Interesting post in Business Insider today. Immersive, virtual reality experiences in the courtroom. Definitely a great, effective way to present a crime scene. Maybe too effective. There’s no doubt this would, as writer Dana Varinsky points out, work in favor of the wealthier party in the lawsuit.
Virtual Reality in the Courtroom?
Beyond that though, I wonder if VR, because of it’s early stage of development, might not make litigators fearful. I think about the painstaking care we take in order to deliver an exceedingly innocuous demo at a trade show. The pressure to get it right in the courtroom, with so much at stake, that takes things to a whole other level.
And then there are elements that are impossible to plan for. Are all of the headsets working properly? Are any of the jurors naturally susceptible to VR sickness. Will the HMDs fog up while they’re watching.
Were I a litigator, no matter the temptation, I’d be hesitant to introduce anything VR-related right now.