Budapest University of Technology and Economics 04 Dec, 2015

Computer Games for Older Adults Beyond Entertainment and Training: Possible Tools

for Early Warnings

Budapest University of Technology and Economics

04 Dec, 2015

2/19

Motivation Possible approaches Conceptual model Challenges How to assess the cognitive state Proof of the concept ICT architecture and components Conclusion and future work

Outline

22 May, 2015 ICT4AgeingWell Conference, 20-22 May, 2015

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Primary goal: early detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) (+ training) – WHY? Dementia is one of the main causes of dependency MCI: conversion rate to dementia is much higher Detection and treatment in the early phase can

delay the progression Hard to identify when the natural decline becomes

abnormal MCI is not a specific disease – problems with

memory,attention,visuospatial skills (the ability to interpret

objects and shapes)

Motivation (M3W project AAL Joint Progr.)


planninglanguage

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Cognitive tests: only when there are clear signs of cognitive deficit early detection is rare

Traditional, validated, paper-based clinical tests require specialist centres and highly trained professionals

Growing interest in the development of special computer games for cognitive monitoring and training purposes

Motivation


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Game development policy: Adapting well-known, popular games Transforming special clinical tests (Paired

Associates Learning, Corsi block-tapping) Developing new games specially designed

for this purpose

Monitoring policy: Voluntary Controlled

Possible approaches(our approach)


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Assessment of the mental state On an absolute scale Only significant change is to be detected

Reference for change detection Comparison to a reference group (inter-

personal) Comparison to a previously measured

reference performance of the same person

22 May, 2015

Possible approaches

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With regular but voluntary use of computer games developed or modified specifically for older adults, we may be able to measure the mental changes and tendencies over time in an entertaining way.

Conceptual model


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Typical performance series of a player measured with a given computer game

22 May, 2015

Conceptual model

ICT4AgeingWell Conference, 20-22 May, 2015

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How to measure cognitive performance using computer games?

How to cope with the typically heavy noise caused by the uncontrolled (home) measurement environment?

How to motivate people to take part in the long run?

How to compare performance shown in different games, which is basically a special sensor-fusion problem?

Challenges


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entertainment capability measurement power (contradictory requirements )

Challenges

22 May, 2015

GAMENUM. OF GAMELOGS

OPENED (June 01, 2014-March 31, 2015)

GIVEN UP

GIVEN UP %

NUM. OF GAMELOGS (GIVEN

UP NOT INCL.) (June 01, 2014-March 31, 2015)

NUM. OF SUBTYPES

PLAYED

NUM. OF CORRECT LOGS

(NO GIVEN UP)MOST FREQUENT

SUBTYPE

NUM. OF PLAYERS(MOST

FREQ.SUBTYPE)

STDPlaytime / AVGPlayTime

(BASED ON TOP 10 PLAYERS)

PLANAR 17 495 1 535 8.8 15 960 10 10 736 225 0.84

MEMORY 16 408 1 700 10.4 14 708 22 7 864 257 0.30

WGUESS 14 194 629 4.4 13 564 65 8 167 162 0.57

BLOCKS 10 415 830 8.0 9 585 5 6 358 202 0.49

CONNECT 10 276 1 519 14.8 8 757 12 6 079 167 0.65HIDDEN 14 563 6 002 41.2 8 561 1 8 561 227 0.65PUZZLE 9 214 1 650 17.9 7 564 10 1 379 2 ?ROTATE 7 504 719 9.6 6 785 18 5 662 198 0.69FREECELL 16 059 9 768 60.8 6 291 1 6 290 132 0.39


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Heavy noise present Outliers (usually caused by interrupts) are

omitted. Short term fluctuations (random differences

between consecutive puzzles, minor environmental disturbances, by tiredness, etc. )

Short-term fluctuations: zero-mean, stable independent random variables

Performance measured on a reference set will be compared to performance on the current set (no comparison is based on single game performance)

22 May, 2015

How to assess the cognitive state?


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Performance measure of a player during nearly one year Noisy – distribution of reference and current

data sets are to be compared

22 May, 2015



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Lilliefors test: the normality hypothesis is rejected

Nonparametric statistical hypothesis tests: Kolmogorov-Smirnoff two-sample test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, etc.

22 May, 2015



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No direct proof - due to the long time needed to detect a critical cognitive change

Studies have shown that MCI patients performed poorly on Paired Associates Learning (PAL) computerized cognitive test. Players were asked to perform it.

The performance shown in the computer games correlates to their performance measured by the PAL test.

22 May, 2015

Proof of the concept


22 May, 2015

15

M3W playground with games

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22 May, 2015

Trail Making Test vs. Rabbits

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Thank you for your attention!


The M3W project has been supported by the AAL Joint Programme (AAL-2009-2-109), and by the national funding agencies in Hungary, Greece, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

Members of the project consortium:• Budapest University of Technology and Economics (HU)• Semmelweis University (of Medical Sciences, HU)• Zürich University of Applied Sciences (CH)• Actimage Ltd. (LU)• Silver Publishing LtD. (HU)• Gaudiopolis Elderly Home (HU)• Frontida Zois Homecare Ltd. (GR)https://m3w-

project.euhttps://kognito.eu

Documents

Budapest University of Technology and Economics 04 Dec, 2015