Supporting Research into Sound and Speech Learning through a Configurable Computer Game

Cognitive neuroscientists studying sound and speech learning have successfully used videogames as a research vehicle. Neuroscientists and game developers worked together to produce a game built to entice participants to longer periods of play, while enabling researchers to easily configure presentation parameters in support of future studies. A space-themed game polished through the use of shaders and a radial cannon shooting mechanic is detailed, along with lessons learned from iterative playtesting. A preliminary study indicates the game's effectiveness for implicit learning of sounds. The template by which this game can be tuned to explore language learning is presented, with suggestions for future investigations into the tradeoffs between learning transfer and game appeal.