With all the talk of Google Glass' supposed image problem, it's easy to forget that the technology can enable some wonderful things.

For proof, look no further than a children's hospital in Houston that is is taking advantage of Glass to bring some happiness to sick kids.

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston recently gave some sick kids, who are unable to leave the hospital, the opportunity to virtually "visit" the Houston Zoo with Google Glass.

The program is the first of its kind in the United States. Children wear Google Glass and participate in a "double Glass Hangout" with zoo employees.

This allows children to not only "visit" the zoo but go behind the scenes with zookeepers to get an up-close look at the animals.

"It gave my son a chance to feel like he was a normal kid,” said the mother of a 6-year-old boy with diabetes who was one of the first children to participate in the program. “He was able to see the zoo — what’s a greater thing than that?”

The hospital, which is located across the street form the Houston Zoo, says it will continue to find new ways to use Google Glass to help patients.

The Houston Zoo joined the Google Glass Explorer program last summer.