Alzheimer's disease affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language, often resulting in impaired recall, thinking, communication, and behavior. By 2050, the number of Americans over the age of 65 with Alzheimers is expected to grow to a projected 12.7 million (source). VR has the potential to be an extremely valuable tool in this field of research.
So, we created V/Recall. Changes in short term memory – forgetting words, names, or familiar tasks – is the first and most common sign of Alzheimer's. Our research-by-design VR solution has the potential to improve brain cognition through critical thinking and spatial exploration in a fun and immersive way.
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We also created an off VR Test for users to take to check how much memory can retained after playing the game. This test consisted of distraction tests which made sure that users are given some time before the real test related to the memory game. The prototype of this test was made on Figma.
Since our design requires a large amount of usability testing to determine its effectiveness, the next stage would focus on conducting tests with user groups with different stages of dementia and/or Alzheimer's. In addition, we believe that health services should be accessible to all. While inclusivity was a main prioritization in the limited time we had, we aim to continue testing the accessibility of this solution to ensure that it is inclusive of all user groups.