Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

CogWorldTravel: Design of a Game-Based Cognitive Screening Instrument

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Serious Games (JCSG 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13476))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

Cognitive Screening Instruments are helpful in the early detection of cognitive changes and possible underlying dementia. These instruments test all major cognitive domains of an individual. Serious games have been investigated as an alternative approach for cognitive assessment because of their ability to motivate. Previous work mostly focused on finding out whether it is feasible to use a serious game for such purpose. We decided to investigate further how a serious game can be engaging and fun while prioritizing the cognitive assessment. In this paper, we describe the design, development, and evaluation of CogWorldTravel, a serious game that has the potential to be used for cognitive screening as it measures at least one aspect of each cognitive domain. CogWorldTravel features six game tasks that involve recognition memory, attention, working memory, language, immediate memory span, processing speed, inhibition, recognition of emotions, visuoconstructional, perceptual-motor, and planning abilities. The serious game also accommodates age-related changes and considers the gameplay preferences of older adults.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. American Psychiatric, A.: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5®). American Psychiatric Publishing, Washington (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Rasmussen, J., Langerman, H.: Alzheimer’s disease - why we need early diagnosis. Degenerative Neurol. Neuromuscul. Dis. 9, 123–130 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Larner, A.J.: Cognitive Screening Instruments: A Practical Approach. Larner, A.J. (ed.) Springer, London (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Malloy, P., et al.: Cognitive screening instruments in neuropsychiatry: a report of the committee on research of the American neuropsychiatric association. J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosci. 9, 189–197 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Molnar, F.J., et al.: One size does not fit all: choosing practical cognitive screening tools for your practice. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 68(10), 2207–2213 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Johnson, D., et al.: Gamification for health and wellbeing: a systematic review of the literature. Internet Interv. 6, 89–106 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Martinho, D., Carneiro, J., Corchado, J.M., Marreiros, G.: A systematic review of gamification techniques applied to elderly care. Artif. Intell. Rev. 53(7), 4863–4901 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-020-09809-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Valladares-Rodríguez, S., et al.: Trends on the application of serious games to neuropsychological evaluation: a scoping review. J. Biomed. Inform. 64, 296–319 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gielis, K., et al.: Collecting digital biomarkers on cognitive health through computer vision and gameplay: an image processing toolkit for card games. In: 2019 IEEE International Conference on Healthcare Informatics (ICHI), IEEE (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Intarasirisawat, J., et al.: Exploring the touch and motion features in game-based cognitive assessments. Proc. ACM Interact. Mob. Wearable Ubiquitous Technol. 3(3), 1–25 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Sirály, E., et al.: Monitoring the early signs of cognitive decline in elderly by computer games: an MRI study. PLOS ONE 10(2), e0117918 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Bonnechère, B., et al.: Evaluation of cognitive functions of aged patients using video games. ACM, pp. 21–24 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Eraslan Boz, H., et al.: A new tool to assess amnestic mild cognitive impairment in Turkish older adults: virtual supermarket (VSM). Neuropsychol. Dev. Cogn. B Aging Neuropsychol. Cogn. 27(5), 639–653 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Vallejo, V., et al.: Evaluation of a new serious game based multitasking assessment tool for cognition and activities of daily living: comparison with a real cooking task. Comput. Hum. Behav. 70, 500–506 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Manera, V., et al.: “Kitchen and cooking”, a serious game for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: a pilot study. Front. Aging Neurosci. 7, 24 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Hagler, S., Jimison, H., Pavel, M.: Assessing executive function using a computer game: computational modeling of cognitive processes. Biomed. Health Inf. IEEE J. 18, 1442–1452 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Tong, T., Chignell, M., DeGuzman, C.A.: Using a serious game to measure executive functioning: response inhibition ability. Appl. Neuropsychol. Adult 28(6), 673–684 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Valladares-Rodriguez, S., et al.: Design process and preliminary psychometric study of a video game to detect cognitive impairment in senior adults. PeerJ 5, e3508–e3508 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Gamberini, L., et al.: Cognition, technology and games for the elderly: an introduction to ELDERGAMES project. PsychNology J. 4(3), 285–308 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Machado, M.D.C., Ferreira, R.L.R., Ishitani, L.: Heuristics and recommendations for the design of mobile serious games for older adults. (Research article). Int. J. Comput. Games Technol. 2018, 1–15 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Tavares Vasconcelos Oliveira, F., Gay, V., Garcia Marin, J.: Evaluation of CogWorldTravel: a serious game for cognitive screening. In: 10th International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health, SeGAH 2022, Sydney, Australia (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Fullerton, T., Swain, C., Hoffman, S.: Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. CRC Press, London (2008)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  23. Warrington, E.K.: Recognition memory test: Manual. Nfer-Nelson (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Soukup, V.M., Bimbela, A. and Schiess, M.C.: Recognition memory for faces: reliability and validity of the Warrington recognition memory test (RMT) in a neurological sample. J. Clin. Psychol. Med. Settings 6(3), 287–293 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Diesfeldt, H.F.A.: Recognition memory for words and faces in primary degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer type and normal old age. J. Clin. Exp. Neuropsychol. 12(6), 931–945 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Nasreddine, Z.S., et al.: The montreal cognitive assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 53(4), 695–699 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Corsi, P.M.: Human memory and the medial temporal region of the brain (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Berch, D.B., et al.: The corsi block-tapping task: methodological and theoretical considerations. Brain Cogn.38(3), 317–338 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Collins, L.F., Long, C.J.: Visual reaction time and its relationship to neuropsychological test performance. Arch. Clin. Neuropsychol. 11(7), 613–623 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Yechiam, E., et al., A formal cognitive model of the go/no-go discrimination task: evaluation and implications. Psychol. Assess. 18(3), 239 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  31. McCade, D., Savage, G., Naismith, S.L.: Review of emotion recognition in mild cognitive impairment. Dement. Geriatr. Cogn. Disord. 32(4), 257–266 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Montagne, B., et al.: The emotion recognition task: a paradigm to measure the perception of facial emotional expressions at different intensities. Percept Mot Skills 104(2), 589–598 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Haier, R.J., et al.: MRI assessment of cortical thickness and functional activity changes in adolescent girls following three months of practice on a visual-spatial task. BMC. Res. Notes 2(1), 174 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

This research is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and the 2021 Social Impact Grant from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Ethics approval UTS HREC REF NO. ETH21-6304.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Technology Sydney (UTS) Games Studio, Sydney, Australia

    Fernanda T. Oliveira, Brandon W. Tong & Jaime A. Garcia

  2. Faculty of Engineering and IT, UTS, Sydney, Australia

    Fernanda T. Oliveira, Jaime A. Garcia & Valerie C. Gay

  3. Faculty of Health, UTS, Sydney, Australia

    Brandon W. Tong

Authors
  1. Fernanda T. Oliveira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Brandon W. Tong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jaime A. Garcia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Valerie C. Gay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fernanda T. Oliveira .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Bauhaus University, Weimar, Weimar, Thüringen, Germany

    Heinrich Söbke

  2. Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Pia Spangenberger

  3. TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Philipp Müller

  4. TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Stefan Göbel

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Oliveira, F.T., Tong, B.W., Garcia, J.A., Gay, V.C. (2022). CogWorldTravel: Design of a Game-Based Cognitive Screening Instrument. In: Söbke, H., Spangenberger, P., Müller, P., Göbel, S. (eds) Serious Games. JCSG 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13476. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15325-9_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15325-9_10

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-15324-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-15325-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation