Skip to main content

VR rehab could help prisoners learn the valuable life skills they need

When you think of the most important components of a functional prison, virtual reality headsets probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind.

However, a new initiative called Virtual Rehab wants to change that by introducing the technology to correctional institutions as a way of helping teach inmates the skills they may rely on after their sentences are completed.

Recommended Videos

“We develop real life scenarios that an offender or an addict will encounter upon their release,” Dr. Raji Wahidy, founder and CEO of Virtual Rehab, told Digital Trends. “These scenarios will measure the action and reaction of the offender or the addict. It is through these scenarios and curriculums that we will measure and teach offenders and addicts ways of making the right decisions that will help them avoid reoffending and relapsing. The scenarios are fully immersive and will challenge the students accordingly. We are also working on programs that will assist correctional officers in dealing with difficult situations, as well as empathizing with inmates.”

It’s certainly an innovative idea — and something that could hopefully help lower the massive number of prisoners behind bars in the United States. That number currently stands at 2.2 million, and last year cost the federal government a total of $9 billion.

Virtual Rehab - Immersive Learning in Virtual Reality - Teaser Video Clip #1

Virtual Rehab involves a varied number of scenarios that inmates can try out, presented in a way that’s engaging and practical — without putting members of the general public at risk in the process. For example, it allows for vocational job training skills such as learning car mechanics, plumbing, welding, or carpentry. Other scenarios take more of a psychological rehabilitation tact, with the goal of helping treat emotional disorders, or perhaps navigating through a scene involving dealing with family violence or alcoholism.

Given that VR is still a relatively new tool, the jury’s still out on what kind of difference it can make in a person’s life. However, Wahidy is confident it has a valuable role to play.

“VR has proven to be even more effective than some of this existing traditional ways of educating and rehabilitating,” he said. “For example, back in 1994, [integrated managed care consortium] Kaiser Permanente were one of the first [groups] to use VR to treat patients with acrophobia symptoms. The results of these studies were that over 90 percent of patients no longer showed these acrophobia symptoms. Further studies were conducted on military combat personnel who returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD symptoms. Yet again, the results of these studies were that over 75 percent did not show these symptoms following the use of VR.”

Virtual Rehab soft-launched back in December, and the team has just released a Virtual Rehab Trial Version this week. Let’s hope it can live up to its promise.

Hey, if it’s a success maybe they can even get Morgan Freeman to reprise his Shawshank Redemption narrator role for a future upgrade!

Luke Dormehl
I'm a UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends. I've also written for Fast Company, Wired, the Guardian…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more