Memory Based Simulation Study for Dementia Patients - Based on IEEE VR 2020 Guidelines

The proposed idea is to develop a simulation of an experience that tries to shed light on the problems faced by people who suffer from dementia (a targeted approach for Alzheimer’s Disease can be taken up to develop as the focus of the simulation).

Dementia can be defined to be a collection of symptoms, whose primary cause can be attributed to disorders that affect the brain. It affects thinking processes, behavior, as well as the ability to perform simple daily tasks. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia that exists in humans – accounting for around 6-% to 80% of dementia cases.

Alzheimer’s disease can be defined as a progressive illness that is caused by damage to the brain that leads to the death of brain cells. Currently, the cause for it is yet to be determined, and can only be detected upon physical examination of the brain. However, it is known that the disease gradually worsens over time.

Here are some of the symptoms that can be seen in Alzheimer’s patients:
• Moods
o Apathy
o Frustration (over the inability to communicate)
o Disorientation
o Confusion
o Mood swings
o Personality changes

• Behavioral
o Unable to read familiar writing
o A decrease in fluency (verbal, etc.)
o Misplacing items
o Loss in short term memory
o Getting lost
o Inability to conversate

• Physical
o Unable to properly navigate
o Impaired safety awareness
o Understanding what motor actions need to be done but not being able to do it

• Psychological
o Memory loss
o Impaired judgement
o Wandering off
o Distrust of others
o Inability to recognize familiar objects

Proposed Scenario for Simulation:

The player will face two scenarios, whose primary objective will be to do a series of actions in a specific order so that they are able to achieve an end-goal (for example get out of a house). If they do not do the sequence properly (because they may realize what they need to do at the start and may directly advance to the end) then all their progress gets reset and they must start all over again.

Each scenario will contain a set number of interactable items, that the user will be able to use to activate a specific “outcome”. Once, several of these “outcomes” are completed in a set order, they will be able to exit the room.
In the first scenario, the players will have a certain set of instructions that will give them an idea as to which objects, they will be using to finish the level. These will be objects that they will immediately recognize from their real-world counterparts, so the actions and objectives will “make sense” to them. This could also double up as the training level which helps train patients remember to follow specific steps to accomplish a task.

The next scenario will occur in the same room. However, this time, it will be targeted towards regular users majorly – the functionality of the objects (of scenario 1) will change. Say for example, in the original scenario, if we picked up a wooden log and a knife, we could make an axe (which “makes sense”) to complete outcome 3 and break a wooden plank that was blocking the door. Now, the player will have to figure out that the tool that was used to complete “objective 2” will fulfill “objective 3” and so on (basically rotate the setup by one). The user will have visual clues built into each scenario that points towards the fact that the functionality of each tool has changed. This situation will signify the thought process that a patient of early-onset Alzheimer’s may go through when using daily objects – to them, they think that the functionality of an object makes sense, whereas it does not to someone else. We could also set up the level to be completed in reverse so that they will have to remember the sequence backward and do the objectives in that way – this could be implemented to show a version of disorientation and short-term memory loss, as well as impaired judgement, in dementia sufferers.

The scenarios also allow implementing multiple minor details inside them that can function as guides for people with dementia. This will allow us to test out various different methods so as to help the patients lead a better life. Following are some links that show the difficulties patients of dementia have to go face in their everyday lives:

Dementia Through The Eyes of a Patient

Someone Is Always There - Alzheimer’s

Simulating Dementia Symptoms Physically