Spatial tangible user interfaces for cognitive assessment and training

TL;DR

This paper explores spatial tangible user interfaces, specifically Cognitive Cubes, demonstrating their potential to enhance cognitive assessment and training by leveraging innate spatial and tactile abilities.

Contribution

It introduces Cognitive Cubes, a novel spatial TUI, and provides experimental evidence of its effectiveness in cognitive assessment and training.

Findings

Promising results in assessing spatial ability

Potential for effective cognitive training tools

Spatial TUIs extend human-computer interaction capabilities

Abstract

This paper discusses Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) and their potential impact on cognitive assessment and cognitive training. We believe that TUIs, and particularly a subset that we dub spatial TUIs, can extend human computer interaction beyond some of its current limitations. Spatial TUIs exploit human innate spatial and tactile ability in an intuitive and direct manner, affording interaction paradigms that are practically impossible using current interface technology. As proof-of-concept we examine implementations in the field of cognitive assessment and training. In this paper we use Cognitive Cubes, a novel TUI we developed, as an applied test bed for our beliefs, presenting promising experimental results for cognitive assessment of spatial ability, and possibly for training purposes.