Augmented Cognition Compass: A Taxonomy of Cognitive Augmentations

Abstract

Despite long-standing practices in human augmentation, the field of Augmented Cognition still lacks a generalized ‘theory of augmentation’ which guides the selection of such augmentations. We do not yet have a taxonomy that could help understand which augmentation to use to address which type of cognitive problem. By reviewing past applications of cognitive augmentation, this paper provides a framework that helps navigating the growing knowledge and guides the selection of cognitive-enhancing augmentations. Like a compass, the proposed taxonomy can be used to map previous steps in the field, to navigate the current state of the art, and to orient future research directions.