Impact of Full-Body Avatars in Immersive Multiplayer Virtual Reality Training for Police Forces

Recent advancements in virtual reality technology contributed to the development of immersive games and simulations of any kind. Simulations are a valuable tool for police forces to practice specific skills within threatening, dangerous, and stressful situations without dangerous real-world implications. Effective virtual simulations need to be realistic in terms of actions and also need to elicit emotion, engagement, and stress. To this end, we developed a multiplayer virtual reality training simulation for police forces to explore the effect of full-body avatars, especially regarding the stress level and response to threats. We analyzed the statistical significance and effect sizes of the data from 32 police officers under two conditions: either they could see an assailant with a full-body avatar or only a head and hands. The results reveal an increase in stress level and threat during the immersion with the full-body avatar. This was shown objectively by analyzing the heart rate variability and subjectively by examining a questionnaire in response to a threat to the assailant’s virtual body. These findings indicate that an assailant with a full-body avatar is beneficial during training for police forces, as it increases the feeling of a threat and contributes to a more realistic training experience.