虚拟现实锤炼敏锐思维

陈栋

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 that1 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 times2， 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 VR3 head-mounted4 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 on the left side of a building， with Mickey Mouse and Batman placed at varying heights on nearby structures.

Then， the scene went blank， and after a two-minute break， each memory palace reappeared with numbered boxes where the faces had been. The research participants were then asked to recall which face had been in each location where a number was now displayed.

The key was for participants to identify each face by its physical location and its relation to surrounding structures and faces—and also the location of the image relative to the user’s own body.

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

Many of the participants said the immersive “presence5” while using VR allowed them to focus better. This was reflected in the research results： 40 per cent of the participants scored at least 10 per cent higher in recall ability using VR over the desktop display.

“Recent research in cognitive psychology suggests that the mind is inherently embodied6， and that the way humans create and recall mental constructs is influenced by the way they perceive and move，” said Catherine Plaisant， a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland.

“This leads to the possibility that a spatial virtual memory palace—experienced in an immersive virtual environment—could enhance learning and recall by leveraging a person’s overall sense of body position， movement and acceleration，” she said.

“By showing that virtual reality can help improve recall， it opens the door to further studies that look at the impact of VR-based training modules at all levels—from elementary school children learning astronomy to trauma residents7 acquiring the latest knowledge in lifesaving procedures，” Varshney added.

研究者发现（其中包括一名印度裔研究者），相比于台式计算机，如果信息是在虚拟环境中呈现，人们能更好地记住它们。

该研究发表于《虚拟现实》杂志。它发现，相比于一些较为传统的平台，譬如二维台式计算机或是手持平板电脑，人们通过虚拟、沉浸式的环境可以取得更好的学习效果。

“这一数据令人振奋，因为它表明，沉浸式的环境可以为教育和高效技能培训提供卓有成效的新途径。”美国马里兰大学教授阿米塔布·瓦什尼说道。

在此研究中，该团队使用了“记忆宫殿”这一概念——在这座宫殿里，人们将某物放在一个假想的物理位置譬如一栋建筑或一个小镇中，以便记起它们。

这一方法自古典时期便被采用。它利用了人类大脑通过空间组织思维和记忆的能力。

埃里克·克罗科斯是马里兰大学的一名博士生，他表示：“无论是洞穴壁画、泥板、印刷的文字和图像，抑或是视频，人类一直都在使用基于视觉的方法來帮助他们记住信息。”

研究者招募了40名志愿者——大部分为对虚拟现实不甚了解的学生。他们将参与者分成两组：一组先通过VR头显查看信息，然后在台式机上查看;另一组则刚好相反。

两组人员都收到了许多名人的照片，他们要做的就是记住这些图像。然后，研究人员在两个虚拟场所，以记忆宫殿的形式向参与者展示每副面孔。

两组研究对象在每座记忆宫殿里都观察了五分钟。台式机用户通过鼠标来切换视图，而VR用户则通过转动头部来观察。

接下来，参与者被要求记住每一副面孔所处的位置。其中一半的面孔被安排在室内场景的不同位置——奥普拉·温弗瑞出现在主楼梯的顶部，史蒂芬·霍金在她下面，隔了几级台阶，再后面则是怪物史莱克。

在一楼，拿破仑·波拿巴的面孔出现在华丽庄严的木桌上，小马丁·路德·金的面孔则位于房间的正中间。

同样，在中世纪小镇场景中，参与者会看到希拉里·克林顿的脸出现在一栋建筑的左侧，米老鼠和蝙蝠侠则高低错落在附近的建筑物上。

随后，场景会变成空白。间隔两分钟后，每座记忆宫殿又会再次出现，但原先的面孔被替换成标了序号的盒子。然后，研究参与者们会被要求回忆现在显示数字的这些地方之前出现的是谁的面孔。

测试的关键在于让参与者通过每副面孔的物理位置、其与周围建筑和其他面孔的关系，以及该图像相对于用户自身所处的位置识别出它们。

该研究结果显示，使用VR头像的记忆准确度总体上提高了8.8%。据研究团队称，这个数字在统计学上具有显著性。

许多参与者表示，使用VR头显时营造的那种身临其境的“现场感”使他们能更加专注。研究结果也反映了这一点：与通过台式机查看相比，40%的参与者在使用VR设备记忆时得分至少高出10%。

“近来对认知心理学的研究表明，心智本质上是具身的。人类创造和回忆心理构念的方式受他们感知和移动方式的影响。”马里兰大学高级研究员凯瑟琳·普莱桑特说道。

“这带来一种可能性，即人们在沉浸式的虚拟环境中体验空间虚拟记忆宫殿时，可以调动一个人对身体位置、运动和加速度的整体感知——这能提升学习效果，加深记忆。”她说道。

瓦什尼补充道：“虚拟现实可以帮助提高记忆力，这为进一步的研究打开了大门。这些研究着眼于以虚拟现实为基础的培训模块的各个层面——从小学生学习天文学到创伤科住院医生学习最新的急救程序相关知识。”

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖选手）

1 in that由于，因为。

2 classical times古典时期。  3 = virtual reality虚拟现实。  4 head-mounted头戴式。

5 presence在场。

6 embodied具身。源自embodied cognition具身認知，是心理学中一个新兴的研究领域。具身认知理论主要指生理体验与心理状态之间有着强烈的联系。生理体验“激活”心理感觉，反之亦然。简言之，就是人在开心的时候会微笑，而如果微笑，人也会趋向于变得更开心。  7 trauma resident创伤科住院医生。