Conception and usability pilot study of a new digital cognitive screening tool on tablet: AlzVR project

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Digital Health
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading cause of dementia globally, posing significant public health and economic challenges.
• Current diagnostic methods for AD are time-consuming and rely on manual assessments.
• There is a need for rapid, accessible cognitive screening tools to aid in early detection and management of dementia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel, quick cognitive-screening tool utilizing a numerical tablet.
• To assess the usability and acceptability of a new digital cognitive assessment for Alzheimer's disease.

Main Methods:

• A tablet application was developed using Unity, running on Android devices, featuring seven cognitive tasks.
• The application incorporates offline functionality, secure data management, and site-specific data access for managers.
• A preliminary usability assessment was conducted with young, healthy subjects.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four participants completed the assessment with an 'excellent' usability score (F-SUS).
• The tool was perceived as simple to use, with a mean completion time of 142 seconds.
• No technical errors were reported during the usability assessment.

Conclusions:

• The developed tablet-based cognitive screening tool demonstrates potential usability and acceptability for rapid cognitive assessment.
• Preliminary findings suggest this digital approach could be a valuable adjunct to traditional screening methods.
• Further research is warranted to validate the tool's efficacy in older populations and those with cognitive impairments.