Comparing four interaction techniques on a simple structured navigation task using a Head-Mounted Display

Virtual Reality (VR) is a scientific and technical domain that can provide mediums to dive users into an interactive 3D computer-generated world. Several processes of immersion bring to user the feeling of having quit the real world and of being present in the virtual environment, physically as well as psychologically (1,2). VR must provide a coherent experience in terms of sensory, cognitive and functional information (2). Fidelity, as the objective degree of exactness with which a system reproduces real-world, is hence a key point to design immersive VR-based systems. Since the 2010’s, low-cost cave automatic virtual environment (3) and many Head-Mounted Display (HMD) are available for immersive VR. However, navigate through 3D environments displayed in HMD is still challenging because it can cause sickness and disorientation. Since techniques based on haptic devices like keyboard and joystick have been extensively explored in the past, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of the navigation technique on performance on a simple traveling-centered task and the user experience with the HMD HTC Vive. Since techniques based on haptic devices like keyboard and joystick have been extensively explored in the past, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of the navigation technique on performance on a simple traveling-centered task and the user experience with the HMD HTC Vive. We compared four continuous navigation techniques: Arms Swinging, Walking-In-Place, Pointing and Touchpad. Results on the learning effect indicated that the repetition was especially beneficial for Directional Touchpad. On the user experience, the results revealed a general discomfort of attendees with the presented systems, but they found themselves competent at the end of the experiment in the accomplishment of the proposed task. Joysticks or directional was associated to a failure in using the gaze to orientate the camera view in virtual reality

A Virtual Reality-Based Tool to Investigate Spatial Planning

The early neuropsychological assessment tools have been developed with the construct validity of the measure as a primary consideration. Such traditional tests are known to provide objective and standardized measure. However, they use specialized and decontextualized exercises which break the functioning unity of the multiple cognitive capacities. Thus, tests based on process-oriented exercises have been developed, such as the Zoo Map Test. By soliciting various capacities to solve a practical problem, this test brings an interesting framework to assess multiple aspects of the planning. This test has shown its usefulness in various clinical populations. However, additional investigations are needed to understand planning behaviors in more details and measure them with improved accuracy and ecological validity. To his end, we converted this paper-and-pencil test into a Virtual Reality-based assessment tool of planning. This paper describes the difficulties and the limits as well as the new opportunities in converting a 2D map consisting of roads and places into a 3D virtual environment

A New 2D Interaction-based Method for the Behavioral Analysis of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living

In neuropsychology, many computerized solutions have been proposed in order to assess patients’ functioning in activities of daily living, via realistic interactive simulation. In this context, most developed systems are based on simple devices, real time 2D interaction, and monoscopic 3D computer graphics environment. Behavioral analysis has drawn the interest of many domains, such as neuropsychology, ergonomics, web design, or virtual reality. However, advances on this topic remains fragmented in their respective areas. Thus, in computerized solutions applied to neuropsychology, the behavioral analysis does not take into account the data from interaction. The potential interest of computerized solutions is hence underexploited. In this paper, we propose a transdisciplinary solution, based on a finer analysis of 2D interaction data, such as stop duration. This method could reveal interesting aspects of users’ behaviors

A Virtual Kitchen for Cognitive Rehabilitation of Alzheimer Patients

This article presents an innovative interactive tool that has been designed and developed in the context of the preventive treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. This tool allows simulating different cooking tasks that the patient has to perform with the computer mouse. The virtual environment is visualized on a simple computer screen. Gradual assistance is provided to the patient so that he/she trains and learns to perform the tasks requested. In order for the training to be relevant and effective, no errors are allowed by the system

A new motion-based tool for occupation and monitoring of residents in nursing homes

Population ageing bring new challenges in healthcare and has raised issues concerning innovative solutions to optimize the management of elderly. As recommended, new interactive tools must be accessible to users, acceptable, easy to use, motivating and useful for both residents and staff. Virtual Reality is a good candidate to fulfill these specifications. Based on our expertise in Human Computer Interaction and Neuropsychology of ageing, we are developing a platform to offer interactive activities adapted to very-old and dependent people living in nursing homes. It is based on the use of a low-cost markerless RGB-D sensor (AstraTM, Orbbec) to track user body motion. Implemented activities were designed to involve various cognitive abilities, such as sorting game, search game, ball game. In addition, a module records several biomechanical data and generates reports for caregivers. This paper aims to discuss the special needs of research context and to present the designed interaction platform

Analysis of Arm Movement Strategy in Virtual Catching Task

In this paper, we explored how the arm movement pattern as well as the related strategy of the children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and the healthy children can be changed in the virtual catching task on a previously proposed rehabilitation system. We recruited 50 healthy children from elementary school, and 3 children with CP as subjects to classify their arm movement pattern/strategy. As a result of the classification, we identified three arm movement stages : Initial position, Reaching path, and Waving form, as well as movement pattern strategy under each movement stage. Based on the classified pattern, we compared the differences in the time series changes of movement strategy between healthy children and the children with CP. The results show there is a significant difference in the strategy of arm movements in the Initial position between healthy and CP children

A dual-modal virtual reality kitchen for (re)learning of everyday cooking activities in Alzheimer's disease

Everyday action impairment is one of the diagnostic criteria of Alzheimer\u27s disease and is associated with many serious consequences, including loss of functional autonomy and independence. It has been shown that the (re)learning of everyday activities is possible in Alzheimer\u27s disease by using error reduction teaching approaches in naturalistic clinical settings. The purpose of this study is to develop a dual-modal virtual reality platform for training in everyday cooking activities in Alzheimer\u27s disease and to establish its value as a training tool for everyday activities in these patients. Two everyday tasks and two error reduction learning methods were implemented within a virtual kitchen. Two patients with Alzheimer\u27s disease and two healthy elderly controls were tested. All subjects were trained in two learning sessions on two comparable cooking tasks. Within each group (i.e., patients and controls), the order of the training methods was counterbalanced. Repeated measure analysis before and after learning was performed. A questionnaire of presence and a verbal interview were used to obtain information about the subjective responses of the participants to the VR experience. The results in terms of errors, omissions, and perseverations (i.e., repetitive behaviors) indicate that the patients performed worse than the controls before learning, but that they reached a level of performance similar to that of the controls after a short learning session, regardless of the learning method employed. This finding provides preliminary support for the value of the dual-modal virtual reality platform for training in everyday cooking activities in Alzheimer\u27s disease. However, further work is needed before it is ready for clinical application

Detecting everyday action deficits in Alzheimer’s disease using a non-immersive virtual reality kitchen

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes impairments affecting instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Transdisciplinary research in neuropsychology and virtual reality has fostered the development of ecologically valid virtual tools for the assessment of IADL, using simulations of real life activities. Few studies have examined the benefits of this approach in AD patients. Our aim was to examine the utility of a non-immersive virtual coffee task (NI-VCT) for assessment of IADL in these patients. We focus on the assessment results obtained from a group of 24 AD patients on a task designed to assess their ability to prepare a virtual cup of coffee, using a virtual coffee machine. We compared performance on the virtual task to an identical daily living task involving the actual preparation of a cup of coffee, as well as to global cognitive, executive, and caregiver-reported IADL functioning. Relative to 32 comparable, healthy elderly (HE) controls, AD patients performed worse than HE controls on all tasks. Correlation analyses revealed that NI-VCT measures were related to all other neuropsychological measures. Moreover, regression analyses demonstrated that performance on the NI-VCT predicted actual task performance and caregiver-reported IADL functioning. Our results provide initial support for the utility of our virtual kitchen for assessment of IADL in AD patients. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–10

The potential of virtual reality-based training to enhance the functional autonomy of Alzheimer's disease patients in cooking activities: A single case study.

Impairments in performing activities of daily living occur early in the course of Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). There is a great need to develop non-pharmacological therapeutic interventions likely to reduce dependency in everyday activities in AD patients. This study investigated whether it was possible to increase autonomy in these patients in cooking activities using interventions based on errorless learning, vanishing-cue, and virtual reality techniques. We recruited a 79-year-old woman who met NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for probable AD. She was trained in four cooking tasks for four days per task, one hour per day, in virtual and in real conditions. Outcome measures included subjective data concerning the therapeutic intervention and the experience of virtual reality, repeated assessments of training activities, neuropsychological scores, and self-esteem and quality of life measures. The results indicated that our patient could relearn some cooking activities using virtual reality techniques. Transfer to real life was also observed. Improvement of the task performance remained stable over time. This case report supports the value of a non-immersive virtual kitchen to help people with AD to relearn cooking activities