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Published on: January 26, 2024
Assessment of Topographical Orientation Cognitive Functions Using a Virtual Reality Game
Pablo Rodriguez-Prieto1, Joaquín A Ibañez-Alfonso1
1NEUROCAP Research Group, Human Neuroscience Laboratory, Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Sevilla, Spain.
Games for Health Journal
|June 16, 2026
Summary
A new gamified virtual reality (VR) test effectively assesses topographic orientation and related cognitive skills. This reliable tool offers a promising ecological method for evaluating navigation abilities.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Topographical disorientation impacts navigation abilities.
- Traditional assessments lack ecological validity.
- Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive environments for testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and validate a gamified VR test for assessing topographic orientation.
- To evaluate cognitive skills related to spatial navigation in a virtual environment.
Main Methods:
- Administered a battery of neuropsychological tests.
- Developed and implemented a gamified VR navigation task.
- Recruited 40 healthy young adults.
Main Results:
- The VR test demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.737).
- Positive correlations were found between VR performance and visuospatial processing skills (p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusions:
- A reliable gamified VR test for anterograde topographic orientation was successfully developed.
- This VR tool shows potential for ecological cognitive assessment.
- Further research is needed for clinical validation and normative data.
