MemHolo: mixed reality experiences for subjects with Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

HoloLens is the most recent and advanced forms of wearable Mixed Reality (MR) technology. It enables the user wearing a head-mounted device to experience 3D holographic objects “inside” the visualization of the real environment where he or she is located. Existing HoloLens applications have been developed in domains such as data visualization, entertainment, industrial training, education, and tourism, but the use of this technology in the arena of mental health is largely unexplored. The paper presents a HoloLens-based system called MemHolo that addresses persons with mild Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). AD is associated to a chronic progressive neurodegenerative process that severely affects cognitive functioning (especially memory) and some motor functions. MemHolo is intended to be used as a cognitive training tool to practice short-term and spatial memory in a safe and controlled virtual environment, and to mitigate the effects of mental decline. The paper discusses the design process of MemHolo, and describes three evaluation studies on progressive prototypes. To our knowledge, MemHolo is the first HoloLens application designed natively for persons with AD. Our empirical work sheds a light on how these people experience HoloLens applications, highlights some challenges and potential benefits of using MR technology in the AD arena, and may pave the ground towards new forms of treatment.