VR gamification for cognitive assessment: evaluating visual search, response inhibition, and visual short-term memory (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.65836
• Publication Date: 2024-09-05T15:24:15Z
• Authors: Marios Hadjiaros; Andria Shimi; Kleanthis Neokleous; Constantinos Patt...; Marios Avraamides
• Keywords: Preprint

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Cognitive tasks are essential tools in psychology and neuroscience research, offering insights into various mental processes such as attention, perception, memory. These often involve simple stimuli, alphanumeric characters shapes, a large number of trials, deliberate design choice aimed at controlling for extraneous variables ensuring the reliability results. While this methodological approach is crucial maintaining experimental rigor validity, it may inadvertently lead to issues regarding participant engagement. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> The main objective present empirical study was investigate whether gamified versions 3 established cognitive tasks, namely Visual Search, Whack-the-Mole, Corsi block yield same patterns results their traditional counterparts. three were chosen because they commonly used assess attention visual short-term memory, which many everyday tasks. <title>METHODS</title> Participants executed our Block one conditions: Immersive Virtual Reality (VR-Lab), desktop VR environment presented lab (Desktop-Lab), experienced home (Desktop-Remote). <title>RESULTS</title> pattern from these replicated those reported literature about counterparts that typically employ stimuli longer duration. Notably, some differences findings observed across administration conditions (VR-Lab, Desktop-Lab, Desktop-Remote). In Search Whack-the-Mole participants 250ms 70ms faster respond VR-Lab than Desktop-Lab condition. Moreover, task, 160ms when carrying out task Desktop-Remote <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> Despite differences, overall, confirm potential technology tool assessing performance with can potentially increase <title>CLINICALTRIAL</title> <p/>