Beijing court turns to virtual reality

A witness wearing a pair of VR glasses and operating a hand set replicates the crime scenes he had seen on March1, 2018, at a courtroom in Beijing's No. 1 Intermediate People's Court. (Photo/Beijing Evening Post)

While virtual reality (VR) technology may be most used at home or museums, it could also help lawyers and judges in the courtroom to get a better idea of how an alleged offence took place.

Wearing a pair of VR glasses and operating a hand set, a witness moved the simulated images of a suspected murderer and victim on the screen to replicate the crime scenes he had seen.

The VR technology was used at a courtroom in Beijing's No. 1 Intermediate People's Court Thursday. It was the first time for Beijing's courts to use such technology in hearing a criminal case, according to the Beijing Municipal People's Procuratorate.

"The defendant threatened the girl on the screen to walk to a desk with a knife, then stabbed her on the neck," said a witness, who was the victim's colleague.

In September 2017, a man stabbed a woman to death over a romantic dispute at an office in Beijing.

The VR technology is part of a visualization system which also includes a projection that can present evidence including texts, photos and videos.

"Previously, procurators presented evidence through oral accounts or PPT," said Zhuang Wei, an officer with the Beijing Municipal People's Procuratorate. "The new visualization system can show evidence in a more direct and transparent way."

VR technology has been widely applied in China, such as in the drug rehabilitation, training and gaming industries.