SHOTPROS has recently made great progress in the technical area. The latest developments in virtual reality and the implementation of user requirements by our technology partner RE-liON are presented in this article.

Implications from the end-user requirement workshops

Based on the requirement workshops conducted in the first months of the SHOTPROS project, several implications for the technical development were derived. The aim is to include all functionalities in the Virtual Reality Simulator Toolkit (WP5) that are necessary for the successful execution of the upcoming studies.

Almost all participants from the requirement workshops agreed, that the more realistic the training, the better the learning experience. Training that mimics real situations as closely as possible is perceived as the best training method: “train as you fight”.

Tactical belt for more realistic training

Law enforcement training involves many different tools: pistols, rifles, shotguns, break lights, batons, pepper spray, stun guns, handcuffs, etc. The interviewed police officers pointed out the benefit of keeping the training as realistic as possible. That implies to keep psycho-motor skills part of the training session instead of splitting training in a psycho-motor skill and a cognitive/affective skills apart.

In order to meet user requirements as good as possible, RE-liON has expanded the existing toolset and included a tactical belt. This is to ensure that the trainees can train in Virtual Reality with realistic training equipment. If the equipment is body-worn, then it needs to be present at the place where the learner expects it to stimulate muscle-memory. The tactical belt and the training tools presented on the picture above has been developed with a mix of passive electronics and 3D printing to keep it as affordable as possible. All of the tools can be used in the virtual environment to maximize the training effect.