Google Glass has found a new use for its technology by taking hospitalized kids on a virtual trip to the zoo.
Google Glass may not have got the response it expected but the technology sure knows how to get the best out of itself. At a recent event at the Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston earlier this month, Google Glass was used to take the sick children on a virtual trip to the zoo to see the animals, without leaving their beds. While it may not be comparable to the first-hand experience one gets with such visits, but it is close enough for children who are unable to leave their hospital beds.
The hospital staff assisted the young explorers with the Google Glass and using Google Hangouts, the children got a firsthand view of the zoo through the eyes of the employees.
"Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, together with the help of the Google Glass Explorer program, is enhancing the patient experience in a way never before possible," the hospital said. "The hospital recently allowed kids of all ages to virtually "visit" the Houston Zoo, located across the street from the hospital, without ever leaving their hospital beds."
The program was first of a kind in the United States and opens scope for new opportunities for the Glass. In a video description on YouTube, the hospital wrote that the Memorial Hermann will continue to find new ways to use Google Glass for patients.
Jayden Neal, a six-year-old kid, was among the very few patients to explore the Glass' capabilities. Neal's diabetes did not permit him to leave the hospital, but with the help of Glass he found a way to feel normal said Neal's mother in a statement to Mashable. "He was able to see the zoo - what's a greater thing than that?"
The program was tested with a small group of five kids, but the hospital hopes to bring a similar experience to all.
Google Glass is still not available for the general public. Houston Zoo was able to get their hands on the high-tech eyewear through a contest during last summer. The zoo hasn't teamed up with the hospital for the first time. Before this, the hospital arranged virtual visits to the zoo via Skype, but adding Google Glass takes the virtual experience to a whole new level.
