Predicting real-world navigation performance from a virtual navigation task in older adults

Sarah Goodroe; Pablo Fernandez Velasco; Christoffer J Gahnstrom; Jan Wiener; Antoine Coutrot; Michael Hornberger; Hugo J Spiers

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0317026

Predicting real-world navigation performance from a virtual navigation task in older adults

Sarah Goodroe, Pablo Fernandez Velasco, Christoffer J Gahnstrom, Jan Wiener, Antoine Coutrot, Michael Hornberger, Hugo J Spiers

Philosophy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Virtual reality environments presented on tablets and smartphones offer a novel way of measuring navigation skill and predicting real-world navigation problems. The extent to which such virtual tests are effective at predicting navigation in older populations remains unclear. We compared the performance of 20 older participants (54-74 years old) in wayfinding tasks in a real-world environment in London, UK, and in similar tasks designed in a mobile app-based test of navigation (Sea Hero Quest). In a previous study with young participants (18-35 years old), we were able to predict navigation performance in real-world tasks in London and Paris using this mobile app. We find that for the older cohort, virtual navigation performance predicts real-world performance for medium difficulty, but not for the easy or difficult environments. Overall, our study supports the utility of using digital tests of spatial cognition in older age groups, while carefully adapting the task difficulty to the population.

Original language	English
Article number	e0317026
Number of pages	15
Journal	PLOS ONE
Volume	20
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317026
Publication status	Published - 27 Jan 2025

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Humans
Middle Aged
Aged
Male
Female
Spatial Navigation/physiology
Virtual Reality
Adult
Mobile Applications
Young Adult
Adolescent
Task Performance and Analysis
London
Cognition/physiology

Access to Document

10.1371/journal.pone.0317026Licence: CC BY

Predicting real-world navigation performance from a virtual navigation task in older adults
© 2025 Goodroe et al.
Final published version, 784 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Predicting real-world navigation performance from a virtual navigation task in older adults",

abstract = "Virtual reality environments presented on tablets and smartphones offer a novel way of measuring navigation skill and predicting real-world navigation problems. The extent to which such virtual tests are effective at predicting navigation in older populations remains unclear. We compared the performance of 20 older participants (54-74 years old) in wayfinding tasks in a real-world environment in London, UK, and in similar tasks designed in a mobile app-based test of navigation (Sea Hero Quest). In a previous study with young participants (18-35 years old), we were able to predict navigation performance in real-world tasks in London and Paris using this mobile app. We find that for the older cohort, virtual navigation performance predicts real-world performance for medium difficulty, but not for the easy or difficult environments. Overall, our study supports the utility of using digital tests of spatial cognition in older age groups, while carefully adapting the task difficulty to the population.",

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AU - Hornberger, Michael

AU - Spiers, Hugo J

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