Yu Daniel Kwan ◽  
Kam Lun Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Community Living ◽  
Vr Training ◽  
Living Skills

BACKGROUND Unlike most virtual reality (VR) training programs that are targeted at homogenous populations, a set of VR games for rehabilitation purposes targeted at a heterogeneous group of users was developed. The VR games covered physical training, cognitive training (classification and reality orientation), community-living skills training, and relaxing scenery experiences. Special considerations for local older adults and people with disabilities were made in terms of hardware choice and software design. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptance, and efficacy of VR training among users with varying abilities. METHODS A single-arm pretest-posttest evaluation study was conducted. The participants of the evaluation study were encouraged to undergo 30-minute VR training three times a week for 6 weeks. The 30-minute session consisted of 10 minutes of upper-limb motion games, 10 minutes of lower-limb motion games, and 10 minutes of cognitive games/community-living skills training/relaxing scenery experiences, as appropriate. On completion of each session, usage statistics were documented via the built-in VR software, whereas feedback on the experience of the VR games and adverse events was collected via self-reports and staff observations. Feasibility was reflected by usage statistics, and acceptance was reflected by positive feedback. In addition, health outcomes, including upper-limb dexterity, functional mobility, cognitive function, and happiness, were assessed at baseline, as well as 6 weeks and 3 months after baseline. The primary outcomes were upper-limb dexterity and acceptance of playing VR games. RESULTS A total of 135 participants with a mean age of 62.7 years (SD 21.5) were recruited from May 2019 to January 2020, and 124 (91.9%) completed at least one follow-up. Additionally, 76.3% (103/135) of the participants could attend at least 70% of the proposed 18 sessions, and 72.5% (1382/1906) of the sessions had a training time of at least 20 minutes. Linear mixed effect models showed statistically significant effects in terms of upper-limb dexterity (small effect) and cognitive function (moderate effect). Among the 135 participants, 88 provided positive comments. Additionally, 10.4% (14/135) reported mild discomfort, such as dizziness, and none reported severe discomfort. CONCLUSIONS A set of VR training games for rehabilitation could be applied to users with heterogeneous abilities. Our VR games were acceptable to local older adults and those with different disabilities. Benefits in upper-limb dexterity and cognitive function were observed despite partial compliance to the training protocol. Service providers could refer to our experiences when developing VR training systems for their clients.

What are the risks of Virtual Reality data? Learning Analytics, Algorithmic Bias and a Fantasy of Perfect Data

2021 ◽  
pp. 146144482110127
Author(s):  
Marcus Carter ◽  
Ben Egliston
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Education Technology ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Vr Training ◽  
Algorithmic Bias

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology with the potential to extract significantly more data about learners and the learning process. In this article, we present an analysis of how VR education technology companies frame, use and analyse this data. We found both an expansion and acceleration of what data are being collected about learners and how these data are being mobilised in potentially discriminatory and problematic ways. Beyond providing evidence for how VR represents an intensification of the datafication of education, we discuss three interrelated critical issues that are specific to VR: the fantasy that VR data is ‘perfect’, the datafication of soft-skills training, and the commercialisation and commodification of VR data. In the context of the issues identified, we caution the unregulated and uncritical application of learning analytics to the data that are collected from VR training.

Protein and thiamin intakes are not related to cognitive function in well-nourished community-living older adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Freda Koh ◽  
Karen E. Charlton ◽  
Karen Walton ◽  
Erin Brock ◽  
Anne T. McMahon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Community Living

scholarly journals Virtual Reality (VR)-Based Environmental Enrichment in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Mild Dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1103
Author(s):  
Waleed Riaz ◽  
Zain Yar Khan ◽  
Ali Jawaid ◽  
Suleman Shahid
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Mild Dementia ◽  
Error Ratio ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Vr Training ◽  
Input Error

Background: Despite an alarming rise in the global prevalence of dementia, the available modalities for improving cognition and mental wellbeing of dementia patients remain limited. Environmental enrichment is an experimental paradigm that has shown promising anti-depressive and memory-enhancing effects in pre-clinical studies. However, its clinical utility has remained limited due to the lack of effective implementation strategies. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usability (tolerability and interactivity) of a long-term virtual reality (VR)- based environmental enrichment training program in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. A secondary objective was to assess the effect of VR-based environmental enrichment on stabilization of cognitive functioning and improvement of mental wellbeing in older adults with MCI and mild dementia. Methods: A total of seven participants (four patients with MCI and three with mild dementia) received biweekly VR-based environmental enrichment over a course of 6 months. The tolerability and interactivity of the participants in the VR training was serially assessed via virtual reality sickness questionnaire (VRSQ) and recording of input-error ratio. Cognitive functioning was assessed through Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) before and after the study. Mental wellbeing was assessed through Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS). Results: VR-based environmental enrichment was well-tolerated by the patients with significant decrease in VRSQ scores (p < 0.01) and input-error ratio (p < 0.001) overtime. VR training was also effective in stabilization of MoCA scores over the course of therapy (non-significant difference in the MoCA scores before and after the therapy) and was associated with a trend (p < 0.1) towards improvement in WEMWBS scores between the first and the last assessments. Qualitative observations by the care-givers further corroborated a noticeable improvement in mental wellbeing of patients. Conclusions: This pilot study shows that VR can be a feasible, tolerable, and potentially effective tool in long-term support of older adults with MCI and mild dementia.

scholarly journals The effect of virtual reality on motor anticipation and hand function in patients with subacute stroke: A randomised trial on movement-related potential.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Chen ◽  
Yi Chen ◽  
Wai Leung Ambrose Lo
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
Cortical Excitability ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Limb Function ◽  
Upper Limb Function ◽  
Subacute Stroke ◽  
Vr Training

Abstract Background: Impaired cognitive ability to anticipate the required control may affect functional recovery. The cortical excitability of task related motor anticipation for upper limb movement induced by virtual reality (VR) training is unknown. Aims: To investigate the changes of motor anticipation, cortical excitability and upper limb function induced by VR training in subacute stroke survivors. Methods: Upper limb hemiparesis resulting from the first occurrence of stroke within 1 to 6 months were recruited. Participants were randomly allocated to conventional therapy or VR intervention. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) were simultaneously recorded during palmar grasp motion. Outcome measures of contingent negative variation (CNV) latency, mean peak amplitude, electromyography (EMG) reaction time, Upper Limb Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UL-FMA) and the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) were recorded pre and post intervention. The EEG and EMG differences between the two groups were assessed by mixed model ANOVA (p=0.05). The differences in UL-FMA and ARAT were assessed Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p=0.05). Results: The reduction in EMG reaction time difference, CNV latency and mean peak amplitude were significantly lower in the VR group than the control group when executing movement with the paretic hand. ARAT and UL-FMA scores were significantly higher in the VR group than the control group post intervention. Conclusions: The findings indicated a reduction in brain computational demand during palmar grasp task. Improvements in clinical function in the VR group suggested that VR intervention may be more beneficial in improving upper limb function patients with subacute stroke. Improvement in upper limb function may be related to improvement of the neural anticipatory process. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration No.: ChiCTR-IOC-15006064). Registered on 11 May 2015. Retrospectively registered. http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchprojen.aspx

scholarly journals A Fully Immersive Virtual Reality Method for Upper Limb Rehabilitation in Spinal Cord Injury

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-319
Author(s):  
Da Young Lim ◽  
Dong Min Hwang ◽  
Kang Hee Cho ◽  
Chang Won Moon ◽  
So Young Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
Conventional Therapy ◽  
Immersive Virtual Reality ◽  
Upper Limb Function ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Vr Training ◽  
Grip Power

Objective To determine whether a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) intervention combined with conventional rehabilitation (CR) can improve upper limb function more than CR alone in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), we conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial.Methods Participants were randomly assigned to either the control group (CG; n=10) or experimental group (EG; n=10). The participants in the CG received 60 minutes of conventional therapy per day, 4 days per week for 4 weeks, whereas those in the EG received 30 minutes of VR training and 30 minutes of conventional therapy per day, 4 days per week for 4 weeks. The clinical outcome measures included Medical Research Council grade, the American Spinal Injury Association upper extremity motor score (ASIA-UEMS), and scores in the Hand Strength Test, Box and Block Test, Nine-Hole Peg Test, Action Research Arm Test, and Korean version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (K-SCIM). The assessments were performed at the beginning (T0) and end of the intervention (T1).Results Grip power and K-SCIM score significantly improved in the EG after the intervention. When comparing differences between the groups, elbow extensor, wrist extensor, ASIA-UEMS, grip power, lateral pinch power, and palmar pinch power were all significantly improved.Conclusion VR training of upper limb function after SCI can provide an acceptable adjunctive rehabilitation method without significant adverse effects.

scholarly journals Feasibility and Tolerability of a Culture-Based Virtual Reality (VR) Training Program in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 3030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jong-Hwan Park ◽  
Yung Liao ◽  
Du-Ri Kim ◽  
Seunghwan Song ◽  
Jun Ho Lim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vr Training

The present study examined whether a culture-based virtual reality (VR) training program is feasible and tolerable for patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and whether it could improve cognitive function in these patients. Twenty-one outpatients with aMCI were randomized to either the VR-based training group or the control group in a 1:1 ratio. The VR-based training group participated in training for 30 min/day, two days/week, for three months (24 times). The VR-based program was designed based on Korean traditional culture and used attention, processing speed, executive function and memory conditions to stimulate cognitive function. The adherence to the culture-based VR training program was 91.55% ± 6.41% in the VR group. The only adverse events observed in the VR group were dizziness (4.2%) and fatigue (8.3%). Analysis revealed that the VR-based training group exhibited no significant differences following the three-month VR program in Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) scores, working memory functions such as performance on the digit span test, or in Stroop test performance and word fluency. We conclude that although the 12-week culture-based VR training program did not improve cognitive function, our findings revealed that the culture-based VR training program was feasible and tolerable for participants with aMCI.

Abstract MP03: Associations Of 24-hour Blood Pressure Patterns With Cognitive Function In Healthy Older Adults

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 129 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Conway ◽  
Nketi Forbang ◽  
Tomasz Beben ◽  
Michael Criqui ◽  
Joachim Ix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Blood Pressure Monitoring ◽  
Community Living ◽  
Pressure Measurements ◽  
Clinic Blood Pressure ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Moca Score

Background: Abnormal 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) patterns have been associated with diminished cognitive function in hypertensive and very elderly populations. The relationship between ABPM patterns in community-living older adults is unknown. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in which ABPM, in-clinic blood pressure, and cognitive function measures were obtained in 354 community living older adults. We used multiple linear regression to examine the associations of in-clinic and ABPM with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA [range 0-30 with lower levels indicating worse cognition]), adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbid medical conditions. Results: The mean age was 72 years, 68% were female, and 13% were African American; 45% had a diagnosis of hypertension. In-clinic blood pressure measurements were not significantly associated with cognitive function after adjustment. In contrast, less nighttime systolic dipping percentage (Figure) and lower 24-hour average diastolic blood pressure obtained from the ABPM were both significantly associated with worse cognitive function. In the final model, each 1% less night-time dipping was associated with 0.25 points (0.1-0.9) lower MoCA score, whereas each 10 mmHg lower diastolic blood pressure was associated with 0.59 (0.14-1.05) points lower MoCA score. Conclusions: In community-living older persons, less nighttime systolic dipping and lower 24-hour diastolic blood pressure obtained by ABPM were associated with worse cognitive function whereas clinic based blood pressure measurements were not. Future studies should examine whether 24-hour diastolic blood pressure and nighttime systolic dipping may predict future risk for cognitive impairment. (Legend: Dipping quartiles: Q1 -17.8% to 6.0%; Q2 6.1% to 11.0%; Q3 11.1% to 16.3%; Q4 16.4% to 34.2%)

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document