Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have already seen a variety of innovative uses in various industries and services. The technology is even being applied to law enforcement, as with the Bedfordshire Police and its use of the HoloLens.
When officers arrive at the scene of a crime, one of the most vital tasks is gathering evidence. Traditionally, this has been done using photographs, markers to show the locations of evidence and, very occasionally, video cameras. In the age of modern forensics, where even the tiniest details can solve a case, old methods have sometimes meant those details have been missed.
Researchers at development and consultancy firm Black Marble noted that the technology used in the HoloLens might offer a solution to this problem. Since the HoloLens uses inside-out tracking, this effectively means it gets a very accurate picture of the area around the user in full-depth 3D. The team at Black Marble then used this data to create an application that could be used to gather a very accurate, 3D model of a crime seen which can be later re-visited by police officers and forensics specialists to gather clues such as angles, distances, trajectory, blood splatter patterns and more.
Police officers arriving at a crime scene can use the HoloLens to place VR markers and trace around objects they find significant without needing to disturb the evidence and therefore reducing the risk of contaminating the scene.
The application is being tested by members of the Bedfordshire Police force in the UK. It is unknown if or when the application will move into general use.
A video demonstration of the HoloLens using the Black Marble app is available to view below.
VRFocus will continue to bring you news on new and innovative VR and AR projects.
via Mint VR