Integrating EEG Sensors with Virtual Reality to Support Students with ADHD.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Educational Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience attention deficits impacting academic and psychological well-being.
• Virtual Reality (VR) offers innovative solutions for attention-span challenges in educational settings.
• Neurodiverse students can benefit from advanced learning technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an EEG-based multimodal sensing pipeline for assessing attention in VR environments.
• To investigate the impact of an interactive VR supply chain game on ADHD students' attention and engagement.
• To integrate quantitative EEG data with subjective measures for a comprehensive assessment framework.

Main Methods:

• A sequential exploratory approach with 35 participants engaging in a VR supply chain game.
• Utilized electroencephalogram (EEG) data acquired via a Brain-Computer Interaction (BCI) sensor.
• Processed EEG data through a novel pipeline and integrated with subjective feedback based on the Spatial Presence and Technology Acceptance Model.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed significant improvements in attention, concentration, engagement, and focus compared to the control group.
• BCI analysis revealed increased voltage potentials in the right frontal and prefrontal cortex of the experimental group, areas linked to attention and decision-making.
• High acceptance of VR technology among neurodiverse students was observed.

Conclusions:

• The proposed EEG-based multimodal pipeline effectively assesses attention in VR learning environments.
• VR-based educational games can enhance neurophysiological engagement and cognitive functions in students with ADHD.
• Multimodal learning assessment methods, combining objective and subjective data, are beneficial in educational technology research.