Virtual Reality Helps Kids With Parents Behind Bars - Government Technology

October 25, 2022 • 

(TNS) — Kids are getting a amended accidental to enslaved with parents who are serving clip down bars acknowledgment to virtual reality, a exertion with rapidly expanding uses.

Uptown-based Amachi Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that helps incarcerated parents amended link with their children, is piloting the usage of virtual world to amended connection among household members. In a archetypal of its benignant collaboration, the authorities Department of Corrections and Tempe, Arizona-based Wrap Technologies Inc. are piloting usage of the equipment, which allows 360-degree views of an imaginary satellite successful 2 oregon 3 dimensions for shared adventures betwixt kids and incarcerated mothers and fathers.

A authorities assistance of $680,000 is underwriting the three-month proceedings which includes materials for a parenting people being offered virtually astatine 3 prisons, including SCI Fayette successful Uniontown.

"This is simply a mode to re-establish connections betwixt parents and children," Amachi Pittsburgh Executive Director Anna Hollis said astatine a quality league past week. "We truly privation to spot this grow."

Image DescriptionAnna Hollis, enforcement manager of Amachi PittsburghPA Department of Corrections)

On immoderate fixed time successful Allegheny County, 8,500 children person a parent oregon begetter down bars, Ms. Hollis said. Some 200,000 children statewide person an incarcerated parent.

Public information training, amusement and wellness attraction are among the increasing fig of industries utilizing virtual reality. Facebook laminitis Mark Zuckerberg is besides utilizing virtual world arsenic the halfway of a caller societal level called metaverse, his latest project.

Using virtual world successful transgression justness rehabilitation volition beryllium simpler. Ms. Hollis said incarcerated parents volition conscionable with their kid connected a Zoom telephone to take an imaginary escapade that some volition past acquisition by wearing a headset that covers the eyes.

The shared, immersive acquisition volition pb to improved communication, Ms. Hollis said. Each virtual world acquisition volition beryllium guided by a acquisition program and managed by authorities Department of Corrections staff, who volition beryllium capable to accommodate and customize the situations successful existent time.

Penn State University researchers volition measure the effectiveness of the programme and children volition not person to question to a situation oregon jailhouse to participate. Amachi Pittsburgh and Public Health Management Corp. successful Philadelphia volition facilitate the virtual world visits.

"The overwhelming bulk of incarcerated parents volition instrumentality to their families and communities astatine the decision of their situation sentence, authorities Department of Corrections Acting Secretary George Little said successful a prepared statement. "Practice makes cleanable and we anticipation relation playing with the assistance of virtual avatars volition assistance parents and children spot beyond the installation walls and physique stronger families and safer communities."

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