Abstract
We provide a brief review and appraisal of recent and current virtual reality (VR) technology for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) applications. We categorize them according to their intended purpose (e.g., diagnosis, patient cognitive training, caregivers’ education, etc.), focus feature (e.g., spatial impairment, memory deficit, etc.), methodology employed (e.g., tasks, games, etc.), immersion level, and passive or active interaction. Critical assessment indicates that most of them do not yet take full advantage of virtual environments with high levels of immersion and interaction. Many still rely on conventional 2D graphic displays to create non-immersive or semi-immersive VR scenarios. Important improvements are needed to make VR a better and more versatile assessment and training tool for AD. The use of the latest display technologies available, such as emerging head-mounted displays and 3D smart TV technologies, together with realistic multi-sensorial interaction devices, and neuro-physiological feedback capacity, are some of the most beneficial improvements this mini-review suggests. Additionally, it would be desirable that such VR applications for AD be easily and affordably transferable to in-home and nursing home environments.
Highlights
We provide a brief review and appraisal of recent and current virtual reality (VR) technology for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) applications
virtual environments (VEs) have been traditionally defined as “interactive, virtual image displays enhanced by special processing and by non-visual display modalities . . . to convince users that they are immersed in a synthetic space” (Ellis, 1994)
Emerging VR applications today address the challenge of diagnosis and cognitive training of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia patients, concentrating on navigation and orientation, face recognition, cognitive functionality, and other instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) (Jekel et al, 2015)
Summary
We provide a brief review and appraisal of recent and current virtual reality (VR) technology for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) applications. We categorize them according to their intended purpose (e.g., diagnosis, patient cognitive training, caregivers’ education, etc.), focus feature (e.g., spatial impairment, memory deficit, etc.), methodology employed (e.g., tasks, games, etc.), immersion level, and passive or active interaction. Critical assessment indicates that most of them do not yet take full advantage of virtual environments with high levels of immersion and interaction. Since the introduction of the use of computers for psychological testing over a quarter of a century ago (Riva, 1997), several studies have emphasized the use of virtual environments (VEs) and their ecological validity for neuropsychological assessments (Spooner and Pachana, 2006; Campbell et al, 2009; Tarnanas et al, 2013; Parsons, 2015). A growing number of devices is available today for interaction (e.g., joysticks, gloves, surfaces, etc.), as well as for stimuli presentation in VEs [e.g., screens, 3D head-mounted displays (HMDs), audio headsets, speakers, etc.]
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