Impact of screen size on cognitive training task performance: An HMD study

What is the optimal display range? Exploring the impacts of area and shape on in-vehicle head-up display efficiency

In-vehicle Head-Up Displays (HUDs) are expected to incorporate more information in the future, necessitating deeper understandings of design properties that can enhance display safety and efficiency. However, the optimal display characteristics-particularly in terms of area and shape-remain inadequately understood. This study investigated these two factors by manipulating horizontal and vertical Field of View (FOV) angles within a simulated in-vehicle HUD. Thirty-one participants participated in this laboratory-based study they completed a digit matching task while driving within a driving simulator. The accuracy and response time of the task served as indicators for efficiency. The standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP) was employed to assess area and shape's impacts on driving performance, alongside subjective ease-of-use evaluations. Results indicated that an increase in horizontal FOV angle significantly delay response times and reduce ease-of-use ratings. We also observed significant effects of area and shape on response time and ratings; specifically, participants responded faster in smaller display area conditions, which were also rated as the easiest to use. Accuracy, however, was largely unaffected by size and shape. Importantly, most manipulations did not interfere with driving performance, except for the area 500 condition, wherein landscape shape was associated with better lane-keeping performance. Our findings provide valuable insights for the design of in-vehicle HUDs.

DigiDOP: A framework for applying digital technology to the Differential Outcomes Procedure (DOP) for cognitive interventions in persons with neurocognitive disorders

We present a framework -Digi-DOP- that includes a series of evidence-based recommendations to design and apply cognitive interventions for people with Neurocognitive Disorders (NCDs) using a relatively new approach, the Differential Outcomes Procedure (DOP). To do so, we critically review the substantial experimental research conducted with relevant clinical and non-clinical populations, and the theoretical underpinnings of this procedure. We further discuss how existing digital technologies that have been used for cognitive interventions could be applied to overcome some of the limitations of DOP-based interventions and further enhance DOP benefits. Specifically, we present three digital DOP developments that are currently being designed, investigated and/or tested. Finally, we discuss constraints, ethical and legal considerations that need to be taken into account to ensure that the use of technology in DOP-based interventions proposed here does not widen disparities and inequalities. We hope that this framework will inform and guide digital health leaders and developers, researchers and healthcare professionals to design and apply DOP-based interventions for people with NCDs.

Head-mounted display versus computer monitor for visual attention screening: A comparative study

Visual attention is crucial to many tasks during working. When it is impaired, the risk of occupational accidents is increased. A potential accident prevention would be the tracking of employees' attentional states to construct break regimes. There is a promising visual attention test administered on a computer monitor (CM) that has several advantages over widely used continuous performance tests in detecting inattentiveness in occupational environments. However, as the setup with a CM is impractical for the use in particular working environments (e.g., lack of space or disturbing exposure to light), the test was implemented into a head-mounted display (HMD). This study aimed to investigate whether the HMD version of the test is a suitable alternative to the CM version. For this purpose, participants (N = 30; 20-29 y) performed both tests. The performance on the HMD was significantly lower than on the CM. Moreover, the performances were compared with normative data recorded with a CM in a previous study. These data significantly differ from the data recorded with the CM in the present study. This emphasizes the importance of a standardized test environment, which could be provided by an HMD. Conclusively, this study revealed that the new VR tool, based on a previous test designed to assess visual skills in a complex visual environment, exhibited good psychometric property regarding the reliability. In additional, no problems were revealed regarding the functionality and usability of the HMD.

Examining the Auditory Selective Attention Switch in a Child-Suited Virtual Reality Classroom Environment

The ability to focus ones attention in different acoustical environments has been thoroughly investigated in the past. However, recent technological advancements have made it possible to perform laboratory experiments in a more realistic manner. In order to investigate close-to-real-life scenarios, a classroom was modeled in virtual reality (VR) and an established paradigm to investigate the auditory selective attention (ASA) switch was translated from an audio-only version into an audiovisual VR setting. The new paradigm was validated with adult participants in a listening experiment, and the results were compared to the previous version. Apart from expected effects such as switching costs and auditory congruency effects, which reflect the robustness of the overall paradigm, a difference in error rates between the audio-only and the VR group was found, suggesting enhanced attention in the new VR setting, which is consistent with recent studies. Overall, the results suggest that the presented VR paradigm can be used and further developed to investigate the voluntary auditory selective attention switch in a close-to-real-life classroom scenario.

Impact of Visual Game-Like Features on Cognitive Performance in a Virtual Reality Working Memory Task: Within-Subjects Experiment

BACKGROUND

Although the pursuit of improved cognitive function through working memory training has been the subject of decades of research, the recent growth in commercial adaptations of classic working memory tasks in the form of gamified apps warrants additional scrutiny. In particular, the emergence of virtual reality as a platform for cognitive training presents opportunities for the use of novel visual features.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to add to the body of knowledge regarding the use of game-like visual design elements by specifically examining the application of two particular visual features common to virtual reality environments: immersive, colorful backgrounds and the use of 3D depth. In addition, electroencephalography (EEG) data were collected to identify potential neural correlates of any observed changes in performance.

METHODS

A simple visual working memory task was presented to participants in several game-like adaptations, including the use of colorful, immersive backgrounds and 3D depth. The impact of each adaptation was separately assessed using both EEG and performance assessment outcomes and compared with an unmodified version of the task.

RESULTS

Results suggest that although accuracy and reaction time may be slightly affected by the introduction of such game elements, the effects were small and not statistically significant. Changes in EEG power, particularly in the beta and theta rhythms, were significant but failed to correlate with any corresponding changes in performance. Therefore, they may only reflect cognitive changes at the perceptual level.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the data suggest that the addition of these specific visual features to simple cognitive tasks does not appear to significantly affect performance or task-dependent cognitive load.