VR Scout for AD: An Immersive Virtual Reality System towards Early Screening of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease is a growing global health challenge, with early detection critical to effective intervention. Current screening methods such as biomarker detection and paper-based cognitive scales face limitations including cost, invasiveness, and cultural or age-related biases. In this work, we present a design and feasibility study of VR Scout for AD, an immersive virtual reality system specifically designed for the early screening of AD. The system comprises two scenario modules: a test-oriented module incorporating tasks adapted from clinically validated tools like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Color Trails Test, and a life-like module simulating daily activities to evaluate memory, attention, and executive function in a naturalistic environment. We conducted five iterative prototyping sessions with neurologists and older adults with and without cognitive decline, collecting qualitative feedback and System Usability Scale scores. Through repeated revisions, we improved system accessibility, usability, and comprehensiveness. The final version received a score of 91.9, indicating excellent usability and strong user acceptance. Our findings suggest that VR Scout is a promising, user-friendly tool for scalable, non-invasive early AD screening.