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Preliminary Study on Virtual Reality Framework for Effective Prospective Memory Training: Integration of Visual Imagery and Daily-life Simulations

Satoshi Fukumori, Kayoko Miura, Ayako Takamori, Sadao Otsuka

TL;DR

Prospective memory (PM) declines with age and affects daily functioning; this paper presents a VR-based PM training framework (VR-PMT) that combines visual imagery training (VIT) and immersive virtual reality training (VRT) to simulate real-life PM tasks. The method uses eight-level VIT to enhance imagery generation and a two-environment VRT with time- and event-based, as well as regular/irregular tasks, delivered over nine weekly sessions with distractor tasks and errorless learning. Results from ten adults (young and older) show significant positive correlations between PM scores on the memory for intentions screening test (MIST) and task achievement, and strong links between imagery ability and performance, indicating the framework's ability to reflect PM capabilities and the utility of imagery strategies. Participants reported generally positive usability, though elderly users experienced higher fatigue, suggesting the need for breaks and ergonomics. Overall, VR-PMT demonstrates feasibility for assessing and training PM in a VR setting with potential clinical applications.

Abstract

Prospective memory (PM), defining the currently conceived intention of a future action, is crucial for daily functioning, particularly in aging populations. This study develops and validates a virtual reality prospective memory training (VR-PMT) system that integrates visual imagery training (VIT) and virtual reality training (VRT) to enhance the PM abilities of users. The framework is designed to progressively challenge users by simulating real-life PM tasks in a controlled VR environment. The VIT component is designed to improve the generation and utilization of visual imagery by users, while the VRT component provides PM tasks based on time and event cues within a virtual environment.The framework was evaluated on ten healthy adults (university students and elderly participants) over nine weeks. During the initial session, the baseline PM abilities of the participants were assessed using the memory for intentions screening test (MIST). The subsequent sessions alternated between VIT and VRT with increasing task complexity. The MIST scores were significantly positively correlated with task achievement, confirming the efficacy of the system. Imagery abilities were also strongly correlated with task performance, underscoring the importance of visual imagery in PM training.Usability and user experiences, evaluated on the Jikaku-sho Shirabe questionnaire and the user experience questionnaire, indicated an overall positive user experience but higher fatigue levels in elderly participants. This study demonstrates that the VR--PMT system effectively trains and assesses PM abilities by integrating VIT and VRT, supporting its potential for broader applications in clinical settings.

Preliminary Study on Virtual Reality Framework for Effective Prospective Memory Training: Integration of Visual Imagery and Daily-life Simulations

TL;DR

Prospective memory (PM) declines with age and affects daily functioning; this paper presents a VR-based PM training framework (VR-PMT) that combines visual imagery training (VIT) and immersive virtual reality training (VRT) to simulate real-life PM tasks. The method uses eight-level VIT to enhance imagery generation and a two-environment VRT with time- and event-based, as well as regular/irregular tasks, delivered over nine weekly sessions with distractor tasks and errorless learning. Results from ten adults (young and older) show significant positive correlations between PM scores on the memory for intentions screening test (MIST) and task achievement, and strong links between imagery ability and performance, indicating the framework's ability to reflect PM capabilities and the utility of imagery strategies. Participants reported generally positive usability, though elderly users experienced higher fatigue, suggesting the need for breaks and ergonomics. Overall, VR-PMT demonstrates feasibility for assessing and training PM in a VR setting with potential clinical applications.

Abstract

Prospective memory (PM), defining the currently conceived intention of a future action, is crucial for daily functioning, particularly in aging populations. This study develops and validates a virtual reality prospective memory training (VR-PMT) system that integrates visual imagery training (VIT) and virtual reality training (VRT) to enhance the PM abilities of users. The framework is designed to progressively challenge users by simulating real-life PM tasks in a controlled VR environment. The VIT component is designed to improve the generation and utilization of visual imagery by users, while the VRT component provides PM tasks based on time and event cues within a virtual environment.The framework was evaluated on ten healthy adults (university students and elderly participants) over nine weeks. During the initial session, the baseline PM abilities of the participants were assessed using the memory for intentions screening test (MIST). The subsequent sessions alternated between VIT and VRT with increasing task complexity. The MIST scores were significantly positively correlated with task achievement, confirming the efficacy of the system. Imagery abilities were also strongly correlated with task performance, underscoring the importance of visual imagery in PM training.Usability and user experiences, evaluated on the Jikaku-sho Shirabe questionnaire and the user experience questionnaire, indicated an overall positive user experience but higher fatigue levels in elderly participants. This study demonstrates that the VR--PMT system effectively trains and assesses PM abilities by integrating VIT and VRT, supporting its potential for broader applications in clinical settings.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 14 sections, 6 figures, 6 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related work
  3. Design of Framework
  4. Visual imagery training
  5. Virtual reality training
  6. Implementation
  7. Hardware
  8. Program schedules and software setup
  9. VIT
  10. VRT
  11. Experiment
  12. Result
  13. Post-hoc analysis: why is the correlation coefficient the lowest in event-based tasks?
  14. Discussion

Figures (6)

  • Figure 1: Layouts of the home and shopping street in the virtual environment
  • Figure 2: White clock for monitoring the time (left) and a user interface on which participants select their answer (right)
  • Figure 3: Correlation analyses of total task achievement (top), achievements of regular and irregular tasks (center), and achievements of time-based and event-based tasks (bottom) vs. MIST and imagery abilities
  • Figure 4: Comparison of task achievements across regular, irregular, event-based, and time-based tasks
  • Figure 5: Comparison of user experience ratings (UEQ-S) between the elderly and young participants
  • ...and 1 more figures