The virtual dog will protect against real bites in the future

In the USA, 350,000 patients are treated for dog bites every year. In the UK, around 7,000 cases are reported each year. One of the most effective ways to prevent bites is to know the warning signs of an aggressive dog, according to researchers. Dogs Trust, a dog welfare charity, wanted to develop a new method of educating the public. In particular, Dogs Trust wanted to show a range of stressed behaviours normally displayed by dogs when they are in a situation that is likely to lead to a bite.

In response to this problem, the University of Liverpool is currently developing a rather unusual VR application: it not only makes it possible to virtually depict dogs, but also different degrees of aggression and different behaviour patterns. The aim is to train people with this app so that they can better assess dogs and their signals - and thus reduce dog bites.

Source: Interesting Engineering