A Stroop-based Long-term Cognitive Training Game for the Elderly in Head-mounted Displays

Qiuxin Du, Dongdong Weng, Haiyan Jiang, Shanshan Chen

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) games have been increasingly incorporated into the cognitive training of the elderly because of their unique immersion and interactivity. However, previous studies have focused on existing commercial games, which are not suitable for the elderly. Due to the progressive decline in cognitive abilities and inflexible action of the elderly, we propose a VR music game (LightSword) based on two classical psychological paradigms (Dual-task and Stroop). To enable long-term cognitive training of the elderly in a playful and relaxed virtual environment, the game integrates easy interactions, motivating mechanisms with real-time feedback, and pleasant music. The results of the prior study show a linear increase in game performance scores which are related to cognitive ability, demonstrating the potential of the proposed game for cognitive training.