User Experience during an Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Task: A Comparison between Estonian and Italian Older Adults with MCI

Abstract

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of cognitive abilities loss and puts older adults at higher risk of developing dementia. Virtual reality (VR) could represent a tool for the early assessment of this pathological condition and for administering cognitive training. This work presents a study evaluating the acceptance and the user experience of an immersive VR application representing a supermarket. As the same application had already been assessed in Italy, we aimed to perform the same study in Estonia in order to compare the outcomes in the two populations. Fifteen older adults with MCI were enrolled in one Rehabilitation Center of Estonia and tried the supermarket once. Afterwards, they were administered questionnaires aimed at evaluating their technology acceptance, sense of presence, and cybersickness. Estonian participants reported low side effects and discrete enjoyment, and a sense of presence. Nonetheless, their intention to use the technology decreased after the experience. The comparison between Italian and Estonian older adults showed that cybersickness was comparable, but technology acceptance and sense of presence were significantly lower in the Estonian group. Thus, we argue that: (i) cultural and social backgrounds influence technology acceptance; (ii) technology acceptance was rather mediated by the absence of positive feelings rather than cybersickness.

Usability of an Embodied CAVE System for Spatial Navigation Training in Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…Recent usability studies have shown that IVR is rated as an acceptable, usable, and tolerable system for cognitive training by older people with MCI. Nevertheless, cybersickness could be one of the factors that might affect the acceptance and ease of use of an IVR system in MCI [22]. Cybersickness can include a series of symptoms arising during the experience in IVR, which may include nausea, vision discomfort, headache, dizziness, and disorientation [22].…”

“…Nevertheless, cybersickness could be one of the factors that might affect the acceptance and ease of use of an IVR system in MCI [22]. Cybersickness can include a series of symptoms arising during the experience in IVR, which may include nausea, vision discomfort, headache, dizziness, and disorientation [22]. A usability study has also been proven to identify those elements that could prevent the use of the technology [23,24].…”

Combining reinforcement learning and virtual reality in mild neurocognitive impairment: a new usability assessment on patients and caregivers

“…Funny and serious games, including life skills, were implemented. Mondellini et al ( 2022 ) exposed 15 older adults diagnosed with MCI to a virtual supermarket. The participants were requested to do the shopping, picking the item presented in a list and putting them in a cart.…”