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Shayman CS, Whitaker MM, Barhorst-Cates E, Hullar TE, Stefanucci JK, Creem-Regehr SH. The addition of a spatial auditory cue improves spatial updating in a virtual reality navigation task. Atten Percept Psychophys 2024:10.3758/s13414-024-02890-x. [PMID: 38724729 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-024-02890-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Auditory cues are integrated with vision and body-based self-motion cues for motion perception, balance, and gait, though limited research has evaluated their effectiveness for navigation. Here, we tested whether an auditory cue co-localized with a visual target could improve spatial updating in a virtual reality homing task. Participants navigated a triangular homing task with and without an easily localizable spatial audio signal co-located with the home location. The main outcome was unsigned angular error, defined as the absolute value of the difference between the participant's turning response and the correct response towards the home location. Angular error was significantly reduced in the presence of spatial sound compared to a head-fixed identical auditory signal. Participants' angular error was 22.79° in the presence of spatial audio and 30.09° in its absence. Those with the worst performance in the absence of spatial sound demonstrated the greatest improvement with the added sound cue. These results suggest that auditory cues may benefit navigation, particularly for those who demonstrated the highest level of spatial updating error in the absence of spatial sound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey S Shayman
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Room 502, UT 84112, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
- Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, UT 84112, Salt Lake City, USA.
| | - Mirinda M Whitaker
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Room 502, UT 84112, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Erica Barhorst-Cates
- Monterey Technologies, Inc., 1790 Sun Peak Dr suite a-203, UT 84098, Park City, UT, USA
| | - Timothy E Hullar
- National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR), Portland VA Medical Center, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road, P5-NCRAR, 97239, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Jeanine K Stefanucci
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Room 502, UT 84112, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sarah H Creem-Regehr
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Room 502, UT 84112, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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2
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Weisberg SM, Ebner NC, Seidler RD. Getting LOST: A conceptual framework for supporting and enhancing spatial navigation in aging. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2024; 15:e1669. [PMID: 37933623 PMCID: PMC10939954 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Spatial navigation is more difficult and effortful for older than younger individuals, a shift which occurs for a variety of neurological, physical, and cognitive reasons associated with aging. Despite a large body of evidence documenting age-related deficits in spatial navigation, comparatively less research addresses how to facilitate more effective navigation behavior for older adults. Since navigation challenges arise for a variety of reasons in old age, a one-size-fits-all solution is unlikely to work. Here, we introduce a framework for the variety of spatial navigation challenges faced in aging, which we call LOST-Location, Orientation, Spatial mapping, and Transit. The LOST framework builds on evidence from the cognitive neuroscience of spatial navigation, which reveals distinct components underpinning human wayfinding. We evaluate research on navigational aids-devices and depictions-which help people find their way around; and we reflect on how navigation aids solve (or fail to solve) specific wayfinding difficulties faced by older adults. In summary, we emphasize a bespoke approach to improving spatial navigation in aging, which focuses on tailoring navigation solutions to specific navigation challenges. Our hope is that by providing precise support to older navigators, navigation opportunities can facilitate independence and exploration, while minimizing the danger of becoming lost. We conclude by delineating critical knowledge gaps in how to improve older adults' spatial navigation capacities that the novel LOST framework could guide to address. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Development and Aging Neuroscience > Cognition Neuroscience > Behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Weisberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 945 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, 1225 Center Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, 2004 Mowry Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Physiology and Aging, University of Florida, 1345 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610-0274
| | - Rachael D. Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, University of Florida, 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611
- Normal Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, 3009 SW Williston Rd. 1864 Stadium Rd., Gainesville, FL 32608
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Cheng B, Lin E, Wunderlich A, Gramann K, Fabrikant SI. Using spontaneous eye blink-related brain activity to investigate cognitive load during mobile map-assisted navigation. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1024583. [PMID: 36866330 PMCID: PMC9971562 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1024583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The continuous assessment of pedestrians' cognitive load during a naturalistic mobile map-assisted navigation task is challenging because of limited experimental control over stimulus presentation, human-map-interactions, and other participant responses. To overcome this challenge, the present study takes advantage of navigators' spontaneous eye blinks during navigation to serve as event markers in continuously recorded electroencephalography (EEG) data to assess cognitive load in a mobile map-assisted navigation task. We examined if and how displaying different numbers of landmarks (3 vs. 5 vs. 7) on mobile maps along a given route would influence navigators' cognitive load during navigation in virtual urban environments. Cognitive load was assessed by the peak amplitudes of the blink-related fronto-central N2 and parieto-occipital P3. Our results show increased parieto-occipital P3 amplitude indicating higher cognitive load in the 7-landmark condition, compared to showing 3 or 5 landmarks. Our prior research already demonstrated that participants acquire more spatial knowledge in the 5- and 7-landmark conditions compared to the 3-landmark condition. Together with the current study, we find that showing 5 landmarks, compared to 3 or 7 landmarks, improved spatial learning without overtaxing cognitive load during navigation in different urban environments. Our findings also indicate a possible cognitive load spillover effect during map-assisted wayfinding whereby cognitive load during map viewing might have affected cognitive load during goal-directed locomotion in the environment or vice versa. Our research demonstrates that users' cognitive load and spatial learning should be considered together when designing the display of future navigation aids and that navigators' eye blinks can serve as useful event makers to parse continuous human brain dynamics reflecting cognitive load in naturalistic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjie Cheng
- Department of Geography and Digital Society Initiative, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland,*Correspondence: Bingjie Cheng,
| | - Enru Lin
- Department of Geography and Digital Society Initiative, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna Wunderlich
- Department of Biopsychology and Neuroergonomics, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Gramann
- Department of Biopsychology and Neuroergonomics, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sara I. Fabrikant
- Department of Geography and Digital Society Initiative, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Liu J, Singh AK, Wunderlich A, Gramann K, Lin CT. Redesigning navigational aids using virtual global landmarks to improve spatial knowledge retrieval. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2022; 7:17. [PMID: 35853945 PMCID: PMC9296625 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-022-00132-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although beacon- and map-based spatial strategies are the default strategies for navigation activities, today's navigational aids mostly follow a beacon-based design where one is provided with turn-by-turn instructions. Recent research, however, shows that our reliance on these navigational aids is causing a decline in our spatial skills. We are processing less of our surrounding environment and relying too heavily on the instructions given. To reverse this decline, we need to engage more in map-based learning, which encourages the user to process and integrate spatial knowledge into a cognitive map built to benefit flexible and independent spatial navigation behaviour. In an attempt to curb our loss of skills, we proposed a navigation assistant to support map-based learning during active navigation. Called the virtual global landmark (VGL) system, this augmented reality (AR) system is based on the kinds of techniques used in traditional orienteering. Specifically, a notable landmark is always present in the user's sight, allowing the user to continuously compute where they are in relation to that specific location. The efficacy of the unit as a navigational aid was tested in an experiment with 27 students from the University of Technology Sydney via a comparison of brain dynamics and behaviour. From an analysis of behaviour and event-related spectral perturbation, we found that participants were encouraged to process more spatial information with a map-based strategy where a silhouette of the compass-like landmark was perpetually in view. As a result of this technique, they consistently navigated with greater efficiency and better accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Liu
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Avinash Kumar Singh
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
| | - Anna Wunderlich
- Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Gramann
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Biological Psychology and Neuroergonomics, Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chin-Teng Lin
- CIBCI Centre, Australian AI Institute, School of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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Using virtual global landmark to improve incidental spatial learning. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6744. [PMID: 35469001 PMCID: PMC9039035 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10855-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
To reduce the decline of spatial cognitive skills caused by the increasing use of automated GPS navigation, the virtual global landmark (VGL) system is proposed to help people naturally improve their sense of direction. Designed to accompany a heads-up navigation system, VGL system constantly displays silhouette of global landmarks in the navigator’s vision as a notable frame of reference. This study exams how VGL system impacts incidental spatial learning, i.e., subconscious spatial knowledge acquisition. We asked 55 participants to explore a virtual environment and then draw a map of what they had explored while capturing electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and eye activity. The results suggest that, with the VGL system, participants paid more attention during exploration and performed significantly better at the map drawing task—a result that indicates substantially improved incidental spatial learning. This finding might kickstart a redesigning navigation aids, to teach users to learn a route rather than simply showing them the way.
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Ruginski I, Giudice N, Creem-Regehr S, Ishikawa T. Designing mobile spatial navigation systems from the user’s perspective: an interdisciplinary review. SPATIAL COGNITION AND COMPUTATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/13875868.2022.2053382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ian Ruginski
- Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicholas Giudice
- Spatial Computing program, School of Computing and Information Science, University of Maine, Orono, ME USA
| | | | - Toru Ishikawa
- Department of Information Networking for Innovation and Design (INIAD), Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
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