Augmented reality has given companies worldwide great powers for innovating business practices and engaging customers, but on Monday, Honda demonstrated that with great power, also comes great social responsibility.
In this case, the carmaker, with a technology assist from Blippar, is using its augmented reality powers to bring a little joy to the lives of hospitalized children facing grave illnesses at the Children's Hospital of Orange County in California.
The company sponsored the "Ultimate Get Well Card," an augmented reality experience for patients at the hospital. An iPad serves as a window to a whimsical winter wonderland, populated with origami birds and snowball-tossing snowmen that appear to pop out of the card.
Built on Blippar's AR platform, the experience is viewable by all through a web browser.
In addition to the animations, the experience displays a Christmas tree made of virtual cards with well-wishes collected from social media and video messages of encouragement from the hospital's staff.
"Sending warm wishes to others is one of the best traditions of the holiday season and through a little Honda innovation we're using augmented reality to send messages that will brighten the lives of young patients at Children's Hospital of Orange County," said Susie Rossick, assistant vice president of Honda Marketing, in a statement.
Moreover, for every like that the company's video documenting the experience receives on Facebook, Honda will donate a dollar (up to $100,000) to the hospital and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
In a world where it's easy to be cynical or jaded, even during the holiday season, Honda is cleverly using cutting edge technology to remind us that there are those who are much more vulnerable facing much greater obstacles. Aside from all the business innovations and developments we uncover, it's also nice to know that there are corporate efforts like this focused on using the power of AR for social good.
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Cover image via Honda/YouTube
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