Research shows how VR can help diagnose ADHD
ADHD currently affects about six percent of the world’s children.
A team of researchers from Aalto University, Åbo Akademi and the University of Helsinki has developed a VR game that is supposed to help diagnose attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The kid-friendly interactive experience uses a combination of machine learning and eye tracking to effectively identify different ADHD symptoms.
Called by name Management performance in everyday life (EPELI), the game immerses users in a virtual apartment where they have to complete a series of “everyday tasks”. To be successful, users must think ahead and remember instructions, ignoring all distractions in the process.
Currently, the most popular method for detecting ADHD symptoms is the continuous performance task (CPT) test, in which participants watch letters appear on a screen and press a button whenever a letter other than an “X” appears. According to the researchers, EPELI could offer a more effective solution for diagnosing ADHD compared to the CPT test and at the same time motivate users better.
“Those interested can use EPELI as an aid in their clinical work,” says doctoral researcher Erik Seesjärvi from the University of Helsinki and clinical neuropsychologist from Helsinki University Hospital. “The experience has been very positive. All neuropsychologists who responded to the feedback survey after the first pilot said they benefited from using virtual reality methods as a complementary tool in their work.
However, that is only the tip of the iceberg. The team recently added eye tracking to the game, which allows them to better diagnose attention deficits by tracking the user’s eye movements. In a new study, 37 children diagnosed with ADHD and 36 children in a control group played EPELI followed by a simple shooting game called Shoot the Target and the results were interesting.
“We monitored children’s natural eye movements while performing various tasks in a virtual reality game, and this proved to be an effective way to detect ADHD symptoms,” added PhD researcher Liya Merzon from Aalto University. “ADHD children’s gaze stayed longer on different objects in the environment, and their gaze jumped faster and more often from one place to another. This may indicate a delay in the development of the visual system and poorer information processing than other children.
In addition to diagnosing ADHD in children, researchers say the EPELI could eventually be used to assess autism, brain injury, adult ADHD, stroke and more. “Our collaborations in Geneva research diseases related to aging,” added project manager Juha Salmitaival. “Key opportunities on the horizon include early detection of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.”
More information about EPELI can be found at here. You can also familiarize yourself with the research group’s entire study here.
Feature Image Credit: Peili Vision Oy