The Ubiquitous Cognitive Assessment Tool for Smartwatches: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation Study.

Area of Science:

• Digital health
• Cognitive science
• Human-computer interaction

Background:

• Cognitive functioning is crucial for mental health and daily task performance.
• Existing digital cognitive assessment tools lack real-world applicability and brevity for frequent monitoring.
• Mobile and wearable devices offer potential for in-the-wild cognitive assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate a smartwatch-based tool for cognitive performance assessment.
• Investigate the usability of the smartwatch cognitive assessment tool.
• Understand participant perceptions of using smartwatches for cognitive assessment.

Main Methods:

• Developed the Ubiquitous Cognitive Assessment Tool (UbiCAT) on a smartwatch platform with three cognitive tests.
• Validated UbiCAT measures against standard computer-based tests in 21 healthy adults.
• Assessed usability via the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) and cognitive workload using NASA-TLX.

Main Results:

• UbiCAT showed a significant strong correlation (r=.78, P<.001) with computer-based cognitive tests.
• Usability ratings exceeded 4 out of 5, with low reported discomfort (<3 out of 7).
• Significant effects of cognitive task difficulty on performance measures were observed.

Conclusions:

• UbiCAT effectively assesses key cognitive domains (attention, working memory, executive function) via smartwatch.
• High usability and participant engagement suggest UbiCAT's potential for real-world cognitive monitoring.
• UbiCAT offers a promising tool for in-the-wild cognitive assessment, particularly for populations experiencing cognitive fluctuations.