Image Mnemonics for Cognitive Mapping of the Museum Exhibits

This paper discusses a new approach to assist human learning at the museum based on spatial and graphic information on mobile devices. A technique for memorizing a number of unstructured items is called mnemonics. Although its effects were remarkable, acquiring the skill to take advantage of the mnemonics is generally difficult. The present study provides a new technique of photo montage to fully exploit the effectiveness the mnemonics by facilitating the enrollment process. The proposed method utilizes images for a memory peg that are processed with mobile devices on the fly. After the basic structure is presented, the location type virtual memory peg (vmPeg) system is discussed. The evaluation of the system on the number of memory pegs revealed its coverage up to 50. The applicability of the method to museum exhibits specifically for children was also evaluated. The results of both experiments exhibited remarkable retention that suggested positive potential of this new mobile enhanced mnemonics.