Contribution of Virtual Reality Environments and Artificial Intelligence for Alzheimer

Abstract

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one of the most crucial diseases of our century affecting millions of persons every year. Negative emotions such as anxiety, frustration, and apathy are common in AD patients which reduce their wellbeing significantly. Virtual Reality is a means of providing the patients with a sense of presence in an environment that isolates them from external factors able to induce negative emotions. In this goal we have developed several interactive virtual environments able to relax the patients and reduce negative emotions. Virtual travels, natural environments, music therapy, Zootherapy, discovering environments can be used to calm the patients. Artificial Intelligence can bring a valuable contribution if these environments can be modified dynamically according to brainwaves reactions. Neurofeedback techniques can be used to adapt the virtual environments in order to dynamically reduce negative emotions and foster positive emotions. We will present several examples of interactive virtual environments driven by the brain of Alzheimer’s patients and able to improve their cognitive capabilities.