Dr. John Muñoz(Wilfrid Laurier University) has recently completed a study developing virtual reality (VR) simulations to train police officers in both Canada and the United States. As part of his study design, Dr. Muñoz focused specifically on teaching officers’ critical skills in de-escalation and improved awareness when responding to mental health crises. The study uses state of the art VR equipment and physiological sensors to capture study participants’ heart rates. Understanding phsyiological data like heart rates can provide police departments with more in-depth data on how police officers respond to stressful situations. This can result in more effective training to adequately prepare officers when responding to emergencies.
This study was run out of multiple labs at the GI including the Immersion Room, the Living Room Lab, and the Presentation Room. To learn more, watch a segment of Dr. Muñoz’s interview with Rogers TV!