Learning and Long-Term Retention of a Complex Sensorimotor Task Within an Immersive Virtual Reality Environment in a Non-Injured Population

Amanda E. Markham; Kathrine A. Haluch; Trevor B. Viboch; John-David Collins; Pinata H. Sessoms

Research Article

Learning and Long-Term Retention of a Complex Sensorimotor Task Within an Immersive Virtual Reality Environment in a Non-Injured Population

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@ARTICLE{10.4108/eai.27-12-2017.153512,
    author={Amanda E. Markham and Kathrine A. Haluch and Trevor B. Viboch and John-David Collins and Pinata H. Sessoms},
    title={Learning and Long-Term Retention of a Complex Sensorimotor Task Within an Immersive Virtual Reality Environment in a Non-Injured Population},
    journal={EAI Endorsed Transactions on Serious Games},
    volume={4},
    number={13},
    publisher={EAI},
    journal_a={SG},
    year={2017},
    month={12},
    keywords={CAREN, Immersive Virtual Reality Environment, Task-Specific Training, Retention, Operational Tasks, Learning.},
    doi={10.4108/eai.27-12-2017.153512}
}

Amanda E. Markham
Kathrine A. Haluch
Trevor B. Viboch
John-David Collins
Pinata H. Sessoms
Year: 2017
Learning and Long-Term Retention of a Complex Sensorimotor Task Within an Immersive Virtual Reality Environment in a Non-Injured Population
SG
EAI
DOI: 10.4108/eai.27-12-2017.153512

Amanda E. Markham¹^,*, Kathrine A. Haluch¹, Trevor B. Viboch¹, John-David Collins¹, Pinata H. Sessoms¹

1: Warfighter Performance Department, Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106-3521, USA

*Contact email: amanda.e.markham2.ctr@mail.mil

Abstract

Task-specific training in immersive virtual reality environments (IVREs) can provide practice for skills that are transferred to real-world settings. The present study examined skill acquisition and retention of a non-injured population performing a complex, sensorimotor navigation task in the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN). Seventeen subjects participated twice weekly for 6 weeks, with follow-up visits at 3-month intervals for 1 year. Subjects performed a navigation task, where they drove a virtual boat through a scene using weight shifting and body movement. Subjects improved over time on all outcome measures. A significant effect was observed for visit number on total score, time to complete the task, number of buoys navigated successfully, and number of penalties incurred. Task-specific training in IVREs may be effective for operational skills training and rehabilitation of injured populations by employing tasks that lead to long-term retention.

Keywords: CAREN, Immersive Virtual Reality Environment, Task-Specific Training, Retention, Operational Tasks, Learning.

Received: 2nd Mar 2017
Accepted: 6th Nov 2017
Published: 27th Dec 2017
Publisher: EAI

: http://dx.doi.org/10.4108/eai.27-12-2017.153512

Copyright © 2017 Amanda E. Markham et al., licensed to EAI. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unlimited use, distribution and reproduction in any medium so long as the original work is properly cited.