A 360-degree camera (on tripod) was used to create a virtual tour of the University
Eye Center in the Michigan College of Optometry of Ferris State University. This project,
conducted by Able Eyes’ Lansing office, was funded by a $4,600 grant from the Michigan
Foundation for Vision Awareness.
Navigating the University Eye Center in the Michigan College of Optometry of Ferris State University will be possible virtually, thanks to a $4,600 grant from the Michigan Foundation for Vision Awareness.
Paula McDowell, MCO’s Chief of Pediatric Optometry, applied for the funding to allow Able Eyes, a national marketing contractor, to complete a 360-degree virtual tour of the first floor of the MCO building. The product is an accessible online reference to the complete MCO layout, including the Vision Research Institute, the Fortenbacher Center for Vision Therapy, Essilor Eyewear Center and the Dr. Walter Betts Vision Rehabilitation Center.
“I had heard of the company and came to understand Able Eyes has done virtual tours for other spaces on campus,” McDowell said. “This will be of great service to give information and comfort to the University Eye Center patients with special needs. Able Eyes used a camera on a rolling stand, set at a height of five feet to map the entire clinic, with empty lobbies, hallways and examination rooms.”
McDowell said there is an ancillary benefit to this virtual tour, as potential MCO students can review the virtual tour as an opportunity to learn about that college area.
“Anyone interested in accessing the virtual tour can do so through Able Eye’s website or the University Eye Center webpage,”McDowell said. “Patients from the public or those referred to the clinic can review the video before they visit, to become fully aware of what they will find here.”
Other Ferris facilities mapped by Able Eyes for virtual tours on the Big Rapids campus include:
- Birkam Health Center
- David L. Eisler Center
- Educational and Career Counseling and Disability Services
- FLITE (Ferris Library for Information, Technology and Education)
- The Rock Café
- Student Recreation Center.
All campus tour videos are available on the Able Eyes website.