In May 2024, Ohio State University conducted an independent study on the V-100 Simulator. The study confirmed the simulator can record shooting performance accurately and track individuals progress over time reliably.
Researchers at Ohio State University studied 30 participants with varying degrees of rifle-handling experience to assess the V-100’s capabilities as a training device and research tool. They found that the system accurately captured shooting data, decision-making, and reaction time down to millimeters and milliseconds. The significant findings could further develop VirTra’s simulators as research tools and lead to their use in a first-ever standardized performance score system for virtual reality ballistics training.
“We were using it as an outcome variable for research, and we found that it has very good day-to-day reproducibility of performance, which is crucial for research,” said Jeff Volek, professor of human sciences at Ohio State. “You want a sensitive and reproducible outcome in your test where there’s not a lot of device or equipment variation.”
“I created a few programs that enabled us to calculate the shooting data and produce objective training measures,” he said. “This equipment is close to what the military and police use every day, so this has potential to be used as a screening tool across the country.”
The study’s findings corroborate the research industry’s steady adoption of VirTra simulators for investigative purposes. Already, top level investigators like Force Science use VirTra simulators to conduct human performance under stress research. Von Kliem, the Chief Consulting and Communications Officer at Force Science explained VirTra’s value to their work.
“At Force Science, we are involved in many of our country’s most high-profile use-of-force investigations, where we are required to research, analyze, and demonstrate the reality of human performance under stress. With VirTra simulators, we can swiftly and securely re-create dynamic force encounters. Their precision technology allows us to measure movement times, shot times, and response intervals with the consistency and accuracy necessary for valid and reliable research. The validity of research conducted with VirTra systems enables us to study diverse populations and establish realistic expectations for human performance during threat assessments, decision-making, and critical de-escalation efforts.”
The study was published May, 29 in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
