Virtual reality may improve recall power

Washington, June 15: People remember information better if it is presented to them in a virtual environment as opposed to desktop computers, researchers, including one of Indian origin, have found.

The study, published in the journal Virtual Reality, found that people learn better through virtual, immersive environments as opposed to more traditional platforms like a two- dimensional desktop computer or hand- held tablet.

“This data is exciting in that it suggests that immersive environment could offer new pathways for improved outcomes in education and high- proficiency training,” said Amitabh Varshney, a professor at the University of Maryland in the US.

For the study, the team used the concept of a “memory palace,” — where people recall an object or item by placing it in an imaginary physical location like a building or town.

The method has been used since classical times, taking advantage of the human brain’s ability to spatially organise thoughts and memories.

“Humans have always used visual- based methods to help them remember information, whether it's cave drawings, clay tablets, printed text and images, or video,” said Eric Krokos, a doctoral student at the University of Maryland.

The researchers recruited 40 volunteers — mostly students unfamiliar with virtual reality. They split the participants into two groups: one viewed information first via a VR headmounted display and then on a desktop; the other did the opposite.

Both groups received printouts of well- known faces and familiarised themselves with the images. They then showed the participants the faces using the memory palace format with two imaginary locations.

Both of the study groups navigated each memory palace for five minutes. Desktop participants used a mouse to change their viewpoint, while VR users turned their heads.

Next, the users were asked to memorise the location of each of the faces shown. Half the faces were positioned in different locations within the interior setting — Oprah Winfrey appeared at the top of a grand staircase; Stephen Hawking was a few steps down, followed by Shrek.

On the ground floor, Napoleon Bonaparte's face sat above majestic wooden table, while Martin Luther King Jr was positioned in the centre of the room.

Similarly, for the medieval town setting, users viewed images that included Hillary Clinton’s face.

The results showed an 8.8 per cent improvement overall in recall accuracy using the VR headsets, a significant number according to the research team.