Assessment of the usability of an immersive virtual supermarket for the cognitive rehabilitation of elderly patients: A pilot study on young adults

Mondellini, Marta; Arlati, Sara; Pizzagalli, Simone; Greci, Luca; Sacco, Marco; Ferrigno, Giancarlo

doi:10.1109/segah.2018.8401313

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Our results on higher usability but equal cognitive load for the IVR vs. the 2D screen are in line with studies suggesting that usability and mental workload are two non-overlapping concepts that should be addressed independently, but that, when jointly enhanced, might significantly improve human performance (Longo 2018). High usability has been consistently reported alongside high motivation for games or VR applications in the fields of cognitive rehabilitation (Mondellini et al 2018;Rocha et al 2016;Sokolov et al 2020), motor rehabilitation (Nijenhuis et al 2015;Radder et al 2016), and self-awareness (Llorens et al 2015). A correlation between motivation and usability in online learning platforms has also been reported (Hu 2008).…”

Section: Immersive Virtual Reality Was Reported As the Most Usable Visualizationsupporting

confidence: 89%

Effect of immersive visualization technologies on cognitive load, motivation, usability, and embodiment

et al. 2021

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Virtual reality (VR) is a promising tool to promote motor (re)learning in healthy users and brain-injured patients. However, in current VR-based motor training, movements of the users performed in a three-dimensional space are usually visualized on computer screens, televisions, or projection systems, which lack depth cues (2D screen), and thus, display information using only monocular depth cues. The reduced depth cues and the visuospatial transformation from the movements performed in a three-dimensional space to their two-dimensional indirect visualization on the 2D screen may add cognitive load, reducing VR usability, especially in users suffering from cognitive impairments. These 2D screens might further reduce the learning outcomes if they limit users’ motivation and embodiment, factors previously associated with better motor performance. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits of more immersive technologies using head-mounted displays (HMDs). As a first step towards potential clinical implementation, we ran an experiment with 20 healthy participants who simultaneously performed a 3D motor reaching and a cognitive counting task using: (1) (immersive) VR (IVR) HMD, (2) augmented reality (AR) HMD, and (3) computer screen (2D screen). In a previous analysis, we reported improved movement quality when movements were visualized with IVR than with a 2D screen. Here, we present results from the analysis of questionnaires to evaluate whether the visualization technology impacted users’ cognitive load, motivation, technology usability, and embodiment. Reports on cognitive load did not differ across visualization technologies. However, IVR was more motivating and usable than AR and the 2D screen. Both IVR and AR rea ched higher embodiment level than the 2D screen. Our results support our previous finding that IVR HMDs seem to be more suitable than the common 2D screens employed in VR-based therapy when training 3D movements. For AR, it is still unknown whether the absence of benefit over the 2D screen is due to the visualization technology per se or to technical limitations specific to the device.

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Section: Immersive Virtual Reality Was Reported As the Most Usable Visualizationsupporting

confidence: 89%

Effect of immersive visualization technologies on cognitive load, motivation, usability, and embodiment

et al. 2021

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“…Lack of familiarity, and thus of the chance on relying on previous experiences, could have played a role too (Fahle & Henke-Fahle 1996). However, due to the ease of use of our system (discussed in (Mondellini et al 2018) and (Arlati et al 2021)), and having excluded the very first trials, we believe that it was plausible to exclude this element's contribution.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Second, the study of Olbrich et al (Olbrich et al 2018) has shown that users preferred the controller to interact with a virtual object during a maintenance task, highlighting the higher efficiency of controllers over cyber-gloves. Third, the interaction modality we designed for the Virtual Supermarket environment (i.e., the virtual environment that was simplified for the current study) revealed usable and intuitive, for both young and older adults with cognitive deficits with no familiarity with VR (Arlati et al 2021;Mondellini et al 2018).…”

Section: Aimsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…After the explanation, the experimenter helped the participant wear the HMD, adjust the interpupillary distance of the lenses, and fix it firmly on their head using straps. Each participant then performed a familiarization trial to learn how to deal with the controller (Mondellini et al 2018). Within this phase, items on the shelf were different from the ones present in the actual trial and placed in 6 different positions.…”

Section: Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Kinematics of aimed movements in ecological immersive virtual reality: a comparative study with real world

Arlati

Keijsers

Paolini³

et al. 2021

Virtual Reality

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Virtual reality (VR) has recently emerged as a promising technology to rehabilitate upper limb functions after stroke. To promote the recovery of functions, retraining physiological movement patterns is essential. However, it is still unclear whether VR can elicit functional movements that are similar to those performed in the real world (RW). This study aimed to investigate the kinematics of reach-to-grasp and transport movements performed in the real world and immersive VR by examining whether kinematic differences between the two conditions exist and their extent. A within-subject repeated-measures study was conducted. A realistic setup resembling a supermarket shelf unit was built in RW and VR. The analysis compared reaching and transport gestures in VR and RW, also considering potential differences due to: (i) holding the controller needed to interact with virtual items, (ii) hand dominance, and (iii) target positions. Ten healthy young adults were enrolled in the study. Motion data analysis showed that reach-to-grasp and transport required more time in VR, and that holding the controller had no effects. No major differences occurred between the two hands. Joint angles, except for thorax rotation, and hand trajectory curvature were comparable across conditions, suggesting that VR has the potentialities to retrain physiological movement patterns. Results were satisfying, though they did not demonstrate the superiority of ecological environments in eliciting natural gestures. Further studies should determine the extent of kinematic similarity required to obtain functional gains in VR-based upper limb rehabilitation.

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“…In the following sections we will first present a brief analysis of the use of VR with 3D head mounted display virtual reality (HMD) technology to deliver cognitive healthcare interventions to people affected by ADRD (García-Betances et al, 2015b). Next we will discuss the key challenges (Hayhurst, 2018), accessibility issues (Mondellini et al, 2018) and other specific concerns that characterize the use of VR-based technology for this particular cognitive healthcare purpose. Finally and as a result of the analysis, and attending to best practices considerations, we present specific design recommendations tailored to address the particular needs of VR-based interventions for cognitive healthcare of people affected by ADRD.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual reality-based cognitive healthcare interventions: User-centered design considerations, guidelines and framework

García-Betances¹,

Mf²,

Mta³

2019

Preprint

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________Design of computer-based non-pharmacological cognitive healthcare interventions for people afflicted by chronic neurodegenerative impairments must be soundly informed by and clearly centered on users' distinctive disabilities. In this article we present a use-oriented analysis of those cognitive interventions intended for healthcare of patients with Alzheimer's dementia and related disorders that use human-computer interaction based on virtual reality technology. The analysis identifies the most important strengths and weakness, and describes and assesses the main key opportunities and challenges inherent to the use of this type of cognitive healthcare interventions. The most critical specific usability concerns that considerably affect these interventions are described in order to be directly addressed during a user-centered design process. Significant evaluation issues that still trouble these interventions' general acceptance are also included. On the basis of this analysis, appropriate actions are recommended to help minimize accessibility and usability issues. Finally, concrete design guidelines, and a framework with its road map are proposed to direct the design process. The proposed framework's more outstanding features and functionalities are described in relation to user-centered design conceptualization, implementation and assessment. The use of a consistent usercentered design methodology, such as the one proposed here to tackle the main critical obstacles, could turn out to become the key that allows to achieve a substantial improvement of VR-based cognitive healthcare interventions effectiveness. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: Computerized cognitive healthcare, Virtual reality for healthcare, Non-pharmacological cognitive healthcare, Alzheimer's dementia.

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Assessment of the usability of an immersive virtual supermarket for the cognitive rehabilitation of elderly patients: A pilot study on young adults

Cited by 21 publications

References 34 publications

Effect of immersive visualization technologies on cognitive load, motivation, usability, and embodiment

Effect of immersive visualization technologies on cognitive load, motivation, usability, and embodiment

Kinematics of aimed movements in ecological immersive virtual reality: a comparative study with real world

Virtual reality-based cognitive healthcare interventions: User-centered design considerations, guidelines and framework

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