How augmented reality could find its way to the courtroom
Returning to court to give evidence against their attacker can be a for victims of sexual abuse, and many have described it as like having to . However, the rise of augmented reality and holographic technology – that could bring vulnerable witnesses into court in 3-D instead – could offer a solution.
Studies have found that – such as victim-blaming and insensitive behaviour from police, judges and social workers – can make victims feel violated and traumatised. and other means to testify are available but lawyers have argued that the demeanour of complainants, especially when testifying, can and hinder their case.
The absence of a complainant in the courtroom, and the mediating effect of a video link, may create a distance between them and the jury. Many professionals have voiced concern that the use of video link can also make it that a witness' account will incite sympathy and/or be believed.
such as body language plays a significant role in criminal trials, especially in sexual assault cases. Jurors use "" to judge demeanour, deception and credibility from the posture, gaze and expression of witnesses. This poses a challenge in cases where special measures have been used.
During a video link testimony, the witness is simply a two-dimensional representation of themselves on a screen. These subtle visual, non-verbal and verbal cues may not be properly interpreted by jurors, who then may not reach the correct conclusion about the credibility of the witness.
A technological courtroom
There have been calls for a in rape trials and while technology has been accused of in today's society, it could bring about a social good in this case. Augmented and virtual reality technology could allow a witness to provide a testimony from a different location but appear in front of the judge and jurors in three-dimensional form with the use of wearables and headsets.
superimposes graphical, audio and other sense enhancements over the real world and in real time and they can interact with reality. It entered the mainstream recently with the enormous popularity of Nintendo's on smartphones. But its real potential lies in .
A system for use in court would superimpose augmented graphic elements in specific locations, so that individuals could appear in the witness box without having ever entered the courtroom. This approach would shield vulnerable witnesses from the stress of giving testimony in person, but ensure that the jury sees a more realistic testimony. The same technology could be used in situations where evidence is given to the jury alone.
Virtual reality (VR) – which can project images of a person but unlike augmented reality, does not interact with reality – has been shown to in users. In fact, to illustrate harsh conditions of donation recipients to potential donors. Live-streaming VR technology has already been used and in . Adapting it to the courtroom would not be a great leap and there have for virtual reality technology to be put to this sort of use.
Then, there's emerging holographic technology that could be adopted for the use in the courtroom. Commercial solutions exist, such as that allow for full-body images to be cast on specially-tempered film or glass to create the illusion of a hologram, as well as . The advantage is that no headsets or goggles are required, and the technology is less complicated than AR and VR.
Sound matters too
Regardless of the technology adopted, in creating realistic engagement with virtual or augmented reality environments. For jurors to feel like they are hearing a witness as if they were physically in the witness stand, is essential. It would allow jurors to note every vocal cue or inflection during testimony.
There have been calls for technology to facilitate witnesses to give testimony remotely since the . In the US, Supreme Court acknowledged that courts will always be slow to adopt technology, but that if it assists in access to justice it should be implemented.
Recent studies in the US have found as many as – often due to inadequacies in law enforcement organisations designed to help them, or specifically to avoid the harrowing court procedures. Augmented reality and VR could help bring about justice in more cases: it is time the technology had its day in court.
Provided by The Conversation
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