Usability, Acceptability, and Safety of Virtual Reality-based Cognitive Intervention

Virtual reality (VR) imitates reality by creating an artificial 3-D environment using computing technology or software. Using this software with a headset, a virtual environment is created, which cognitively stimulates the user's brain to think they are in an artificial world. Creating a virtual environment allows flexibility and measurement of different types of stimuli while recording the various responses provided by users in the controlled virtual environment. VR strengthens the brain's ability to focus, learn, and retain experience. VR for attention deficit disorders has been reported to have promising results. This trial aims to follow in similar footsteps using the gamification of exercises for cognitive stimulation in healthy volunteers to record outcomes and perform usability testing. These exercise "games" allow users to focus and pay attention to the game while helping reorient and cognitively stimulate the user's brain. The games are built with increasing difficulty and complexity of user demand and output. A novel, 3D-simulated software platform prototype called ''ReCognitionVR'' was developed to provide VR-based cognitive exercises to healthy participants for testing. The premise of this trial is that VR-based cognitive stimulation software will allow the controlled delivery of structured cognitive exercises focusing on orientation, attention, memory, and executive functions. The system will allow customized frequency and duration of cognitive exercises based on the users' difficulty level in a delightfully relaxed- environment with music. According to our institutional review board recommendations, this pilot study will be conducted in two steps on two different cohorts which are as follows: In the first step, the usability, acceptability, and safety of ReCognitionVR-based cognitive exercises will be evaluated on elderly healthy subjects. This study's results will inform the design of a second-step pilot study. In the second step, the usability, acceptability, and safety of ReCognitionVR-based cognitive exercise will be evaluated for elderly surgical patients who are at high risk for the development of delirium.