Real-World Navigation With Application: Characteristics of Gaze Behavior and Associated Factors in Older Adults

Advancing age might impair real-world navigation ability. The use of mobile devices by older adults has grown rapidly in recent years. Navigation applications (apps) in mobile devices may facilitate the freedom of outings for older adults. Our aim is to investigate age-related differences in real-world app-based navigation walking in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and gaze behavior; and to explore clinical factors associated with navigation walking in older adults.

A total of 20 community-dwelling older adults and 16 young adults completed a route navigation task using a navigation app while recording their gaze behavior. Outcomes were compared in both groups and a general linear regression was used to explore clinical factors associated with app-based navigation walk in older adults.

Compared with young participants, older participants had more stops and root errors and less fixation time, smaller amplitude of saccades. Additionally, older adults were more likely to glance at their smartphones while app-based navigation walking. Furthermore, gait speed and the following assessment scores were significantly associated with navigation walking in older adults: Mini-Mental State Examination, Life-Space Assessment, and the short version of the Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire.

For app-based navigation walks, differences in accuracy and gaze behavior were found to exist with age. Additionally, efficient real-world navigation walks in older adults require the extent of life space and proficiency with mobile devices, along with walking speed and cognitive function. It is possible that age-related functional decline, such as the visual field and shifting attention between mobile devices and the real world, may have influenced the results. The study also suggests the need to understand the level of proficiency with mobile devices so that older adults can continue to go out freely. These findings give the basis for providing older adults with appropriate navigation assistance.