VR Intervention to Improve Police Safety
VR Intervention to Improve Police Safety
The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of Floreo's police safety
 module (PSM) in adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by assessing
 improvement in police interaction skills as compared to a video modeling intervention.
Advances in virtual reality (VR) technology offer new opportunities to design interventions
 targeting the core deficits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and promote
 acquisition of skills necessary for effective navigation of challenging social situations,
 such as engagement with law enforcement. Researchers have explored the potential of virtual
 reality technology in targeting autism-related deficits, but at this time there are no
 evidence-based VR interventions for ASD. While most research labelled VR for the purposes of
 therapy has not been immersive, in recent years, the commercial introduction of head-mounted
 displays (HMD) and lower cost of virtual reality technology have led to greater interest in
 therapeutic applications of VR. As part of a mission to develop VR products for individuals
 with ASD, investigators will collaborate with a commercial tech start-up company, Floreo
 Technology, to study a mobile VR module for police safety skills. Investigators seek to
 evaluate the safety and feasibility of the mobile VR police safety module (PSM) and the
 effectiveness of the module in improving police interaction skills in adolescents and adults
 with ASD.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Males or females age 12 to 60 years.

 -  Documented autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis

 -  Verbal IQ >/= 75 (verbal and non-verbal)

 -  Informed consent (if adult) or parental/guardian permission (if child or adult with
 diminished capacity) and, if applicable, assent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Participation in pilot virtual reality (VR) study at the Children's Hospital of
 Philadelphia (CHOP)

 -  Personal or family history of seizures or a seizure disorder

 -  Primary sensory impairment (e.g., blindness, deafness)

 -  Personal or family history of migraines

 -  History of vertigo

 -  History of strabismus, other eye muscle problems, or eye surgery

 -  History of concussion with hospitalization

 -  Diagnosis of a known genetic syndrome (e.g., Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome)

 -  History of a medical condition which has affected/affects cognitive, sensory, or motor
 functioning (e.g., Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, brain injury, stroke, brain tumor)

 -  Non-English speaking

 -  Parents/guardians or subjects who, in the opinion of the Investigator, may be
 non-compliant with study schedules or procedures