Let's Play A Cognitive Game

Abstract

This thesis explores the use of information technology and modern web development frameworks to improve cognitive testing, making it more engaging, user-friendly, and accessible. Cognitive assessments are crucial for early detection and intervention in cognitive deficiencies such as dementia, and traditional methods face barriers related to accessibility and user engagement. This research aimed to address these challenges through two key research questions.

First, the study investigates how information technology can help implement cognitive testing and make it appealing and user-friendly. The primary motivation is to make cognitive testing accessible to a wide range of users, contributing to the early diagnosis and treatment of cognitive deficiencies. The literature review highlights significant advances in digital cognitive assessments, emphasizing the benefits of gamification to user experience. User feedback and usability testing indicated high usability. However, game metrics indicated that the game content was better suited for younger users, as older users generally rated the game worse.

Second, the thesis examines how modern web development frameworks can be utilized to create effective and accessible cognitive assessment tools. Various technologies, including virtual reality, game engines, and web development frameworks, were explored. The study ultimately focused on web development, specifically using SvelteKit, due to its broad accessibility across devices and its efficiency in producing web applications with small build sizes. The technical implementation involved creating a robust architecture using features such as context, routing, and animations to ensure a cohesive user experience. Usability testing revealed device-specific challenges, suggesting the need for further refinement and cross-platform testing.

The project used the Hevner framework for information science research to guide the rigor, relevance, and design of the artifact. The Rigor Cycle shaped the project through continual exploration and assessment of various technologies, as well as a reliance of established cognitive decline assessments, namely the Mini-Cog. The Design Cycle ensured iterative improvements during the artifact development, while the Relevance Cycle informed the problem statements using up-to-date literature on computerized assessments and gamification.

The findings demonstrate that information technology and modern web development frameworks can enhance the usability and accessibility of cognitive assessments. Future research should focus on refining these digital tools, validating them through clinical trials, and exploring the integration of emerging technologies such as virtual reality to further improve user engagement and reliability of evaluation. These insights lay the groundwork for developing digital cognitive assessments that are not only functional but also engaging and accessible to a broad user base. The artifact is available at www.nydon.no