Simulation of crime scenes of various types for students learning forensics has always been important, though this meant the physical re-creation of a scenario in a place at the university with all the constraints this brings and then resetting it for each student. Our Forensics Simulation brings the students into an immersive and interactive 3D environment through virtual reality which enables a whole class to engage with the scenarios at the same time and repeat the learning to hone their skills and reinforce all the learning they have done in class.
The students explore the virtual environments and evidence, tagging, photographing, collecting, analysing and reporting.
Project Details
The Forensics Sim now features several environment and a suite of virtual tools to allow us to generate scenarios for the students to process inside VR.
TEACHING & RESEARCH
The Medicine and Health Forensics program at UNSW is rolling out the PoC version into their classes this year to help their students learn the procedures for processing a crime scene. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning research is being conducted to gage the efficacy of the simulation for the students' learning.
The simulation is now being enhanced to support the Master of Explosive Ordnance program run from UNSW Canberra with the specific needs of processing sites with explosive residue and debris.
TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT
The development team comprised of both staff and work integrated learning students are using the Unity game engine as the core development platform. The team is using a mixture of 3D modelled assets along with photogrammetry to create the scenes. The students can then move about in VR tagging and collecting evidence in the virtual setting using our Meta Quest 3 VR headsets.
Credits
"Virtual reality transforms the forensic investigation of explosives by offering students a dynamic learning journey where they can simulate complex crime scenes, practice evidence collection techniques, and analyse blast patterns—all within a controlled, realistic and safe environment. This immersive approach not only enhances students' understanding but also hones their practical skills crucial for real-world forensic investigations."
Morphy Dumlao, Lecturer, School of Science (Chemistry), UNSW Canberra
Key Academics and Education Design
Dilan Seckiner (Lecturer, School of Biomedical Sciences, Medicine and Health)
Morphy Dumlao (Lecturer, School of Science (Chemistry), UNSW Canberra)
Emily Rutherford (Learning & Teaching Development Leader, UNSW Canberra)
Design & Development
Ashley Hall (Immersive Technology Specialist and Developer, PVC Education)
Graham Hannah (Manager of Immersive Technologies, PVC Education
Work Integrated Learning Student Placements
Kosar Taleai (Software Engineering Thesis)
Aaron Shek (Software Engineering Thesis)
Wei (Klaus) Wang (Master of Simulation and Immersive Technology Capstone)
Yi-Wen (Angela) Huang (Master of Simulation and Immersive Technology Capstone)
Chenxing Yang (Master of Simulation and Immersive Technology Capstone)
George Shu (Software Engineering Thesis)
Get Involved
There are internal Teams Channels and working groups covering the development with Medicine and UNSW Canberra. To find out more, join the team, get a demo or have your class use-case included just get in touch.
- Email: [email protected]
There are internal Teams Channels and working groups covering the development with Medicine and UNSW Canberra. To find out more, join the team, get a demo or have your class use-case included just get in touch.
- Email: [email protected]