An Adaptive Strategy for an Immersive Visuo-Haptic Attention Training Game
Attention training using virtual environments is a promising way to treat mental disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Interactive haptic tasks combined with immersive visual display provide a potential solution for attention
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Abstract. Attention training using virtual environments is a promising way to treat mental disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Interactive haptic tasks combined with immersive visual display provide a potential solution for attention modulation and training. In this paper, we introduced a visuo-haptic game consisting of stimulus-response tasks using fingertip pressure control with immersive visual display using the Oculus Rift. Users were required to press a force sensor using either the index or middle finger from either hand. In each trial, users needed to maintain a constant force with an expected tolerance within an allowable response time. An adaptive strategy was proposed to tune the difficulty level of the task to match the force control skill of the user, which may produce an optimal success rate in each trial to maintain users’ interest and keep them motivated. Furthermore, a randomized algorithm was adopted to vary the target fingertip, target force magnitude and target tolerance between adjacent trials, which was designed to avoid the boring repetition and thus to keep the users’ curiosity on the task. Experimental results on six participants show that the proposed strategy was able to obtain different expected success rates, i.e. either 79.4 % or 50 %. Keywords: Attention
Visuo-haptic game Adaptive strategy Immersive
1 Introduction Attention is the foundation of neural and cognitive activity, whereas the ability of effective attention control is the foundation of perceiving external information [1, 2]. Our learning capability, social skills and even happiness are closely intertwined with our capacity for controlling our attention focus. Decreased attentional control skill may lead to mental disorders such as ADHD that may prevent people from learning and working efficiently and even cause serious symptom [2]. The study of attention training may innovate new methods for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment for mental disorders or neurological diseases, such as ADHD patients [2], brain injuries and stroke [3, 4]. Effective and timely attention training may provide significant benefits for these patients [3]. Furthermore, attention training may provide a novel training approach for special professionals under heavy workload, high-pressure and high-paced situations, such as pilots, personnel monitoring in railway and airport control towers etc. [5].
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016 F. Bello et al. (Eds.): EuroHaptics 2016, Part I, LNCS 9774, pp. 441–451, 2016. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-42321-0_41
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Various efforts have been explored for training attention. DeBettencourt et al. used closed-loop neurofeedback for attention training and they concluded that momentto-moment feedback about attentional state could enhance sustained attention abilities [6]. Montani et al. [7] demonstrated that adaptive video game training improved attentional control and cognitive abilities during play. Franceschini et al. [8] demonstrated that playing action
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