Memory recall
Virtual reality (VR) is more than just a video game tool — it’s helping advance our understanding of memory. At UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, cognitive neuroscientist Professor Jason Mattingley, PhD student Richard Ronayne, and research assistant Jayce Rushton are using VR to immerse people in a world they can explore to test their navigational and spatial memory.
In part one of this two-part series, our guests discuss:
- The different types of memory
- Why traditional memory tests may need refining
- Richard’s unique journey from mining sites to neuroscience labs
- The inspiration behind using VR to test memory
- What a VR experiment looks like for participants
Related papers and resources:
Virtual reality (VR) is changing how scientists study memory, and it involves exploring virtual mazes. At UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, cognitive neuroscience leader Professor Jason Mattingley, PhD student Richard Ronayne, and research assistant Jayce Rushton are conducting VR experiments that they hope will be adopted in clinical settings to test people’s navigational and spatial memory.
In part two of this two-part series, our guests discuss:
- The challenge of using VR when conducting experiments
- Participants’ reactions to trying the VR memory test
- Building a virtual maze to test memory
- How VR can be used in a clinical setting
- Why VR could help people struggling with memory loss
Related papers and resources