We describe a cognitive rehabilitation system developed at the University of Central Florida that allows therapists to explore cuing, contextualization, and theoretical aspects of cognitive retraining, including transfer of training. The Human Experience Modeler (HEM) mixed reality environment allows for a contextualized learning experience with the advantages of controlled stimuli and feedback that would not be feasible in a traditional rehabilitation setting. A pilot study for testing the integrated components of the HEM is also discussed where the participant within the study presents with working memory impairments due to a stroke.

Rather than relying on costly physical mock-ups of functional assessment and rehabilitation environments, VR offers the option to produce and distribute identical “standard ” environments. Within such digital assessment and rehabilitation scenarios, normative data can be accumulated for performance comparisons needed for assessment, diagnosis and for training purposes. As well, in this manner, reusable archetypic virtual environments constructed for one purpose, could also be applied for clinical applications addressing other purposes. This has now been done with the Virtual Classroom scenario. While originally developed as a controlled stimulus environment in which attention processes could be systematically assessed in children while in the presence of varying levels of distraction, the system is now finding use for other clinical targets. Such applications that are being developed and tested using the Virtual Classroom for other purposes include: 1. Expansion of the range of attention assessment tests (i.e., a “Stroop ” Interference testing system for all ages). 2. A wide field of view system to study eye tracking under distracting conditions with ADHD children using an Elumens VisionStation®. 3. Development of the Virtual Classroom as a tool for anxiety assessment and graduated exposure therapy for children with Social Anxiety

interdisciplinary project, involving researchers from

Combat environments by their nature can produce a dramatic range of emotional responses in military personnel. When immersed in the emotional “fog of war”, the potential exists for optimal human decision-making and performance of goal-directed activities to be seriously compromised. This may be especially true when combat training is conducted under conditions that lack emotional engagement by the soldier. Real world military training often naturally includes stress induction that aims to promote a similarity of internal emotional stimulus cues with what is expected to be present on the battlefield. This approach to facilitating optimal training effectiveness is supported by a long history of learning theory research. Current Virtual Reality military training approaches are noteworthy in their emphasis on creating hi-fidelity graphic and audio realism with the aim to foster better transfer of training. However, less emphasis is typically placed on the creation of emotionally evocative virtual training scenarios that can induce emotional stress in a manner similar to what is typically experienced under real world training conditions. As well, emotional issues in the post-combat aftermath need to be addressed, as can be seen in the devastating emotional difficulties that occur in some military personnel following combat. This is evidenced by the number of recent medical reports that suggest the incidence of “Vietnam-levels ” of combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptomatology in returning military personnel from the Iraq conflict. In view of these issues, the USC Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) has initiated a research program to study emotional issues

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