Dad able to watch the birth of his son from 2,500 miles away, thanks to VR headset

Jason “Jace” Larke was working across the country when his wife, Alison, was scheduled to give birth in Perth, Australia. But thanks to an elaborate virtual reality setup, he was able to “be” by his wife’s side at the moment when she gave birth, despite being nearly 2,500 miles away.

This special moment was brought to you by Samsung.  A team from the company arranged the cameras and audio equipment in Alison’s hospital room and paired them with a Samsung Gear VR headset for Jace where he was working on the other side of Australia.

When Alison went into labor, Jace went into a special virtual birthing suite that Samsung had set up, where he was able to “move” around in real time and talk to Alison.

The couple’s story is featured in a new ad for Samsung Gear VR, and the company has said that this experience is proof that virtual reality isn’t just a toy.

“We were given the opportunity to be involved in the Samsung project. Jace was able to see our son born and experience the birth as if he was in the room with me, even though he was working away on the other side of the country,” Alison said. “For me it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, knowing he would not be missing out on such a precious moment in our lives and we would virtually be experiencing the birth together. It has been an absolutely amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience that has changed our lives forever.”