Enhanced Cognitive Training using Virtual Reality: Examining a Memory Task Modified for Use in Virtual Environments

Head-mounted display (HMD) based cognitive training enables a number of unique visual features, including 3D depth and immersive visuals. We examine the impact of these features by measuring task performance and EEG power with a cognitive task that has been modified for use in virtual environments. Results were then compared with those obtained using an unmodified version of the task. Some modified versions of the task resulted in increased cognitive load, but the differences did not correlate with changes in task performance. The increased EEG power observed may therefore only reflect changes at the perceptual level, rather than task-contingent cognitive function. On the whole, these results suggest that adapting a standard cognitive training task to a virtual environment in order to take advantage of the inherent benefits of an HMD should pose few if any problems.