Usability of a Virtual Reality Environment in Community Facilities for Assessment and Training in Persons with Acquired Brain Injury or Older People in Hong Kong

Background: A web-based virtual environment in the use of community facilities like automatic teller machine (ATM), mass transit railway (MTR), and convenience store was designed for assessment and training in people with cognitive disabilities in Hong Kong. A previous study in people with acquired brain injury (ABI) has shown that a virtual environment can facilitate the generalization of learned skills to real life. The objective of this study was to examine the usability of a newly designed virtual reality (VR) environment that simulated the operation of an automatic teller machine (ATM) for training in healthy older persons. Methods: 126 participants, who were healthy older people, resided in community dwellings, were consecutively recruited by convenience sampling from a regional elderly social centre – the ELCHK Shatin Multi-service Centre for the Elderly in Hong Kong in one year. All participants received a two hour group training session for a total of 2 sessions, 2 hours per session, at the ELCHK Shatin Multi-service Centre for the elderly over one year period. They were trained by a qualified IT instructor using the VR-ATM programme for cash withdrawals, money transfers and electronic bill payment tasks. Results: Significant differences were found in average reaction time, total time use, and correctness before and after training in the VR-ATM. There was also improvement in self-efficacy in using the ATM in real life. Conclusion: The authors found the VR-ATM to be usable as a valid assessment and training tool for relearning the use of ATMs prior to real-life practice in the healthy elderly population. Web-based VR system, which can be openly accessed anywhere through the internet, is important for training skills in a protective environment, increasing the confidence of clients, and providing training opportunities for people with or without cognitive disabilities prior to real-life practice in the community.

• Corporate Authors:

  Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation

  302, Tower A, New Mandarin Plaza, 14 Science Museum Road, Tsimshatsui East, Kowloon
  Hong Kong,   China 
• Authors:
  • Fong, Kenneth N K
  • Chow, Kathy K Y
  • Wong, Asta K Y
  • Yan, Elaine W H
  • Ng, Serena S W
  • Koo, K W L
• Conference:
  • TRANSED 2010: 12th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons
  • Location: Hong Kong , China
  • Date: 2010-6-1 to 2010-6-4
• Publication Date: 2010

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 9p
• Monograph Title: TRANSED 2010: 12th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons, June 1-4, 2010

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Brain; Cognitive impairment; Education and training methods; Evaluation and assessment; Injuries; Virtual reality
• Uncontrolled Terms: Automated tellers
• Geographic Terms: Hong Kong (China)
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01361460
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 26 2012 7:51AM