Effects of Feedback and Aging on Aiming Movements in Virtual Reality

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Healthy Older Adults, Healthy Young Adults

In brief

This study has two main objectives: First, to better understand how a motor task commonly used by researchers, known as the Fitts' task, is performed in virtual reality. It consists of reaching a target, which may be large or small, by extending the right arm. This task is similar to movements commonly performed in everyday life. It is also increasingly used in virtual reality video games designed to train older adults or patients with functional limitations. Secondly, the investigators aim to describe how age influences performance in this task by comparing young adults and older adults. This can help better adapt the protocols used in virtual reality to the characteristics of users. It is of particular interest how movements change when the task becomes more difficult, whether these changes differ between young adults and older adults, and whether the information and feedback provided through virtual reality can improve the quality of motor performance. What is expected of participants: Participants will be seated comfortably, wearing a lightweight virtual reality headset and holding a controller in their right hand that will be used to reach for a target by keeping the controller within the target for about one second. The targets will vary in size, so some trials will seem easier and others more difficult. The task is simply to move as quickly as possible while remaining accurate (hitting the target). This instruction is important, and the experimenter will repeat it regularly during the experiment. The task will be performed under different conditions: sometimes participants will see the actual configuration of the experimental device in the physical world through the headset, and other times they will see the same configuration presented in virtual reality. In some virtual reality conditions, participants will also receive additional visual information indicating whether the target has been hit correctly. Short breaks are scheduled at regular intervals. Additional breaks can be asked for at any time when needed. The most important point is to avoid any fatigue or discomfort. If participants experience any, they are asked and encouraged to inform the experimenter. Before starting the experiment, participants will undergo a short training session to familiarize themselves with the task and the device.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07435506

Run by

Aix Marseille Université

People needed

30

Starts

2026-03-01

Expected to finish

2026-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 75. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Aged 18-28 (young adults [YA] group) or 65-75 (healthy older adults [HOA] group)
• Right-handed
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision (glasses or contact lenses permitted)
• Clear and comfortable vision through the head-mounted display during a brief fitting (very bulky glasses may be incompatible)
• No self-reported history of neurological or psychiatric disorders, as confirmed by participant report and cross-checked against a standardized list of relevant medications
• Able to provide informed consent and follow experimental instructions in French or English
• Additional criteria for HOA
• Normal cognitive functioning (Montreal cognitive assessment [MoCA] score ≥ 26)
• No self-reported acute or chronic pain in the dominant arm, shoulder, or elbow that would preclude performing repetitive arm movements in space.
• Self-reported full functional range of motion in the dominant arm (able to extend the arm fully without discomfort or restriction)

You may not qualify if…

• Individuals currently playing video games more than 5 hours/week.
• Uncorrected visual, auditory, or motor impairments that would interfere with task performance.
• Participant height outside the range of 1.50-1.80 m.
• Self-reported diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease (e.g., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease)
• Self-reported use of medications known to significantly affect cognitive or motor function (a list of relevant medications will be presented during screening).
• Cervical pain that could preclude wearing the VR headset during the full duration of the experimental session.
• Self-reported history of severe motion sickness or vestibular issues that could be exacerbated by VR exposure
• High susceptibility to cybersickness, as assessed via the Visually Induced Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire which was developed specifically for pre-exposure screening; cut-off: ≥ 12.
• Individuals for whom the headset cannot be properly adjusted, e.g., due to an interpupillary distance outside the adjustment range of the head-mounted display (i.e., <53 mm or >75 mm).

Where it is running

• Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Aix Marseille University - Campus Luminy — Marseille, France

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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