National Institutes of Health
National Institute on Aging

The National Institutes of Health National Institute on Aging has awarded Digital Artefacts a phase I research grant for development of PC based tools to assess cognitive abilities for fitness to drive. Our research is conducted in partnership with Dr. Matthew Rizzo of the Division of Neuroergonomics of the University of Iowa's Department of Neurology.

We are designing and developing 3D interactive environments for evaluating decision-making abilities in drivers with neurological impairments. Instead of striving for visual realism, the virtual environment software is based on a more abstract representation that provides necessary visual cues in a single screen setting. Pilot tests have been conducted on subjects with neurological impairments (with focal brain lesions, or with Alzheimer’s disease), and neurologically normal subjects. Preliminary results are promising, suggesting that the PC-based virtual environment tool can distinguish decision-making impaired people where traditional neurological test batteries cannot.