Finding the Good in Glass

I think that Clare made an interesting point of focusing on the positive effects of adopting Google Glass in society.  We tend to focus on the unfamiliarity of the device and its use in everyday silly tasks.  We forget what innovations like Google Glass and virtual reality can mean for education, healthcare, and even happiness.

Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas is proof that good can come from Glass. The hospital is using the wearables to give young patients the opportunity to take virtual tours of the Houston zoo.  Facetiming with a real zookeeper, they get a full tour of the zoo and get to interact and speak with the keeper about the animals and the facility.

Seeing the smile on the little boy's face in the video was enough to turn me into a Glass supporter.  New technology, like Google Glass or Facebook's Oculus Rift,  can allow patients to temporarily escape from the everyday walls of the hospital.  They could go to a petting zoo, explore a tropical island, or ride a roller coaster, all from the comfort of their own bed.

Virtual reality devices and wearables will surely dominate the future of technology.  It is important that we consider how we can use these new innovations to better society. When you consider their educational value, the temporary escape that they provide, and the excitement on the young patient's face, it seems silly to protest the glasses simply because they are unfamiliar or appear intrusive.