Virtual reality glasses were recently used to view evidence in a Hong Kong courtroom. This technological innovation in the law could also be implemented in our country.

VR headsets were used during the inquest into the death of a Hong Kong student who fell in a parking garage. It is part of a small but growing movement to present evidence via VR. Experts say virtual reality could offer new ways to present evidence to juries.

“There’s no doubt that virtual reality can help explain details of a case to jurors in a way that allows them to immerse themselves in the crime scene,” Jack Zmudzinski, a senior associate at software company Future Processing, said in an email interview. “The downside is that strict measures must be taken to ensure that such evidence is accurate and impartial.”

In the case of Hong Kong, it was the first time the city used VR in a trial. Normally, the jury would have visited the scene of the death, but prosecutors used glasses because of the coronavirus movement restrictions. Alex Chow Tsz-lok died during anti-government protests last November.