When talking about VR or AR, most people will probably think of gaming or entertainment. But the use of Augmented Reality technology is rapidly increasing in Public Safety.

As crime evolves and technology becomes more advanced, AR is becoming a go-to solution for agencies to achieve more effective training and emergency response.

Training with Augmented Reality: Creating realistic, complex training scenarios in the real world can be time-consuming and expensive for agencies. To overcome these challenges, agencies are turning to augmented reality to give first responders reality-based situations in a life-like virtual training environment.

AR is like projecting a virtual scene on top of real world surroundings and interacting with it. Using an AR headset or glasses, officers can experience situations like visiting a hostage situation, conducting a traffic stop, firearm training, etc in the virtual world. According to Edgar Dale’s ‘Cone of Learning’, we remember 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear and 90% of what we experience. So, the immersive training experience provided through AR can be more effective than traditional training methods.

Emergency Responses with AR: Emergencies like robbery, accidents, fire, and rescue require a quick response and easy access to intelligence about a location. Augmented Reality devices can provide real-time intel like building layouts or suspect information visually overlaid onto the real world to help responders make informed decisions.

The 365 RealTime system, for example, works with the Microsoft Hololens to put an entire command center with location intel and video feeds right in front of the wearer’s eyes, while still allowing them to see and interact with the real world. Using an AR headset or glasses allows responders to view the intel hands-free, which is more practical than trying to view information on a cell phone while responding to an emergency.

Also, officers can view important information without even being physically present at the location. For example, using AR to virtually walk through a location where the robbery just happened, investigators can thoroughly review the scene to capture important evidence.

For agencies to build an agile, future-ready workforce and meet the needs of the community, Augmented Reality is a promising technology that can be used to train new recruits, help officers refresh their skills, and provide better intel for responders.

Interested in learning more about how the latest public safety technology can help your agency?  Contact us to speak with a 365Labs Public Safety Technology Consultant.